sutta » sn » sn23 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 23.2

Sattasutta

Sentient Beings

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā rādho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Seated to one side, Venerable Rādha said to the Buddha:

“‘satto, satto’ti, bhante, vuccati.
“Sir, they speak of this thing called a ‘sentient being’.

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, sattoti vuccatī”ti?
How is a sentient being defined?”

“Rūpe kho, rādha, yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā, tatra satto, tatra visatto, tasmā sattoti vuccati.
“Rādha, when you cling, strongly cling, to desire, greed, relishing, and craving for form, then a being is spoken of.

Vedanāya …
When you cling, strongly cling, to desire, greed, relishing, and craving for feeling …

saññāya …
perception …

saṅkhāresu …
choices …

viññāṇe yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā, tatra satto, tatra visatto, tasmā sattoti vuccati.
consciousness, then a being is spoken of.

Seyyathāpi, rādha, kumārakā vā kumārikāyo vā paṁsvāgārakehi kīḷanti.
Suppose some boys or girls were playing with sandcastles.

Yāvakīvañca tesu paṁsvāgārakesu avigatarāgā honti avigatacchandā avigatapemā avigatapipāsā avigatapariḷāhā avigatataṇhā, tāva tāni paṁsvāgārakāni allīyanti keḷāyanti dhanāyanti mamāyanti.
As long as they’re not rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for those sandcastles, they cherish them, fancy them, treasure them, and treat them as their own.

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.
But when they are rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for those sandcastles, they scatter, smash, and destroy them with their hands and feet, making them unplayable.

Evameva kho, rādha, tumhepi rūpaṁ vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha.
In the same way, you should scatter, smash, and destroy form, making it unplayable. And you should practice for the ending of craving.

Vedanaṁ vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha.
You should scatter, smash, and destroy feeling …

Saññaṁ …
perception …

saṅkhāre vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha.
choices …

Viññāṇaṁ vikiratha vidhamatha viddhaṁsetha vikīḷaniyaṁ karotha taṇhākkhayāya paṭipajjatha.
consciousness, making it unplayable. And you should practice for the ending of craving.

Taṇhākkhayo hi, rādha, nibbānan”ti.
For the ending of craving is extinguishment.”

Dutiyaṁ.