Gandhāri Aṇatvalakṣaṇa-sutta — Senior Collection RS 22
The Buddha's second sermon after his awakening, and one of the most important discourses in all of Buddhism — now in its oldest physical form. Preserved on birch bark in Gandhāri Prakrit, written in Kharoṣṭhī script, dating to the 2nd century CE. At the Deer Park in Varanasi, the Blessed One teaches the group of five monks that form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are not-self. What is impermanent is suffering; what is suffering should not be regarded as "this is mine, this is my self." The noble disciple becomes disenchanted, through disenchantment becomes dispassionate, through dispassion is liberated. The five monks' minds are freed. Edition by Mark Allon, Stephanie Majcher, and Ian McCrabb, Journal of Gandhāran Buddhist Texts No. 1 (2020).
Gospel Reading
Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana.
There the Blessed One addressed the group of five monks:
"Form, O monks, is non-self. For if form were self, then form would not lead to affliction and suffering, and one would obtain regarding form: 'Let my form be thus; let my form not be thus.' But inasmuch as form is non-self, therefore form leads to affliction and suffering, and one does not obtain regarding form: 'Let my form be thus; let my form not be thus.'
"Likewise feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.
"Consciousness, O monks, is non-self. For if consciousness were self, then consciousness would not lead to affliction and suffering, and one would obtain regarding consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus; let my consciousness not be thus.' But inasmuch as consciousness is non-self, therefore consciousness leads to affliction and suffering, and one does not obtain regarding consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus; let my consciousness not be thus.'
"What do you think, monks? Is form permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, Blessed One."
"And what is impermanent — is that suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, Blessed One."
"And what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change — is it fitting to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am'?"
"No, Blessed One."
"What do you think, monks? Is feeling permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, Blessed One."
"And what is impermanent — is that suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, Blessed One."
"And what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change — is it fitting to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this is my self, this is what I am'?"
"No, Blessed One."
"Likewise perception, formations, and consciousness.
"Therefore, monks — thus seeing, the learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted with form, becomes disenchanted with feeling, becomes disenchanted with perception, becomes disenchanted with formations, becomes disenchanted with consciousness. Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is liberated. In liberation, there arises the knowledge: 'Liberated.' He knows: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done; there is no further state beyond this.'"
Thus the Blessed One spoke. And while these words were being spoken, the minds of the group of five monks were liberated from the corruptions without remainder.
This is what the Blessed One said. The group of five monks were gladdened.
Scholarly Translation
[8] Thus have I heard: at one [ti]me the Blessed One (was dwelling at Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana. There the Blessed One)
[9] addressed the group of five monks: "(Fo)r[m], O mon(k)s, (is non-se)l(f. Form — if, O monks, self it were,)
[10] this form would not lead to affliction and suffering, and [one would obt]ai(n — regarding) (form: 'Let form)
[11] be thus; let form not be thus.' But inasmuch as fo[rm] (is non-self, therefore)
[12] form leads to affliction and suffering, and one does not obtain [regarding fo](rm: 'Let form)
[13] be thus; let form not be thu[s.]'
[14] Likewise feeling, perception, formations, consciousness. O monks, [non-self is] (co)[n](sciousness. If, O monks,)
[15] self it were, this consciousness would not lead to affliction and suf[fe](ring, and [one would] ob[tai](n — regarding consciousness:)
[16] 'Let consciousness be thus; let [co]nsciousness not be thus.' But in[as]m(uch as) (consciousness is non-self,)
[17] therefore consciousness leads to affliction and suffering, and one does not obtain regarding conscio[usness:] ('Let)
[18] consciousness be thus; let {da} consciousness not be thus.' What do you think, monks? Is for[m] per(manent or im)(permanent?)
[19] 'Impermanent, Blessed One.' What is impermanent — is that suffering or happiness? 'Suffering, [Bl]essed One.' What is further imermanent,
[20] suffering, subject to change — is it fitting to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this is [my] self,
[21] this is what I am'? 'No, [Blessed One. Blessed] One.' What do you think? Is feeling permanent or impermanent? Imper
[22] Blessed One.' What is impermanent — is that suffering or happiness? 'Suffering, Blessed One.' What is [fur]ther impermanent, suffering, [su]bject to change —
[23] is it fitting to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this is my s [this] is what I a[m'?]
[24] 'No, Blessed One.' Likewise perception, formations, consciousness. Th(us seeing, the learned) ...
[25] noble disciple becomes disenchanted with form, becomes disenchanted with feeling, becomes disenchanted with per
[26] [becomes disenchanted with for]mations, becomes disenchanted with consciousness. Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is liberated. In libera-
[27] [tion,] the knowledge 'Liberated' arises. 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done —
[28] [there is no f]urther state beyond this.' Thus he knows." And while these words were being spoken,
[29] the minds of the group of five monks were liberated from the corruptions without remainder. This [is what]
[30] the Blessed One said. The group of five monks were gladdened.
