Mahārāhulovādasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 62

The Longer Advice to Rāhula · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heard—sutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Buddhabhagavā near Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in Jeta’s Grovejetavane Anāthapiṇḍika’sanāthapiṇḍikassa monastery.ārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā morning·timepubbaṇhasamayaṁ down·dressnivāsetvā bowl·robe·takingpattacīvaramādāya Sāvatthīsāvatthiṁ for almspiṇḍāya enteredpāvisi.
venerable·alsoĀyasmāpi indeedkho Rāhularāhulo morning·timepubbaṇhasamayaṁ down·dressnivāsetvā bowl·robe·takingpattacīvaramādāya the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ behindpiṭṭhito behindpiṭṭhito after·bindanubandhi.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. And Venerable Rāhula also robed up and followed behind the Buddha.

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā having looked backapaloketvā the venerableāyasmantaṁ Rāhularāhulaṁ addressedāmantesi:
whatever“yaṁ at allkiñci, Rāhularāhula, form + past-future-presentrūpaṁ—atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ internalajjhattaṁ orvā externalbahiddhā orvā solidoḷārikaṁ orvā subtlesukhumaṁ orvā inferiorhīnaṁ orvā superiorpaṇītaṁ orvā whateveryaṁ fardūre nearsantike or + allvā—sabbaṁ formrūpaṁ this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this ismeso selfattā’ti thus thisevametaṁ as it really isyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya should be seendaṭṭhabban”ti.
only form“Rūpameva is itnu indeedkho, Blessed Onebhagavā, only formrūpameva is itnu indeedkho, Holy Onesugatā”ti?
form as well“Rūpampi, Rāhularāhula, feeling as wellvedanāpi, Rāhularāhula, perception as wellsaññāpi, Rāhularāhula, choices as wellsaṅkhārāpi, Rāhularāhula, consciousness as wellviññāṇampi, Rāhularāhulā”ti.

Then the Buddha looked back at Rāhula and said, “Rāhula, you should truly see any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’” “Only form, Blessed One? Only form, Holy One?” “Form, Rāhula, as well as feeling and perception and choices and consciousness.”

thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Rāhularāhulo “who“ko todaynajja by the Blessed Onebhagavatā face to facesammukhā with adviceovādena advisedovadito to the villagegāmaṁ for almspiṇḍāya enter·futurepavisissatī”ti from theretato back·turnpaṭinivattitvā at a certainaññatarasmiṁ tree·rootrukkhamūle down·sitnisīdi cross-leggedpallaṅkaṁ toward·bendābhujitvā uprightujuṁ bodykāyaṁ forth·down·placepaṇidhāya around·faceparimukhaṁ mindfulnesssatiṁ having broughtupaṭṭhapetvā.

Then Rāhula thought, “Who would go to the village for alms today after being advised directly by the Buddha?” Turning back, he sat down cross-legged at the root of a certain tree, setting his body straight, and bringing mindfulness to the present.

past·seeAddasā indeedkho venerableāyasmā Sāriputtasāriputto venerableāyasmantaṁ Rāhularāhulaṁ at a certainaññatarasmiṁ tree·rootrukkhamūle sittingnisinnaṁ cross-leggedpallaṅkaṁ towards·foldābhujitvā straightujuṁ bodykāyaṁ forth·down·placepaṇidhāya around·faceparimukhaṁ mindfulnesssatiṁ near·standupaṭṭhapetvā.
having seenDisvāna venerableāyasmantaṁ Rāhularāhulaṁ towards·addressāmantesi:
mindfulness of breathing“ānāpānassatiṁ, Rāhularāhula, developmentbhāvanaṁ developbhāvehi.
breathing + mindfulnessĀnāpānassati, Rāhularāhula, developmentbhāvanā developedbhāvitā cultivatedbahulīkatā very fruitfulmahapphalā ishoti great·beneficialmahānisaṁsā”ti.

Venerable Sāriputta saw him sitting there, and addressed him, “Rāhula, develop mindfulness of breathing. When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated it’s very fruitful and beneficial.”

thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Rāhularāhulo evening·timesāyanhasamayaṁ from retreatpaṭisallānā emergedvuṭṭhito whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā approached himtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ sat downnisīdi. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho venerableāyasmā Rāhularāhulo the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said this to himetadavoca:

Then in the late afternoon, Rāhula came out of retreat, went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

how“kathaṁ developedbhāvitā nownu indeedkho, sirbhante, mindfulness of breathingānāpānassati, howkathaṁ cultivatedbahulīkatā very fruitfulmahapphalā ishoti great·beneficialmahānisaṁsā”ti?

