The Buddha teaches Venerable Rādha a repeated brief formula on giving up desire and greed for Māra, impermanent, suffering, not-self, and related qualities across the five aggregates in this grouped discourse.

SN 23.23-33 Eleven Discourses on Māra, Etc.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā rādho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.

“Yo kho, rādha, māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo. Ko ca, rādha, māro? Rūpaṁ kho, rādha, māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo.

Vedanā māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo …pe…

saññā māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo …pe…

saṅkhārā māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo …pe…

viññāṇaṁ māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo …pe… yo kho, rādha, māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo”ti.

“Yo kho, rādha, māradhammo; tatra te chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo …pe….

“Yaṁ kho, rādha, aniccaṁ …pe….

“Yo kho, rādha, aniccadhammo …pe….

“Yaṁ kho, rādha, dukkhaṁ …pe….

“Yo kho, rādha, dukkhadhammo …pe….

“Yo kho, rādha, anattā …pe….

“Yo kho, rādha, anattadhammo …pe….

“Yo kho, rādha, khayadhammo …pe….

“Yo kho, rādha, vayadhammo …pe….

“Yo kho, rādha, samudayadhammo; tatra te chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo …pe….

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā rādho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Seated to one side, Venerable Rādha said to the Buddha:

“sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.

“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

“Yo kho, rādha, māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo.

“Rādha, you should give up any desire, any greed, any desire and greed for whatever is Māra.

Ko ca, rādha, māro?

And what is Māra?

Rūpaṁ kho, rādha, māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo.

Form is Māra. You should give up any desire, any greed, any desire and greed for it.

Vedanā māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo …pe…

Feeling …

saññā māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo …pe…

Perception …

saṅkhārā māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo …pe…

Choices …

viññāṇaṁ māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo …pe…

Consciousness is Māra. You should give up any desire, any greed, any desire and greed for it.

yo kho, rādha, māro; tatra te chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo”ti.

You should give up any desire, any greed, any desire and greed for whatever is Māra.”

“Yo kho, rādha, māradhammo; tatra te chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo …pe….

“You should give up any desire, any greed, any desire and greed for whatever is of Māra nature …”

“Yaṁ kho, rādha, aniccaṁ …pe….

“… impermanent …”

“Yo kho, rādha, aniccadhammo …pe….

“… of impermanent nature …”

“Yaṁ kho, rādha, dukkhaṁ …pe….

“… suffering …”

“Yo kho, rādha, dukkhadhammo …pe….

“… of suffering nature …”

“Yo kho, rādha, anattā …pe….

“… not-self …”

“Yo kho, rādha, anattadhammo …pe….

“… of not-self nature …”

“Yo kho, rādha, khayadhammo …pe….

“… of a nature to end …”

“Yo kho, rādha, vayadhammo …pe….

“… of a nature to fall …”

“Yo kho, rādha, samudayadhammo; tatra te chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo …pe….

“… of a nature to originate …”

Topics & Qualities:

Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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Ill will

Ill will

A mental quality of actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, manifesting as deliberate thoughts or intentions that oppose kindness and compassion; it fuels conflict and obstructs goodwill.

Also known as: actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, thought of malevolence towards another, hostile reflections towards another
Pāli: byāpāda
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026