Connected Discourses with Rādha

1At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Rādha approached the Blessed One,²³⁹ DPPN 2:730 explains that he was a brahmin of Rājagaha who had become a monk in his old age. The Buddha declared him the foremost of those who could inspire ingenuity in others (etadaggaṁ paṭibhāṇakeyyānaṁ; AN I 25,15). He has two verses at Th 133-34 (= Dhp 13-14). Spk: Whenever the Tathāgata saw this elder, a subtle topic occurred to him. Thus the Blessed One taught him the Dhamma in various ways. In this saṁyutta, two vaggas have come down by way of questions, a third by way of request, and a fourth by way of intimate discourse (upanisinnakakathā , lit. “sitting nearby talk”).
[189] paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘Māra, Māra.’ In what way, venerable sir, might Māra be?”²⁴⁰ Spk: Here “Māra” is a metaphor for death and the aggregates (maraṇa-māra, khandha-māra).

2“When there is form, Rādha, there might be Māra, or the killer, or the one who is killed.²⁴¹ Māro vā assa māretā vā yo vā pana mīyati. Spk glosses māretā with māretabbo, but the word is clearly an agent noun with an active sense. Therefore, Rādha, see form as Māra, see it as the killer, see it as the one who is killed. See it as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as real misery. Those who see it thus see rightly.

3“When there is feeling … When there is perception … When there are volitional formations … When there is consciousness, Rādha, there might be Māra, or the killer, or the one who is killed. Therefore, Rādha, see consciousness as Māra, see it as the killer, see it as the one who is killed. See it as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as real misery. Those who see it thus see rightly.”

4“What, venerable sir, is the purpose of seeing rightly?”

5“The purpose of seeing rightly, Rādha, is revulsion.”

6“And what, venerable sir, is the purpose of revulsion?”

7“The purpose of revulsion is dispassion.”

8“And what, venerable sir, is the purpose of dispassion?”

9“The purpose of dispassion is liberation.”

10“And what, venerable sir, is the purpose of liberation?”

11“The purpose of liberation is Nibbāna.”²⁴² Vimutti kho Rādha nibbānatthā. Spk: This “liberation of the fruit” is for the purpose of Nibbāna without clinging (phalavimutti nām’ esā anupādānibbānatthā).

12“And what, venerable sir, is the purpose of Nibbāna?”

13“You have gone beyond the range of questioning, Rādha.²⁴³ This paragraph is also at 48:42 (V 218,19-21) and MN I 304,20-22. Be consistently reads the verb as accayāsi (aorist of atiyāti), Se as accasarā (aorist of atisarati). Ee’s assa here and ajjhaparam below must stem from faulty manuscripts. The last sentence is: Nibbānogadhaṁ hi Rādha brahmacariyaṁ vussati nibbānaparāyanaṁ nibbānapariyosānaṁ. Many translators take nibbānogadha to mean “the plunge into Nibbāna” or “merging with Nibbāna,” which the commentaries encourage by connecting ogadha with ogāha, a plunge (from the verb ogāhati, to plunge into). But ogadha is actually a by-form of ogādha, from the verb ogādhati, which the commentaries treat as synonymous with patiṭṭhahati, “to be established.” They confirm this link by consistently glossing ogadha with patiṭṭhā, support; hence my rendering “ground.” For the references, see CPD, s.v. ogadha, ogādhati, ogāha, and the use of the word gādha, both literal and metaphorical, in I, v. 263. MW defines gādha (from the root gādh, to stand firmly) as a ground for standing on in water, a shallow place, a ford.
You weren’t able to grasp the limit to questioning. For, Rādha, the holy life is lived with Nibbāna as its ground, Nibbāna as its destination, Nibbāna as its final goal.”

2. A Being

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: [190] “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘a being, a being.’ In what way, venerable sir, is one called a being?”

2“One is stuck, Rādha, tightly stuck, in desire, lust, delight, and craving for form; therefore one is called a being.²⁴⁴ This reply hinges on a pun between satta as the Pāli equivalent of Skt sattva, “a being,” and as the past participle of sajjati (= Skt sakta), “attached.” One is stuck, tightly stuck, in desire, lust, delight, and craving for feeling … for perception … for volitional formations … for consciousness; therefore one is called a being.

3“Suppose, Rādha, some little boys or girls are playing with sand castles. So long as they are not devoid of lust, desire, affection, thirst, passion, and craving for those sand castles, they cherish them, play with them, treasure them,²⁴⁵ I read dhanāyanti with Be and Se, glossed dhanaṁ viya maññanti by Spk. and treat them possessively. But when those little boys or girls lose their lust, desire, affection, thirst, passion, and craving for those sand castles, then they scatter them with their hands and feet, demolish them, shatter them, and put them out of play.

4“So too, Rādha, scatter form, demolish it, shatter it, put it out of play; practise for the destruction of craving. Scatter feeling … Scatter perception … Scatter volitional formations … Scatter consciousness, demolish it, shatter it, put it out of play; practise for the destruction of craving. For the destruction of craving, Rādha, is Nibbāna.”

