Mahārāhulovāda Sutta
Thus I have heard,
Once, the Awakened one was staying in Sāvatthi
at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery in Jeta’s grove.
Then, in the morning, he dressed up,
took his bowl and robe and entered Sāvatthi for alms
and the venerable Rāhula did the same,
following on the Awakened one closely.
[After teading the mind of his son, Rāhula],
The Awakened one looked back and said:
“Rāhula, whatever shapes exist
Whether past, presentb or future,
For oneself or for others,
Gross or fine,
Negligeable or sublime,
Far or near,
All shapes should be seen, as it actually is, with wise discernment :
“This is not mine,
‘I’ am not this,
neither is this my self. ‘[1]
[Rāhula]
“Only shapes master?
Only shapes Blessed one?”
{Buddha]
“Shapes, Rāhula,
as well as experiences,
perceptions,
mental activities,
And consciousness.“
Then, the venerable Rāhula thought:
“Who could ever go for alms on a day like this,
after being so advised by the teacher?”
And he went to the foot of a tree, sat down cross-legged,
With his body erect and he settled into presence of mind. [2]
Then, the venerable Sāriputta saw the venerable Rāhula sitting there as such.
The venerable Sāriputta then said to him:
“Cultivate meditation using the breath as a reminder, Rāhula.
When it is trained in and cultivated,
The development of this meditation is highly fruitful and greatly beneficial.”
Then, when the evening came around,
the venerable Rāhula came out of seclusion
went to the awakened one
paid loving respects, sat down beside him and asked:
Bhante, how is awareness cultivated while breathing?
How does one train in it so it may be highly fruitful and greatly beneficial?”
[1. Wise Understanding]
[A. The Elements are Impersonal]
[Earth Element]
“Rāhula, whatever one considers hard or solid,
as being within oneself
being a part of oneself, that is:[3]
the hair on their head, the hair on their body,
nails, teeth, skin, muscles,
tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys,
the heart, the liver, the pleura, the spleen, the lungs,
the intestines, the colon, the matter in the bowels, and feces,
And any other things one considers hard or solid,
as being within oneself
being a part of oneself,
That is called the personal earth element.
So whether it is the earth element inside
or the earth element outside,
Both are nothing but the earth element.[4]
[And one should think of it in this way:]
This is not me,
there is no ‘I’ in this,
this is not my self;
This is how it is to be seen, with proper discernment.
Seeing in this manner, with proper discernment
one lets go of the earth element,
one’s mind does not cling to the earth element. [5]
[Water Element]
What is the water element?
There is the water element inside
And the water element outside. [6]
What is the water element inside?
Whatever one considers fluid or watery,
as being within oneself,
being a part of oneself, that is:
Bile, phlegm, pus, blood
sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva,
mucus, synovial fluid, urine;
And any other things one considers fluid or watery,
as being within oneself
being a part of oneself,
That is called the water element within.
So whether it is the water element within
or the water element outside,
Both are nothing but the water element.
[And one should think of it in this way:]
This is not me,
there is no ‘I’ in this,
this is not my self;
This is how it is to be seen, with proper discernment.
Seeing in this manner, with wise discernment
one lets go of the water element,
one’s mind does not cling to the water element.
[Fire Element]
What is the fire element?
There is the water element inside
And the water element outside.
What is the fire element?
Whatever one considers burning or firey,
as being within oneself,
being a part of oneself, that is: [7]
That which creates heat,
that which is broken down,
that which is consumed,
that which is eaten and ingested
and then properly digested [8]
and any other things one considers burning or firey,
as being within oneself
being a part of oneself,
This is called the fire element.
So whether it is the fire element within
or the fire element outside,
both are nothing but the fire element.
[And one should think of it in this way:]
This is not me,
there is no ‘I’ in this,
this is not my self;
This is how it is to be seen, with proper discernment.
Seeing in this manner, with wise discernement
one lets go of the fire element,
one’s mind does not hold on to the fire element.
[Air Element]
What is the wind element?
There is the wind element inside
And the wind element outside.
What is the inner wind element?
