SN 35.121 · Advice to Rāhula
SN 35.121 · Rāhulovādasutta
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, “The qualities that ripen in freedom have ripened in Rāhula. Why don’t I lead him further to the ending of defilements?”
Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “paripakkā kho rāhulassa vimuttiparipācaniyā dhammā; 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. 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.”
Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ āmantesi: “gaṇhāhi, rāhula, nisīdanaṁ. 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, “Today the Buddha will lead Rāhula further to the ending of defilements!”
Tena kho pana samayena anekāni devatāsahassāni bhagavantaṁ anubandhāni honti: “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. Rāhula bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
Atha kho bhagavā andhavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle paññatte āsane nisīdi. Āyasmāpi kho rāhulo bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
“What do you think, Rāhula? Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, 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: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
“No, sir.”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”. (…)
“Are sights … eye consciousness … eye contact permanent or impermanent?”
“Rūpā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti? “Aniccā, bhante” …pe…. “Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti? “Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe…. “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: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
“No, sir.”
“No hetaṁ, bhante” …pe….
“Is the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind permanent or impermanent?”
“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…. “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: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
“No, sir.”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Are ideas … mind consciousness … mind contact permanent or impermanent?”
“Dhammā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti? “Aniccā, bhante” …pe…. “Manoviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti? “Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe…. “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: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘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. 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.
Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā rāhulo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandi. 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.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.
SN 35.122 · Things That Tighten Fetters
SN 35.122 · Saṁyojaniyadhammasutta
“Mendicants, I will teach you the things that tighten the fetters, and the fetter. Listen …
“Saṁyojaniye ca, bhikkhave, dhamme desessāmi saṁyojanañca. Taṁ suṇātha.
What are the things that tighten the fetters? And what is the fetter? There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These are called the things that tighten the fetters. The desire and greed for them is the fetter.
Katame ca, bhikkhave, saṁyojaniyā dhammā, katamañca saṁyojanaṁ? Santi, bhikkhave, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, saṁyojaniyā dhammā. Yo tattha chandarāgo, taṁ tattha saṁyojanaṁ …pe…
There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches … thoughts known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These are called the things that tighten the fetters. The desire and greed for them is the fetter.”
santi, bhikkhave, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe… santi, bhikkhave, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, saṁyojaniyā dhammā. Yo tattha chandarāgo taṁ tattha saṁyojanan”ti.
Navamaṁ.
SN 35.123 · Things That Fuel Grasping
SN 35.123 · Upādāniyadhammasutta
“Mendicants, I will teach you the things that fuel grasping, and the grasping. Listen …
“Upādāniye ca, bhikkhave, dhamme desessāmi upādānañca. Taṁ suṇātha.
What are the things that fuel grasping? And what is the grasping? There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These are called the things that fuel grasping. The desire and greed for them is the grasping.
Katame ca, bhikkhave, upādāniyā dhammā, katamañca upādānaṁ? Santi, bhikkhave, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, upādāniyā dhammā. Yo tattha chandarāgo, taṁ tattha upādānaṁ …pe…
There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These are called the things that fuel grasping. The desire and greed for them is the grasping.”
santi, bhikkhave, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe… santi, bhikkhave, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, upādāniyā dhammā. Yo tattha chandarāgo taṁ tattha upādānan”ti.
Dasamaṁ.
Lokakāmaguṇavaggo dutiyo.
Tassuddānaṁ
Mārapāsena dve vuttā,lokakāmaguṇena ca;Sakko pañcasikho ceva,sāriputto ca rāhulo;Saṁyojanaṁ upādānaṁ,vaggo tena pavuccatīti.