3. The Conduit to Existence

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘the conduit to existence, the conduit to existence.’²⁴⁶ I follow Se. Be reads bhavanetti-nirodho twice, Ee bhavanetti bhavanetti-nirodho. Bhavanetti, lit. “what leads to existence,” is glossed bhavarajju, “rope of existence,” by Spk. The expression is a synonym of bhavataṇhā, craving for existence, and often occurs in verse. What, venerable sir, is the conduit to existence, and what is the cessation of the conduit to existence?” [191]

2“Rādha, the desire, lust, delight, craving, engagement and clinging, mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies regarding form:²⁴⁷ A partly similar series of terms is met at 12:15. See II, nn. 31, 32.. this is called the conduit to existence. Their cessation is the cessation of the conduit to existence.

3“The desire, lust, delight, craving, engagement and clinging, mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies regarding feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness: this is called the conduit to existence. Their cessation is the cessation of the conduit to existence.”

4-10. To Be Fully Understood, Etc.

1(These seven suttas are identical with 22:106-12, but addressed to Rādha.) [192-94] [195]

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘Māra, Māra.’ What now, venerable sir, is Māra?”

2“Form, Rādha, is Māra. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is Māra. Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”

12. Subject to Māra

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘subject to Māra, subject to Māra.’²⁴⁸ Māradhamma. Spk glosses with maraṇadhamma, “subject to death.” In some of the suttas that follow (namely, in relation to impermanence, suffering, and nonself), I translate the suffix -dhamma as “nature” rather than “subject to.” What now, venerable sir, is subject to Māra?”

2“Form, Rādha, is subject to Māra. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is subject to Māra. Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”

13. Impermanent

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘impermanent, impermanent. ’ What now, venerable sir, is impermanent?”

2“Form, Rādha, is impermanent. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is impermanent. Seeing thus … He understands: ’… there is no more for this state of being.’”

14. Of Impermanent Nature

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘of an impermanent nature, of an impermanent nature.’ What now, venerable sir, is of an impermanent nature?”

2“Form, Rādha, is of an impermanent nature. Feeling … [196] Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is of an impermanent nature. Seeing thus … He understands: ’… there is no more for this state of being.’”

15. Suffering

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘suffering, suffering.’ What now, venerable sir, is suffering?”

2“Form, Rādha, is suffering, feeling is suffering, perception is suffering, volitional formations are suffering, consciousness is suffering. Seeing thus … He understands: ’… there is no more for this state of being.’”

16. Of Painful Nature

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘of a painful nature, of a painful nature.’ What now, venerable sir, is of a painful nature?”

2“Form, Rādha, is of a painful nature. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is of a painful nature. Seeing thus … He understands: ’… there is no more for this state of being.’”

17. Nonself

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘nonself, nonself.’ What now, venerable sir, is nonself?”

2“Form, Rādha, is nonself, feeling is nonself, perception is nonself, volitional formations are nonself, consciousness is nonself. Seeing thus … He understands: ’… there is no more for this state of being.’”

18. Of Selfless Nature

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘of a selfless nature, of a selfless nature.’ What now, venerable sir, is of a selfless nature?”

2“Form, Rādha, is of a selfless nature. Feeling … [197] Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is of a selfless nature. Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”

19. Subject to Destruction

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘subject to destruction, subject to destruction.’ What now, venerable sir, is subject to destruction?”

2“Form, Rādha, is subject to destruction. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is subject to destruction. Seeing thus … He understands: ’… there is no more for this state of being.’”

20. Subject to Vanishing

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘subject to vanishing, subject to vanishing.’ What now, venerable sir, is subject to vanishing?”

2“Form, Rādha, is subject to vanishing. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is subject to vanishing. Seeing thus … He understands: ’… there is no more for this state of being.’”

21. Subject to Arising

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘subject to arising, subject to arising.’ What now, venerable sir, is subject to arising?”

2“Form, Rādha, is subject to arising. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is subject to arising. Seeing thus … He understands: ’… there is no more for this state of being.’”

22. Subject to Cessation

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘subject to cessation, [198] subject to cessation.’ What now, venerable sir, is subject to cessation?”

2“Form, Rādha, is subject to cessation. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is subject to cessation. Seeing thus … He understands: ’… there is no more for this state of being.’”

1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Rādha said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”

2“Rādha, you should abandon desire, you should abandon lust, you should abandon desire and lust, for whatever is Māra. And what, Rādha, is Māra? Form is Māra. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is Māra. Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”

24-34. Subject to Māra, Etc.

1… “Rādha, you should abandon desire, you should abandon lust, you should abandon desire and lust, for whatever is subject to Māra … [199] … for whatever is impermanent … for whatever is of an impermanent nature … for whatever is suffering … for whatever is of a painful nature … for whatever is nonself … for whatever is of a selfless nature … for whatever is subject to destruction … for whatever is subject to vanishing … for whatever is subject to arising … for whatever is subject to cessation. And what, Rādha, is subject to cessation? Form is subject to cessation. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is subject to cessation. Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’” [200]

1At Sāvatthī. The Blessed One said to the Venerable Rādha as he was sitting to one side: “Rādha, you should abandon desire, you should abandon lust, you should abandon desire and lust, for whatever is Māra. And what, Rādha, is Māra?”… (Complete as in §23.)

36-46. Subject to Māra, Etc.

1(Identical with §§24-34, but opening as in the preceding sutta.) [201]

[202]