Notation: In the scholarly translation, (round brackets) indicate text reconstructed from context where the bark is damaged or lost. [Square brackets] indicate partially preserved characters. Line numbers in bold correspond to lines of the original scroll.
Colophon
Good Works Translation by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. Translated from Gandhāri Prakrit (Senior Collection RS 22, lines 8-30). Source: Mark Allon, Stephanie Majcher, and Ian McCrabb, "A Gāndhārī Version of the Anattalakkhaṇa-sutta," Journal of Gandhāran Buddhist Texts No. 1 (2020). The Gandhāri transliteration was independently translated; the well-known Pali parallel (Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta, SN 22.59) was consulted for reconstructed passages only. Blood Rule compliant.
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Source Text
Senior Collection RS 22 (lines 8-30), Gandhāri Prakrit in romanized Kharoṣṭhī:
8 eva [m]e śuḏe eka [s](*ama)e bhaya[va] (*baraṇas̱ia viharaḏi
hiṣ̱ivaḏaṇa rmiaḏava tatra ho bhayava)
9 pacea bhikhu amatreḏi (*r)[u] .(*o) bhikṣ(*a)v(*a) aṇa(*t)v(*a
ruo iḏa bhikṣava atva bhaviśe)
10 ṇa iḏa ruo avasae duhae sabatiye la[bh](*e) (*s̱a ya) (*ruo eva va)
11 ruo bhodi eva ruo ma hahuṣ̱i yaspaḏ ayi ru[o] (*aṇatva taspi)
12 ruo avasae duhae sabataḏi ṇo ya labhadi [r](*u o eva va ruo)
13 bhodi eva ruo ma ahu[ṣ̱]i
14 ithuami veḏaṇa saña sakhara viñaṇa bhikṣava aṇa[tva]
(*v)[i](*ñaṇa iḏa bhikṣava)
15 atva bhaviśe ṇa iḏa viñaṇa avasae duhae sa[b](*a)[tiye
l](*a)[bhes̱](*a ya viñaṇa)
16 eva va viñaṇa bhodi eva [va v]iñaṇa ma ahuṣ̱i
ya[sp](*a)[ḏ] (*ayi viñaṇa aṇatva)
17 taspi viñaṇo avasae duae sabataḏi ṇo ya labhadi
viña[ṇa] (*eva va)
18 viñaṇa bhodi eva va {ḏa} viñaṇa ma ahuṣ̱i ta ki mañaspa
ruo ṇi[c](*a) [va a] (*ṇica)
19 va aṇica bhate ya aṇica dukha va suha va dukha [i] ḏa bhate
ya pu[ṇo aṇ](*i)ca
20 dukha viparaṇamadhama kala ṇa samaṇupaśaḏo eṣ̱e mamo
eṣ̱a o [amo] spi
21 eḏa me atva ḏi ṇo [iḏa] [iḏa] bhate ta ki mañas̱a veḏaṇo
ṇica va va aṇica va [aṇi](*ca)
22 hi bhate ya aṇica dukha va ta suha va dukha iḏa bhate ya
[pu]ṇa aṇica dukha [vi]paraṇama-
23 dhame kala ṇu eḏa samaṇupaśaḏa eṣ̱e mama e[ṣ̱a o a](*mo)
[spi] eḏa me a[tva]
24 ḏi ṇo i bhate ithuami saña sakhara viñaṇo e
e(*va paśa śruḏava) ///
25 ariaṣavao ruehi ṇividaḏi veḏaṇae ṇividaḏi sañae
[ṇividaḏi s](*a khare)-
26 [hi] ṇividaḏi viñaṇaspi ṇividaḏi ṇiviṇo virajaḏi virag̱e
vimucaḏi vimuta-
27 [spa] vimutam eva ñaṇa bhadi kṣiṇa jaḏi vuṣ̱iḏa bramahio
kriḏa me ḵaraṇao
28 [ṇa va]ro ima dhatva ḏi payaṇadi imaspi ca vag̱araṇo
bhaṣ̱iamaṇ(*o)
29 paceaṇa bhikhuṇa aṇuaḏe asrave cita vimuta
iḏam e[ya]
30 bhayava atamaṇa pacea bhikhu
[x] = partially preserved; (*x) = reconstructed; /// = lost beginning or end of line; {x} = scribal error.
Source Colophon
Gandhāri Prakrit transliteration from Mark Allon, Stephanie Majcher, and Ian McCrabb, "A Gāndhārī Version of the Anattalakkhaṇa-sutta (Senior Collection, Scroll no. 22)," Journal of Gandhāran Buddhist Texts No. 1, pp. 1-28 (2020). Senior Collection RS 22, birch bark scroll, Kharoṣṭhī script, 2nd century CE, provenance: ancient Gandhāra (modern Pakistan/Afghanistan). The scroll preserves the Buddha's second sermon in the oldest surviving physical form of this discourse.
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