Advice to RāhulaRāhulovādasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “The qualities that ripen in freedom have ripened in Rāhula.“paripakkā kho rāhulassa vimuttiparipācaniyā dhammā; Why don’t I lead him further to the ending of defilements?”yannūnāhaṁ rāhulaṁ uttariṁ āsavānaṁ khaye vineyyan”ti.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, wandered for alms in Sāvatthī.Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā After the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Rāhula,pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ āmantesi: “Rāhula, get your sitting cloth.“gaṇhāhi, rāhula, nisīdanaṁ. Let’s go to the Dark Forest for the day’s meditation.”Yena andhavanaṁ tenupasaṅkamissāma divāvihārāyā”ti.

“Yes, sir,” replied Rāhula. Taking his sitting cloth he followed behind the Buddha.“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā rāhulo bhagavato paṭissutvā nisīdanaṁ ādāya bhagavantaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhi.

Now at that time many thousands of deities followed the Buddha, thinking,Tena kho pana samayena anekāni devatāsahassāni bhagavantaṁ anubandhāni honti: “Today the Buddha will lead Rāhula further to the ending of defilements!”“ajja bhagavā āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ uttariṁ āsavānaṁ khaye vinessatī”ti.

Then the Buddha plunged deep into the Dark Forest and sat at the root of a tree on the seat spread out.Atha kho bhagavā andhavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle paññatte āsane nisīdi. Rāhula bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side.Āyasmāpi kho rāhulo bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. The Buddha said to him:Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“What do you think, Rāhula?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”cakkhu niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”. (…)

“Are sights …“Rūpā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti? eye consciousness …“Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti? eye contact permanent or impermanent?”“Cakkhusamphasso nicco vā anicco vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.” …“Anicco, bhante” …pe….

“Anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises dependent on eye contact: is that permanent or impermanent?”“Yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ, saññāgataṁ, saṅkhāragataṁ, viññāṇagataṁ, tampi niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante” …pe….

“Is the ear … nose … tongue … body …“Jivhā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti? mind permanent or impermanent?”“Mano nicco vā anicco vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Anicco, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Are ideas …“Dhammā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti? mind consciousness …“Manoviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti? mind contact permanent or impermanent?”“Manosamphasso nicco vā anicco vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.” …“Anicco, bhante” …pe….

“Anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises dependent on mind contact: is that permanent or impermanent?”“Yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ, saññāgataṁ, saṅkhāragataṁ, viññāṇagataṁ, tampi niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact. And they grow disillusioned with anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises dependent on eye contact.“Evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati, rūpesupi nibbindati, cakkhuviññāṇepi nibbindati, cakkhusamphassepi nibbindati, yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ tasmimpi nibbindati …pe…

They grow disillusioned with the ear … nose … tongue … body …jivhāyapi nibbindati, rasesupi nibbindati, jivhāviññāṇepi nibbindati, jivhāsamphassepi nibbindati, yampidaṁ jivhāsamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ tasmimpi nibbindati …pe….

They grow disillusioned with the mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and mind contact. And they grow disillusioned with anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises dependent on mind contact.Manasmimpi nibbindati, dhammesupi nibbindati, manoviññāṇepi nibbindati, manosamphassepi nibbindati, yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ tasmimpi nibbindati.

Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.

That is what the Buddha said.Idamavoca bhagavā. Satisfied, Venerable Rāhula approved what the Buddha said.Attamano āyasmā rāhulo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandi. And while this discourse was being spoken, Rāhula’s mind was freed from defilements by not grasping.Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne āyasmato rāhulassa anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucci.

And the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in those thousands of deities:Anekānañca devatāsahassānaṁ virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi:

“Everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.”“yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti.