Ambalaṭṭhikarāhulovādasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 61

Ambalaṭṭhikarāhulovādasutta

Advice to Rāhula at Ambalaṭṭhika · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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skillfulkusalaṁ thisidaṁ body·deedkāyakammaṁ happiness·outcomesukhudrayaṁ with happiness as resultsukhavipākan’ti, suchevarūpaṁ by youte, Rāhularāhula, by bodykāyena deedkammaṁ should be donekaraṇīyaṁ.

It’s skillful, with happiness as its outcome and result.’ Then, Rāhula, you should do such a deed.

While you are acting with the body, you should check on that same act: ‘Does this act with the body that I am doing lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both? Is it unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result?’ If, while checking in this way, you know: ‘This act with the body that I am doing leads to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result.’ Then, Rāhula, you should desist from such a deed. But if, while checking in this way, you know: ‘This act with the body that I am doing doesn’t lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s skillful, with happiness as its outcome and result.’ Then, Rāhula, you should continue doing such a deed.

having done tooKatvāpi by youte, Rāhularāhula, with the bodykāyena deedkammaṁ that·same·sametadeva by youte body·deedkāyakammaṁ should be checkedpaccavekkhitabbaṁ:
does this‘yannu indeedkho Iahaṁ thisidaṁ with the bodykāyena deedkammaṁ past·doakāsiṁ thisidaṁ myme body·deedkāyakammaṁ self·hurting·tooattabyābādhāyapi leadssaṁvattati, other·hurting·tooparabyābādhāyapi leadssaṁvattati, both·hurting·tooubhayabyābādhāyapi leadssaṁvattati—
not·skillfulakusalaṁ thisidaṁ body·deedkāyakammaṁ suffering·outcomedukkhudrayaṁ with suffering as resultdukkhavipākan’ti?
ifSace indeedkho youtvaṁ, Rāhularāhula, checkingpaccavekkhamāno thusevaṁ you would knowjāneyyāsi:
that‘yaṁ indeedkho Iahaṁ thisidaṁ with the bodykāyena deedkammaṁ I didakāsiṁ, thisidaṁ myme body·deedkāyakammaṁ self·hurting·tooattabyābādhāyapi leadssaṁvattati, other·hurting·tooparabyābādhāyapi leadssaṁvattati, both·hurting·tooubhayabyābādhāyapi leadssaṁvattati—
not·skillfulakusalaṁ thisidaṁ body·deedkāyakammaṁ suffering·outcomedukkhudrayaṁ with suffering as resultdukkhavipākan’ti, such·formevarūpaṁ by youte, Rāhularāhula, body·deedkāyakammaṁ to the Teachersatthari orvā to the wiseviññūsu orvā together·spiritual·companionsabrahmacārīsu should be confesseddesetabbaṁ, should be revealedvivaritabbaṁ, should be clarifieduttānīkātabbaṁ;
having confesseddesetvā having revealedvivaritvā clarify·makeuttānīkatvā in futureāyatiṁ restraintsaṁvaraṁ should be undertakenāpajjitabbaṁ.
ifSace butpana youtvaṁ, Rāhularāhula, checkingpaccavekkhamāno thusevaṁ you would knowjāneyyāsi:

After you have acted with the body, you should check on that same act: ‘Does this act with the body that I have done lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both? Is it unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result?’ If, while checking in this way, you know: ‘This act with the body that I have done leads to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result.’ Then, Rāhula, you should confess, reveal, and clarify such a deed to the Teacher or a sensible spiritual companion. And having revealed it you should restrain yourself in future. But if, while checking in this way, you know:

which‘yaṁ indeedkho Iahaṁ thisidaṁ with the bodykāyena actkammaṁ past·doakāsiṁ thisidaṁ myme body·actkāyakammaṁ indeed not to hurting myselfnevattabyābādhāyapi together·turnsaṁvattati, notna other·hurting·evenparabyābādhāyapi together·turnsaṁvattati, notna both·hurting·evenubhayabyābādhāyapi together·turnsaṁvattati—
skillfulkusalaṁ thisidaṁ body·actkāyakammaṁ with happiness as outcomesukhudrayaṁ with happiness as resultsukhavipākan’ti, thereforeteneva youtvaṁ, Rāhularāhula, rapture·joypītipāmojjena you should livevihareyyāsi training day and nightahorattānusikkhī in skillfulkusalesu qualities.dhammesu.

