Ambalaṭṭhikarāhulovādasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 61

Ambalaṭṭhikarāhulovādasutta

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

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thusEvaṁ by meme heard—sutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā near Rājagaharājagahe was stayingviharati in the Bamboo Groveveḷuvane at the squirrels’ feeding ground.kalandakanivāpe.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

by thatTena indeedkho nowpana at the timesamayena venerableāyasmā Rāhularāhulo at Ambalaṭṭhikāambalaṭṭhikāyaṁ was staying.viharati.
thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā evening·timesāyanhasamayaṁ from retreatpaṭisallānā emergedvuṭṭhito whereyena Ambalaṭṭhikāambalaṭṭhikā where Venerableyenāyasmā Rāhularāhulo there approached.tenupasaṅkami.
sawAddasā indeedkho venerableāyasmā Rāhularāhulo the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ from afardūratova coming.āgacchantaṁ.
having seenDisvāna a seatāsanaṁ he spread out,paññāpesi, water·andudakañca for the feet.pādānaṁ.
sat downNisīdi the Blessed Onebhagavā spread outpaññatte on the seat.āsane.
having sat downNisajja his feetpāde washed.pakkhālesi.
Venerable·tooĀyasmāpi indeedkho Rāhularāhulo the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ sat down.nisīdi.

Now at that time Venerable Rāhula was staying at Ambalaṭṭhikā. Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to Ambalaṭṭhika to see Venerable Rāhula. Rāhula saw the Buddha coming off in the distance. He spread out a seat and placed water for washing the feet. The Buddha sat down on the seat spread out, and washed his feet. Rāhula bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side.

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā littleparittaṁ water residueudakāvasesaṁ in the water potudakādhāne having leftṭhapetvā Venerableāyasmantaṁ Rāhularāhulaṁ addressedāmantesi:
do you see“passasi notno youtvaṁ, Rāhularāhula, thisimaṁ littleparittaṁ water residueudakāvasesaṁ in the water potudakādhāne placed + quotation markerṭhapitan”ti?
Yes,“Evaṁ, sirbhante”.
Thus“Evaṁ littleparittakaṁ indeedkho, Rāhularāhula, of thosetesaṁ ascetic naturesāmaññaṁ of whomyesaṁ there is notnatthi in deliberate lyingsampajānamusāvāde shame + quotation markerlajjā”ti.

Then the Buddha, leaving a little water in the pot, addressed Rāhula, “Rāhula, do you see this little bit of water left in the pot?” “Yes, sir.” “That’s how little of the ascetic’s nature is left in those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie.”

thenAtha indeedkho the Buddhabhagavā littleparittaṁ what water was leftudakāvasesaṁ discardingchaḍḍetvā the venerableāyasmantaṁ Rāhularāhulaṁ to·speakāmantesi:
do you see“passasi notno youtvaṁ, Rāhularāhula, littleparittaṁ what water was leftudakāvasesaṁ discardedchaḍḍitan”ti?
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante”.
thus“Evaṁ discardedchaḍḍitaṁ indeedkho, Rāhularāhula, of thosetesaṁ the ascetic's naturesāmaññaṁ for whomyesaṁ not·benatthi deliberate·liesampajānamusāvāde shamelajjā”ti.

Then the Buddha, discarding what little water was left in the pot, said to Rāhula, “Do you see this little bit of water that was discarded?” “Yes, sir.” “That’s how the ascetic’s nature is discarded in those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie.”

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā thattaṁ water-potudakādhānaṁ down·turn overnikkujjitvā the venerableāyasmantaṁ Rāhularāhulaṁ addressedāmantesi:
do you see“passasi notno youtvaṁ, Rāhularāhula, thisimaṁ water-potudakādhānaṁ turned upside downnikkujjitan”ti?
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante”.
thus“Evaṁ down·turned overnikkujjitaṁ indeedkho, Rāhularāhula, of thosetesaṁ the ascetic's naturesāmaññaṁ of whomyesaṁ not·benatthi deliberate·liesampajānamusāvāde shamelajjā”ti.

Then the Buddha, turning the pot upside down, said to Rāhula, “Do you see how this pot is turned upside down?” “Yes, sir.” “That’s how the ascetic’s nature is turned upside down in those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie.”

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā thattaṁ water potudakādhānaṁ having turned uprightukkujjitvā the venerableāyasmantaṁ Rāhularāhulaṁ addressedāmantesi:
do you see“passasi notno youtvaṁ, Rāhularāhula, thisimaṁ water potudakādhānaṁ vacantrittaṁ hollowtucchan”ti?
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante”.
thus“Evaṁ vacantrittaṁ hollowtucchaṁ indeedkho, Rāhularāhula, of thosetesaṁ ascetic naturesāmaññaṁ of whomyesaṁ there is notnatthi deliberate·lyingsampajānamusāvāde shamelajjāti.

Then the Buddha, turning the pot right side up, said to Rāhula, “Do you see how this pot is vacant and hollow?” “Yes, sir.” “That’s how vacant and hollow the ascetic’s nature is in those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie.

Suppose there was a royal bull elephant with tusks like draft-poles, able to draw a heavy load, pedigree and battle-hardened. In battle it uses its fore-feet and hind-feet, its fore-quarters and hind-quarters, its head, ears, tusks, and tail, but it still protects its trunk. So its rider thinks: ‘This royal bull elephant still protects its trunk. It has not yet given its life.’ But when that royal bull elephant … in battle uses its fore-feet and hind-feet, its fore-quarters and hind-quarters, its head, ears, tusks, and tail, and its trunk, its rider thinks:

‘This royal bull elephant … in battle uses its fore-feet and hind-feet, its fore-quarters and hind-quarters, its head, ears, tusks, and tail, and its trunk. It has given its life. Now there is nothing that royal bull elephant would not do.’ In the same way, when someone is not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie, there is no bad deed they would not do, I say. So you should train like this: ‘I will not tell a lie, even for a joke.’

thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Rāhularāhula,
what·purposekimatthiyo mirror + quotationādāso”ti?
checking·purpose“Paccavekkhaṇattho, sir + quotationbhante”ti.
thus·just“Evameva indeedkho, Rāhularāhula, having checkedpaccavekkhitvā having checkedpaccavekkhitvā by bodykāyena deedkammaṁ should be donekattabbaṁ, having checkedpaccavekkhitvā having checkedpaccavekkhitvā by speechvācāya deedkammaṁ should be donekattabbaṁ, having checkedpaccavekkhitvā having checkedpaccavekkhitvā by mindmanasā deedkammaṁ should be done.kattabbaṁ.

What do you think, Rāhula? What is the purpose of a mirror?” “It’s for checking your reflection, sir.” “In the same way, deeds of body, speech, and mind should be done only after repeated checking.

When you want to act with the body, you should check on that same deed: ‘Does this act with the body that I want to do 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 want to do leads to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both. It’s unskillful, with suffering as its outcome and result.’ To the best of your ability, Rāhula, you should not do such a deed. But if, while checking in this way, you know: ‘This act with the body that I want to do doesn’t lead to hurting myself, hurting others, or hurting both.

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