“Sir, how is mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated to be very fruitful and beneficial?”

whatever“Yaṁ anythingkiñci, Rāhularāhula, internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ hardkakkhaḷaṁ solidkharigataṁ appropriatedupādinnaṁ, that isseyyathidaṁ—
head hairkesā body hairlomā nailsnakhā teethdantā skintaco fleshmaṁsaṁ sinewsnhāru bonesaṭṭhi bone marrowaṭṭhimiñjaṁ kidneysvakkaṁ hearthadayaṁ liveryakanaṁ diaphragmkilomakaṁ spleenpihakaṁ lungspapphāsaṁ intestinesantaṁ mesenteryantaguṇaṁ undigested foodudariyaṁ feceskarīsaṁ, whateveryaṁ orvā anything elsepanaññampi anythingkiñci internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ hardkakkhaḷaṁ solidkharigataṁ appropriatedupādinnaṁ—
thisayaṁ is calledvuccati, Rāhularāhula, interiorajjhattikā earth elementpathavīdhātu.
that whichYā and alsoceva indeedkho furtherpana interiorajjhattikā earth elementpathavīdhātu and that whichyā andca exteriorbāhirā earth elementpathavīdhātu, just the earth elementpathavīdhāturevesā.
thisTaṁ this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this is not mymeso self; thus thisattā’ti—evametaṁ trulyyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya should be seendaṭṭhabbaṁ.
thus thisEvametaṁ trulyyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya having seendisvā with the earth elementpathavīdhātuyā grows disillusionednibbindati, with the earth elementpathavīdhātuyā the mindcittaṁ detachesvirājeti.

“Rāhula, the interior earth element is anything internal, personal, that’s hard, solid, and appropriated. This includes: head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces; or anything else internal, personal, that’s hard, solid, and appropriated. This is called the interior earth element. The interior earth element and the exterior earth element are just the earth element. This should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ When you truly see with right understanding, you grow disillusioned with the earth element, detaching the mind from the earth element.

whichKatamā andca, Rāhularāhula, water·element?āpodhātu?
water elementĀpodhātu may besiyā interiorajjhattikā, may besiyā exteriorbāhirā.
whichKatamā andca, Rāhularāhula, interiorajjhattikā water·element?āpodhātu?
whateverYaṁ internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ waterāpo water·goneāpogataṁ appropriatedupādinnaṁ, that isseyyathidaṁ—
bilepittaṁ phlegmsemhaṁ puspubbo bloodlohitaṁ sweatsedo fatmedo tearsassu greasevasā salivakheḷo snotsiṅghāṇikā synovial fluidlasikā urinemuttaṁ, whateveryaṁ orvā else alsopanaññampi anythingkiñci internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ waterāpo water·goneāpogataṁ appropriatedupādinnaṁ—
thisayaṁ is calledvuccati, Rāhularāhula, interiorajjhattikā water elementāpodhātu.
that whichYā andceva indeedkho furtherpana interiorajjhattikā water·elementāpodhātu and that whichyā andca exteriorbāhirā water·elementāpodhātu just the water elementāpodhāturevesā.
thisTaṁ this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this is mymeso self; thus thisattā’ti—evametaṁ as·come to beyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya should be seendaṭṭhabbaṁ.
thus thisEvametaṁ as·come to beyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya having seendisvā water·elementāpodhātuyā grow disillusionednibbindati, water·elementāpodhātuyā mindcittaṁ detachesvirājeti.

And what is the water element? The water element may be interior or exterior. And what is the interior water element? Anything internal, personal, that’s water, watery, and appropriated. This includes: bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine; or anything else internal, personal, that’s water, watery, and appropriated. This is called the interior water element. The interior water element and the exterior water element are just the water element. This should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ When you truly see with right understanding, you grow disillusioned with the water element, detaching the mind from the water element.

whichKatamā andca, Rāhularāhula, fire·elementtejodhātu?
fire·elementTejodhātu may besiyā interiorajjhattikā, may besiyā exteriorbāhirā.
whichKatamā andca, Rāhularāhula, interiorajjhattikā fire·elementtejodhātu?
whateverYaṁ internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ firetejo fierytejogataṁ appropriatedupādinnaṁ, like·thisseyyathidaṁ—
by whichyena andca one warmssantappati by whichyena andca one agesjīrīyati by whichyena andca around·burnpariḍayhati by whichyena andca eaten·drunk·chewed·tastedasitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ properlysammā around·bendingpariṇāmaṁ goesgacchati, or whateveryaṁ orvā but·other·alsopanaññampi anythingkiñci internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ firetejo fierytejogataṁ appropriatedupādinnaṁ—
thisayaṁ is calledvuccati, Rāhularāhula, interiorajjhattikā fire·elementtejodhātu.
whateverYā andceva indeedkho nowpana interiorajjhattikā fire·elementtejodhātu whateveryā andca exteriorbāhirā fire·elementtejodhātu are just the fire elementtejodhāturevesā.
thisTaṁ this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna my·thismeso self·quote·thus·thisattā’ti—evametaṁ as·becomeyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya should be seendaṭṭhabbaṁ.
thus·thisEvametaṁ as·becomeyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya having seendisvā fire·elementtejodhātuyā grows disillusionednibbindati, fire·elementtejodhātuyā the mindcittaṁ detachesvirājeti.

And what is the fire element? The fire element may be interior or exterior. And what is the interior fire element? Anything internal, personal, that’s fire, fiery, and appropriated. This includes: that which warms, that which ages, that which heats you up when feverish, that which properly digests food and drink; or anything else internal, personal, that’s fire, fiery, and appropriated. This is called the interior fire element. The interior fire element and the exterior fire element are just the fire element. This should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ When you truly see with right understanding, you grow disillusioned with the fire element, detaching the mind from the fire element.

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