Whatever one considers blowing or windey,
as being within oneself,
being a part of oneself, that is:
upward going winds,
downward going winds
wind in the belly,
wind in the intestine,
wind that flows throughout the body
Breathing in and breathing out, [9]
and any other things one considers blowing or windy,
as being within oneself
being a part of oneself,
That is called the wind element.
So whether it is the wind element within
or the wind element outside,
both are nothing but the wind element.
[And one should think of it in this way:]
‘This is not me,
there is no ‘I’ in this,
this is not my self;’
This is how it is to be seen, with proper discernment.
Seeing in this manner, with wise discernment
one lets go of the fire element,
one’s mind does not hold on to the fire element.
[Space Element]
What is the space element?
There is the wind element inside
and the wind element outside.
What is the wind element outside?
Whatever one considers as space or spatial,
as being within oneself,
being a part of oneself, that is:
The cavity in the ears,
the cavity in the nose,
the aperture of the mouth,
where what is drunk, chewed, eaten and tasted gets swallowed,
where what is drunk, chewed, eaten and tasted remains,
where what is drunk, chewed, eaten and tasted is excreted from the lower end,[10]
and any other things one as space or spatial,
as being within oneself
being a part of oneself,
like air,
which is airy,
an opening,
or anything pertaining to an open cleft,
a cut, from which flesh and blood are seen, [11]
This is called the space element.
So whether it is the space element within
or the space element outside,
both are nothing but the space element.
[And one should think of it in this way:]
‘This is not me,
there is no ‘I’ in this,
this is not my self;’
This is how it is to be seen, with proper discernment.
Seeing in this manner, with wise discernment
one lets go of the fire element,
one’s mind does not hold on to the fire element.
[Meditation instructions]
[Meditation Like the Earth]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation just like the earth.
Cultivating meditation like the earth,
the mind remains serene,
even while experiencing desirable
and undesirable sensory contacts. [12]
Just as people throw desirable things
and undesirable things upon the eath, like:
excrements,
urine,
spit,
pus,
and blood;
the earth is not disgusted
nor vexed, nor does it hate. [13]
In the same way, Rāhula,
cultivate meditation just like the earth.
Cultivating meditation like the earth,
the mind remains serene,
even while experiencing desirable
and undesirable sensory contacts.
[Meditation Like Water]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation just like water.
Cultivating meditation like the water,
the mind remains serene,
even while experiencing desirable
and undesirable sensory contacts.
Just as people throw desirable things
and undesirable things in water, like:
excrements,
urine,
spit,
pus,
and blood;
Water is not disgusted
nor vexed, nor does it hate.
In the same way, Rāhula,
Cultivate meditation just like water.
Cultivating meditation like water,
the mind remains serene,
even while experiencing desirable
and undesirable sensory contacts.
[Meditation Like Fire]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation just like fire.
Cultivating meditation like fire,
the mind remains serene,
even while experiencing desirable
and undesirable sensory contacts.
Just as people throw desirable things
and undesirable things in fire, like:
excrements,
urine,
spit,
pus,
and blood;
Fire is not disgusted
nor vexed, nor does it hate.
In the same way, Rāhula,
Cultivate meditation just like fire.
Cultivating meditation like fire,
the mind remains serene,
even while experiencing desirable
and undesirable sensory contacts.
[Meditation Like Air]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation just like air.
Cultivating meditation just like the air,
pleasant and unpleasant contacts
The mind remains unagitated by
Just as people throw desirable things
and undesirable things in the air, like:
excrements,
urine,
spit,
pus,
and blood;
The air is not disgusted
nor vexed, nor does it hate.
In the same way, Rāhula,
Cultivate meditation just like air.
Cultivating meditation like air,
the mind remains serene,
even while experiencing desirable
and undesirable sensory contacts.
[Meditation Like Space]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation just like space.
Cultivating meditation like space,
the mind remains serene,
even while experiencing desirable
and undesirable sensory contacts.
Just as space is not supported
and is not resting anywhere upon anything,
cultivate meditation like space.
Cultivating meditation like space,
the mind remains serene,
even while experiencing desirable
and undesirable sensory contacts.
[Boundless Love]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on boundless love.
By cultivating boundless love,
any aversion will be allayed. [14]
[Boundless Compassion]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on boundless compassion.
