The Buddha teaching Rādha (by continuation from SN 35.76-77)
Form
SN 35.76’s own frame repeated a third and final time — not-self in place of impermanence and suffering — elided to its opening line exactly as SN 35.77
Length
under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
A rough counterpart may exist in the Chinese Saṃyukta-āgama (T99), though this reading guide does not assert a specific matching sutra number
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — a one-line stub, closing a triad already explained at SN 35.76
Why this discourse
This discourse closes the Rādha triad opened at SN 35.76: the identical “give up desire” frame, now run on not-self (anattā) in place of impermanence or suffering, elided in Sujato’s own English (and in the Pali root alike) to its opening line, exactly as SN 35.77 before it. With this discourse the triad completes the three characteristics — anicca, dukkha, anattā — the same trio this project has met repeatedly across Book IV’s own catechisms, here delivered not as a question-and-answer but as three short direct instructions to a single named disciple. Rādha’s own brief appearance inside Gilānavagga ends here; the vagga turns next to a different device for the same underlying concern, giving up ignorance.
Reading guide
The third characteristic, the third word changed
Not-self (anattā) replaces SN 35.77’s suffering and SN 35.76’s impermanence, completing the standard trio — anicca, dukkha, anattā — this project has met repeatedly across Book IV.
The same elision, a second time
As at SN 35.77, both Sujato’s own English and the Pali root preserve only this discourse’s opening line, trusting the reader to supply SN 35.76’s own full six-field chain with the new target word.
Rādha’s cameo closes
This discourse ends Rādha’s own brief appearance inside Gilānavagga; the vagga turns next to a different pair of discourses on giving up ignorance, addressed to unnamed mendicants rather than a single named disciple.
Key terms
anattā — not-self — this discourse’s own target, the third and final term of the triad
anicca, dukkha, anattā — impermanent, suffering, not-self — the standard trio this triad completes across its three discourses
chandapahāna — giving up desire — the same instruction repeated a third time, now applied to not-self
peyyāla — a formula-repetition passage — bilara-data’s own encoding for this discourse, matching SN 35.77’s own elision
mano — the mind — the sixth and final sense field named before the elided remainder of the chain
The text
The discourse as bilara-data itself preserves it: one line stated, the six-field chain elided exactly as at SN 35.77. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“Rādha, you should give up desire for what is not-self. …”
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Self-check quiz
5 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 5
What is this discourse’s own target, closing the Rādha triad?
Correct: A. The third term of the standard trio, after SN 35.76’s impermanence and SN 35.77’s suffering.
Question 2 of 5
What standard trio does this discourse complete, together with SN 35.76 and SN 35.77?
Correct: A. Impermanence, suffering, not-self — the three characteristics this triad runs in turn.
Question 3 of 5
How is this discourse elided in Sujato’s own English, and why?
Correct: A. The same elision pattern as SN 35.77, in both the English and the Pali root.
Question 4 of 5
What happens to Rādha’s own appearance in Gilānavagga after this discourse?
Correct: A. This discourse closes Rādha’s own brief cameo inside this vagga.
Question 5 of 5
To whom are the next two discourses in Gilānavagga addressed, unlike this triad?
Correct: A. SN 35.79-80 shift to unnamed mendicants and a different device: giving up ignorance.
