sn.35.76 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Radha (1)

Then the Venerable Radha approached the Blessed One … and said to him: “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One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”

“Radha, you should abandon desire for whatever is impermanent. And what is impermanent? The eye is impermanent; you should abandon desire for it. Forms are impermanent … Eye-consciousness is impermanent … Eye-contact is impermanent … Whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition—whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—that too is impermanent; you should abandon desire for it.

“The ear … The mind is impermanent … Whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition … that too is impermanent; you should abandon desire for it. Radha, you should abandon desire for whatever is impermanent.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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With Rādha on Impermanence

The Venerable Rādha went up to the Buddha …
and said to him,
“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”
“Rādha, you should give up desire for what is impermanent.
And what is impermanent?
The eye, sights, eye consciousness,
and eye contact are impermanent.
And the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by eye contact is also impermanent. You should give up desire for it.
The ear … nose … tongue …
body …
The mind,
thoughts,
mind consciousness,
and mind contact are impermanent.
And the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact is also impermanent. You should give up desire for it.
You should give up desire for what is impermanent.”