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SN 22.71PTS SN 3.791 min read

With Rādha

Rādhasutta

Venerable Rādha asks the Buddha how to see so as to let go of conceit. The Buddha tells him to contemplate the aggregates in terms of not-self.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.71Linked Discourses 22.71
  • 0.27. Arahantavagga7. The Perfected Ones

0.3RādhasuttaWith Rādha

1.1PTS 3.80Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2Atha kho āyasmā rādho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Venerable Rādha went up to the Buddha … and asked him,11.3“kathaṁ nu kho, bhante, jānato, kathaṁ passato imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na hontī”ti?“Sir, how does one know and see so that there’s no I-making, mine-making, or underlying tendency to conceit for this conscious body and externally for all signs?”2

1.4“Yaṁ kiñci, rādha, rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ vā bahiddhā vā oḷārikaṁ vā sukhumaṁ vā hīnaṁ vā paṇītaṁ vā yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ rūpaṁ: ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passati.“Rādha, one truly sees any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: <em>all</em> form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

1.5Yā kāci vedanā …One truly sees any kind of feeling …1.6yā kāci saññā …perception …1.7ye keci saṅkhārā …choices …1.8yaṁ kiñci viññāṇaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ …pe… yaṁ dūre santike vā, sabbaṁ viññāṇaṁ: ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passati.consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: <em>all</em> consciousness—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

1.9Evaṁ kho, rādha, jānato evaṁ passato imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na hontī”ti …pe…That’s how to know and see so that there’s no I-making, mine-making, or underlying tendency to conceit for this conscious body and externally for all signs.” …

1.10aññataro ca panāyasmā rādho arahataṁ ahosīti.And Venerable Rādha became one of the perfected.

1.11Navamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The next Saṁyutta, starting with SN 23.1, features Rādha throughout. Because he was such a persistent questioner, he was said to be the foremost of those who inspire eloquent teachings (AN 1.233). This discourse is also found at SN 18.21 and SN 22.91.

    ↩ sn22.71:1.2
  2. See SN 18.21:1.3 and note.

    ↩ sn22.71:1.3