By cultivating boundless compassion,
any irritation will be soothed. [15]
[Boundless Joy]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on boundless joy.
By cultivating boundless joy,
any discontent will be dispelled. [16]
[Boundless Calm]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on boundless calm.
By cultivating boundless calm,
any agitation will be given up. [17]
[Meditation on Unattractiveness]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on unattractiveness.
By cultivating meditation on unattractiveness,
any craving will be dissipated. [18]
[Meditation on Transience]
Rāhula, cultivate meditation on the transitory [nature of all experience.]
By cultivating meditation on the transitory [nature of all experience.],
the I-am conceit will fall off. [19]
[Following the Breath as a Reminder]
Then, Rāhula, cultivate meditation following the breath as a reminder.
When it is well trained and cultivated,
the meditation which follows the breath
is highly fruitful and greatly beneficial.”
How?
Here, Rāhula, someone resorts
to the forest,
at the root of a tree,
in an empty cabin,
sitting down with legs folded and body upright
having reposed one’s awareness about oneself.
One breathes in with presence of mind,
One breathes out with presence of mind.
[First Stage]
(1) One is aware of a long breath as a long breath.
While breathing in and out.
(2) One is aware of a short breath as a short breath.
While breathing in and out.
(3) One trains: To experience the whole body.
While breathing in and out.
(4) One trains: To calm the tension in the body.
While breathing in and out.
[Second Stage]
(5) One trains: To experience joy.
While breathing in and out.
(6) One trains: To experience happiness.
While breathing in and out.
(7) One trains: To experience the movements of the mind.
While breathing in and out.
(8) One trains: To calm the movements of the mind,
While breathing in and out.
[Third Stage]
(9) One trains: To experience the mind,
While breathing in and out.
(10) One trains: To uplift the mind with joy.
While breathing in and out.
(11) One trains: To gather the mind.
While breathing in and out.
(12) One trains: To untangle the mind.
While breathing in and out.
[Fourth Stage]
(13) One trains: To see constant change.
While breathing in and out.
(14) One trains: To see calming down.
While breathing in and out.
(15) One trains: To see the end of awareness.
While breathing in and out.
(16) One trains: To see breaking free.
While breathing in and out.
This is how to cultivate meditation,
following the breath as a reminder,
so it is highly fruitful and beneficial.
When the meditation which follows the breath as a reminder
is cultivated and trained in such a way,
one is even aware of one’s final breaths as they cease,
and one dies, undeluded. [20]
So spoke the Awakened one.
Glad at heart, the venerable Rāhula rejoiced in his speech.
[1] “yaṃ kiñci, rāhula, rūpaṃ—atītānāgatapaccuppannaṃ ajjhattaṃ vā bahiddhā vā oḷārikaṃ vā sukhumaṃ vā hīnaṃ vā paṇītaṃ vā yaṃ dūre santike vā— sabbaṃ rūpaṃ ‘netaṃ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabban”ti.
[2] aññatarasmiṃ rukkhamūle nisīdi pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā
ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā.
[3] “Yaṃ kiñci, rāhula, ajjhattaṃ paccattaṃ kakkhaḷaṃ kharigataṃ upādinnaṃ, seyyathidaṃ—
[4] Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā pathavīdhātu yā ca bāhirā pathavīdhātu, pathavīdhāturevesā.
[5] Evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya disvā pathavīdhātuyā nibbindati, pathavīdhātuyā cittaṃ virājeti.
[6] Āpodhātu siyā ajjhattikā, siyā bāhirā.
[7] Yaṃ ajjhattaṃ paccattaṃ tejo tejogataṃ upādinnaṃ, seyyathidaṃ—
[8] yena ca santappati yena ca jīrīyati yena ca pariḍayhati yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṃ sammā pariṇāmaṃ gacchati,
[9] uddhaṅgamā vātā, adhogamā vātā, kucchisayā vātā, koṭṭhāsayā vātā, aṅgamaṅgānusārino vātā, assāso passāso iti,
[10] kaṇṇacchiddaṃ nāsacchiddaṃ mukhadvāraṃ, yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṃ ajjhoharati, yattha ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṃ santiