The Buddha teaches Venerable Rādha that only ascetics and brahmins who truly understand the five grasping aggregates' gratification, drawback, and escape realize the goal of the spiritual life.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ rādhaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
“pañcime, rādha, upādānakkhandhā. Katame pañca? Rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho.
Ye hi keci, rādha, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upādānakkhandhānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe…
sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ rādhaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
When Venerable Rādha was seated to one side, the Buddha said to him:
“pañcime, rādha, upādānakkhandhā.
“Rādha, there are these five grasping aggregates.
Katame pañca?
What five?
Rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho.
The grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
Ye hi keci, rādha, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upādānakkhandhānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe…
There are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand these five grasping aggregates’ origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape … Those venerables don’t realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin …
sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.
There are ascetics and brahmins who do truly understand … Those venerables realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and live having realized it with their own insight.”
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
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Last updated on July 27, 2026