Saṃyutta Nikāya
3. Khandhā Vagga
23. Rādha Saṃyuttaṃ
1. Māra Vagga
Suttas Linked to Rādha
1. Māra
Suttas 1-46
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Sutta 2
Satta Suttaṃ
A Being
Once upon a time, The Lucky man,
Sāvatthi-town revisiting,
Jeta Grove,
Anathapiṇḍika's Park.
Then one time there the Ancient Rādha drew near Bhagava,
gave salutation,
and took a seat to one side.
At that time, so seated,
the Ancient Rādha said this to Bhagava:
"'A being! A being!' is the expression.
To what extent, Bhante,
can there be said to be a being?"
"Well then, Rādha,
he who desires,
he who lusts after,
he who delights in,
he who thirsts for,
that tangle[1]
entangled in form,
this is termed 'a being'.
He who desires,
he who lusts after,
he who delights in,
he who thirsts for,
that tangle
entangled in sense experience,
this is termed 'a being'.
He who desires,
he who lusts after,
he who delights in,
he who thirsts for,
that tangle
entangled in perception,
this is termed 'a being'.
He who desires,
he who lusts after,
he who delights in,
he who thirsts for,
that tangle
entangled in own-making,
this is termed 'a being'.
He who desires,
he who lusts after,
he who delights in,
he who thirsts for,
that tangle
entangled in consciousness,
this is termed 'a being'.
In the same way, Rādha,
as some young boy or girl,
playing 'mud huts'[2] —
and to the extent that they play,
not having abandoned lust,
not having abandoned desire,
not having abandoned love,
not having abandoned longing,
not having abandoned ardor,
not having abandoned thirst,
they cling to,
are fond of,
take pride in,
and cherish
playing 'mud huts' —
but, Rādha, when these young boys and girls,
have abandoned lust,
have abandoned desire,
have abandoned love,
have abandoned longing,
have abandoned ardor,
have abandoned thirst,
for playing 'mud huts',
they, with hand and foot
scatter,
smash
and demolish,
these 'mud huts'
and cease such play —
Even so, Rādha, should you
scatter,
smash
demolish,
and make for the destruction of
thirst for form;
scatter,
smash
demolish,
and make for the destruction of
thirst for sense-experience;
scatter,
smash
demolish,
and make for the destruction of
thirst for perception;
scatter,
smash
demolish,
and make for the destruction of
thirst for own-making;
scatter,
smash
demolish,
and make for the destruction of
thirst for consciousness.
The destruction of thirst, Rādha,
is Nibbāna."
[1] There is a pun here: satto = a being, and a tangle; visatto = entangled.
[2] Paṃsv-āgārakehi kīḷanti. Dirt-of house-play. Woodward and Bhk. Bodhi: 'sand-castles' but this is entirely too clean and unrealistic.
