SN 35.121

Rāhulovādasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “paripakkā kho rāhulassa vimuttiparipācaniyā dhammā; yannūnāhaṁ rāhulaṁ uttariṁ āsavānaṁ khaye vineyyan”ti. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ āmantesi: “gaṇhāhi, rāhula, nisīdanaṁ. Yena andhavanaṁ tenupasaṅkamissāma divāvihārāyā”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā rāhulo bhagavato paṭissutvā nisīdanaṁ ādāya bhagavantaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhi.

Advice to Rāhula

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “The qualities that ripen in freedom have ripened in Rāhula. Why don’t I lead him further to the ending of defilements?” Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Rāhula, “Rāhula, get your sitting cloth. Let’s go to the Dark Forest for the day’s meditation.” “Yes, sir,” replied Rāhula. Taking his sitting cloth he followed behind the Buddha.

Tena kho pana samayena anekāni devatāsahassāni bhagavantaṁ anubandhāni honti: “ajja bhagavā āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ uttariṁ āsavānaṁ khaye vinessatī”ti. Atha kho bhagavā andhavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle paññatte āsane nisīdi. Āyasmāpi kho rāhulo bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Now at that time many thousands of deities followed the Buddha, thinking, “Today the Buddha will lead Rāhula further to the ending of defilements!” Then the Buddha plunged deep into the Dark Forest and sat at the root of a tree on the seat spread out. Rāhula bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, cakkhu niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“What do you think, Rāhula? Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”. (…)

“No, sir.”

“Rūpā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti? “Aniccā, bhante” …pe….

“Are sights …

“Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti? “Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe….

eye consciousness …

“Cakkhusamphasso nicco vā anicco vā”ti?

eye contact permanent or impermanent?”

“Anicco, bhante” …pe….

“Impermanent, sir.” …

“Yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ, saññāgataṁ, saṅkhāragataṁ, viññāṇagataṁ, tampi niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises dependent on eye contact: is that permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante” …pe….

“No, sir.”

“Jivhā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti? “Aniccā, bhante” …pe…. “Jivhāviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti? “Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe…. “Jivhāsamphasso nicco vā anicco vā”ti? “Anicco, bhante” …pe…. “Yampidaṁ jivhāsamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ, saññāgataṁ, saṅkhāragataṁ, viññāṇagataṁ, tampi niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti? “Aniccaṁ, bhante”. “Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti? “Dukkhaṁ, bhante”. “Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante” …pe….

“Is the ear … nose … tongue … body …

“Mano nicco vā anicco vā”ti?

mind permanent or impermanent?”

“Anicco, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Dhammā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti? “Aniccā, bhante” …pe….

“Are ideas …

“Manoviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti? “Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe….

mind consciousness …

“Manosamphasso nicco vā anicco vā”ti?

mind contact permanent or impermanent?”

“Anicco, bhante” …pe….

“Impermanent, sir.” …

“Yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ, saññāgataṁ, saṅkhāragataṁ, viññāṇagataṁ, tampi niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises dependent on mind contact: is that permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati, rūpesupi nibbindati, cakkhuviññāṇepi nibbindati, cakkhusamphassepi nibbindati, yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ tasmimpi nibbindati …pe… jivhāyapi nibbindati, rasesupi nibbindati, jivhāviññāṇepi nibbindati, jivhāsamphassepi nibbindati, yampidaṁ jivhāsamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ tasmimpi nibbindati …pe….

“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. They grow disillusioned with the ear … nose … tongue … body …

Manasmimpi nibbindati, dhammesupi nibbindati, manoviññāṇepi nibbindati, manosamphassepi nibbindati, yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ tasmimpi nibbindati. Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti. ‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.

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. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. 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.’”

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā rāhulo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandi. Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne āyasmato rāhulassa anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucci. Anekānañca devatāsahassānaṁ virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi: “yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti.

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Rāhula approved what the Buddha said. And while this discourse was being spoken, Rāhula’s mind was freed from defilements by not grasping. And the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in those thousands of deities: “Everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.”