The Buddha explains to Venerable Rādha that a living being is defined by desire, passion, delight, and craving in form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā rādho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Seated to one side, Venerable Rādha addressed the Blessed One:
“‘satto, satto’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, sattoti vuccatī”ti?
“Venerable sir, it is said ‘being, being.’ To what extent, venerable sir, is one called a being?”
“Rūpe kho, rādha, yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā, tatra satto, tatra visatto, tasmā sattoti vuccati. Vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu … viññāṇe yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā, tatra satto, tatra visatto, tasmā sattoti vuccati.
The Blessed One replied, “Rādha, in form, wherever there is desire, passion, delight, and craving, there one is a being, there one is bound, therefore, one is called a being. In feeling, wherever there is desire, passion, delight, and craving, there one is a being, there one is bound, therefore, one is called a being. In perception, wherever there is desire, passion, delight, and craving, there one is a being, there one is bound, therefore, one is called a being. In formations, wherever there is desire, passion, delight, and craving, there one is a being, there one is bound, therefore, one is called a being. In consciousness, wherever there is desire, passion, delight, and craving, there one is a being, there one is bound, therefore, one is called a being.
Seyyathāpi, rādha, kumārakā vā kumārikāyo vā paṁsvāgārakehi kīḷanti. Yāvakīvañca tesu paṁsvāgārakesu avigatarāgā honti avigatacchandā avigatapemā avigatapipāsā avigatapariḷāhā avigatataṇhā, tāva tāni paṁsvāgārakāni allīyanti keḷāyanti dhanāyanti mamāyanti. Yato ca kho, rādha, kumārakā vā kumārikāyo vā tesu paṁsvāgārakesu vigatarāgā honti vigatacchandā vigatapemā vigatapipāsā vigatapariḷāhā vigatataṇhā, atha kho tāni paṁsvāgārakāni hatthehi ca pādehi ca vikiranti vidhamanti viddhaṁsenti vikīḷaniyaṁ karonti.
Just as, Rādha, young boys or girls play with sandcastles: as long as they possess passion, desire, affection, thirst, fervor, and craving for those sandcastles, they cling to them, engage playfully, hold them dear, and consider them as their own. But when, Rādha, the young boys or girls lose their passion, desire, affection, thirst, fervor, and craving toward those sandcastles, then they scatter them with their hands and feet, demolish and destroy them, rendering them unplayable.”
Evameva kho, rādha, tumhepi rūpaṁ vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha. Vedanaṁ vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha. Saññaṁ … saṅkhāre vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha. Viññāṇaṁ vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha. Taṇhākkhayo hi, rādha, nibbānan”ti.
In just this way, Rādha, you too should scatter, demolish, and destroy form, and make it unplayable by practicing for the wearing away of craving. You should scatter, demolish, and destroy feeling, and make it unplayable by practicing for the wearing away of craving. You should scatter, demolish, and destroy perception, and make it unplayable by practicing for the wearing away of craving. You should scatter, demolish, and destroy intentional constructs, and make it unplayable by practicing for the wearing away of craving. You should scatter, demolish, and destroy consciousness, and make it unplayable by practicing for the wearing away of craving. Indeed, Rādha, the complete wearing away of craving is Nibbāna.”
At Sāvatthi.
Seated to one side, Venerable Rādha addressed the Blessed One:
“Venerable sir, it is said ‘being, being.’ To what extent, venerable sir, is one called a being?”
The Blessed One replied, “Rādha, in form, wherever there is desire, passion, delight, and craving, there one is a being, there one is bound, therefore, one is called a being. In feeling, wherever there is desire, passion, delight, and craving, there one is a being, there one is bound, therefore, one is called a being. In perception, wherever there is desire, passion, delight, and craving, there one is a being, there one is bound, therefore, one is called a being. In formations, wherever there is desire, passion, delight, and craving, there one is a being, there one is bound, therefore, one is called a being. In consciousness, wherever there is desire, passion, delight, and craving, there one is a being, there one is bound, therefore, one is called a being.
Just as, Rādha, young boys or girls play with sandcastles: as long as they possess passion, desire, affection, thirst, fervor, and craving for those sandcastles, they cling to them, engage playfully, hold them dear, and consider them as their own. But when, Rādha, the young boys or girls lose their passion, desire, affection, thirst, fervor, and craving toward those sandcastles, then they scatter them with their hands and feet, demolish and destroy them, rendering them unplayable.”
In just this way, Rādha, you too should scatter, demolish, and destroy form, and make it unplayable by practicing for the wearing away of craving. You should scatter, demolish, and destroy feeling, and make it unplayable by practicing for the wearing away of craving. You should scatter, demolish, and destroy perception, and make it unplayable by practicing for the wearing away of craving. You should scatter, demolish, and destroy intentional constructs, and make it unplayable by practicing for the wearing away of craving. You should scatter, demolish, and destroy consciousness, and make it unplayable by practicing for the wearing away of craving. Indeed, Rādha, the complete wearing away of craving is Nibbāna.”
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā rādho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“‘satto, satto’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, sattoti vuccatī”ti?
“Rūpe kho, rādha, yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā, tatra satto, tatra visatto, tasmā sattoti vuccati. Vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu … viññāṇe yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā, tatra satto, tatra visatto, tasmā sattoti vuccati.
Seyyathāpi, rādha, kumārakā vā kumārikāyo vā paṁsvāgārakehi kīḷanti. Yāvakīvañca tesu paṁsvāgārakesu avigatarāgā honti avigatacchandā avigatapemā avigatapipāsā avigatapariḷāhā avigatataṇhā, tāva tāni paṁsvāgārakāni allīyanti keḷāyanti dhanāyanti mamāyanti. Yato ca kho, rādha, kumārakā vā kumārikāyo vā tesu paṁsvāgārakesu vigatarāgā honti vigatacchandā vigatapemā vigatapipāsā vigatapariḷāhā vigatataṇhā, atha kho tāni paṁsvāgārakāni hatthehi ca pādehi ca vikiranti vidhamanti viddhaṁsenti vikīḷaniyaṁ karonti.
Evameva kho, rādha, tumhepi rūpaṁ vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha. Vedanaṁ vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha. Saññaṁ … saṅkhāre vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha. Viññāṇaṁ vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha. Taṇhākkhayo hi, rādha, nibbānan”ti.