‘This act with the body that I have done doesn’t lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s skillful, with happiness as its outcome and result.’ Then, Rāhula, you should live in rapture and joy because of this, training day and night in skillful qualities.

whatever“Yadeva youtvaṁ, Rāhularāhula, with speechvācāya deedkammaṁ do·desiringkattukāmo you wereahosi, that sametadeva by youte speech·deedvacīkammaṁ should be checkedpaccavekkhitabbaṁ:
now would it‘yannu indeedkho Iahaṁ thisidaṁ with speechvācāya deedkammaṁ do·desiringkattukāmo thisidaṁ myme speech·deedvacīkammaṁ self·harmattabyābādhāyapi would leadsaṁvatteyya, other·harmparabyābādhāyapi would leadsaṁvatteyya, both·harmubhayabyābādhāyapi would leadsaṁvatteyya—
unwholesomeakusalaṁ thisidaṁ speech·deedvacīkammaṁ suffering·arisingdukkhudrayaṁ suffering·ripeningdukkhavipākan’ti?
ifSace youtvaṁ, Rāhularāhula, reviewingpaccavekkhamāno thusevaṁ you would knowjāneyyāsi:
which‘yaṁ indeedkho Iahaṁ thisidaṁ with speechvācāya deedkammaṁ do·desiringkattukāmo thisidaṁ myme speech·deedvacīkammaṁ self·harmattabyābādhāyapi would leadsaṁvatteyya, other·harmparabyābādhāyapi would leadsaṁvatteyya, both·harmubhayabyābādhāyapi would leadsaṁvatteyya—
unwholesomeakusalaṁ thisidaṁ speech·deedvacīkammaṁ suffering·arisingdukkhudrayaṁ suffering·ripeningdukkhavipākan’ti, suchevarūpaṁ by youte, Rāhularāhula, with speechvācāya deedkammaṁ definitelysasakkaṁ notna should be donekaraṇīyaṁ.
ifSace howeverpana youtvaṁ, Rāhularāhula, reviewingpaccavekkhamāno thusevaṁ you would knowjāneyyāsi:
which‘yaṁ indeedkho Iahaṁ thisidaṁ with speechvācāya deedkammaṁ do·desiringkattukāmo thisidaṁ myme speech·deedvacīkammaṁ not·just·self·harmnevattabyābādhāyapi would leadsaṁvatteyya, notna other·harmparabyābādhāyapi would leadsaṁvatteyya—
wholesomekusalaṁ thisidaṁ speech·deedvacīkammaṁ happiness·arisingsukhudrayaṁ happiness·ripeningsukhavipākan’ti, suchevarūpaṁ by youte, Rāhularāhula, with speechvācāya deedkammaṁ should be donekaraṇīyaṁ.

When you want to act with speech, you should check on that same deed: ‘Does this act of speech that I want to do lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both? …’ …

While doing it too, Rāhula, that very verbal action of yours by speech should be reflected upon: 'Now, indeed, I am doing this action by speech—this verbal action of mine leads to my own affliction, leads to another's affliction, leads to both affliction: this verbal action is unwholesome, with suffering as outcome, with suffering as result.' If, Rāhula, while reflecting, you would know thus: 'Indeed, I am doing this action by speech—this verbal action of mine leads to my own affliction, leads to another's affliction, leads to both affliction: this verbal action is unwholesome, with suffering as outcome, with suffering as result,' then you should withdraw from such a verbal action, Rāhula. But if, Rāhula, while reflecting, you would know thus: 'Indeed, I am doing this action by speech—this verbal action of mine leads neither to my own affliction, nor to another's affliction, nor to both affliction: this verbal action is wholesome, with happiness as outcome, with happiness as result,' then you should continue in such a verbal action, Rāhula.

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