The Buddha teaches Venerable Rādha on the five aggregates regarding desire and greed, guiding him toward insight, dispassion, and liberation.

SN 23.9 Desire and Greed

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ rādhaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“rūpe kho, rādha, yo chando yo rāgo nandī taṇhā, taṁ pajahatha. Evaṁ taṁ rūpaṁ pahīnaṁ bhavissati ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppādadhammaṁ.

Vedanāya yo chando yo rāgo nandī taṇhā, taṁ pajahatha. Evaṁ vedanā pahīnā bhavissati ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Saññāyasaṅkhāresu yo chando yo rāgo nandī taṇhā, taṁ pajahatha. Evaṁ te saṅkhārā pahīnā bhavissanti ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Viññāṇe yo chando yo rāgo nandī taṇhā, taṁ pajahatha. Evaṁ taṁ viññāṇaṁ pahīnaṁ bhavissati …pe… anuppādadhamman”ti.

Navamaṁ.

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:

“rūpe kho, rādha, yo chando yo rāgo nandī taṇhā, taṁ pajahatha.

“Rādha, you should give up any desire, greed, relishing, and craving for form.

Evaṁ taṁ rūpaṁ pahīnaṁ bhavissati ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppādadhammaṁ.

Thus that form will be given up, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.

Vedanāya yo chando yo rāgo nandī taṇhā, taṁ pajahatha.

You should give up any desire, greed, relishing, and craving for feeling …

Evaṁ vedanā pahīnā bhavissati ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.

Saññāya

perception …

saṅkhāresu yo chando yo rāgo nandī taṇhā, taṁ pajahatha.

choices …

Evaṁ te saṅkhārā pahīnā bhavissanti ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.

Viññāṇe yo chando yo rāgo nandī taṇhā, taṁ pajahatha.

consciousness.

Evaṁ taṁ viññāṇaṁ pahīnaṁ bhavissati …pe… anuppādadhamman”ti.

Thus that consciousness will be given up, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.”

Navamaṁ.

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
View all discourses →
Delight

Delight

A mental quality of relishing and taking pleasure in what is experienced—especially in sensuality or the prospect of continued becoming. When it fastens onto gratification, it nourishes craving and keeps the mind circling around what it wants to experience again.

Also known as: relishing, enjoyment, taking pleasure
Pāli: nandi, ārāmatā
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026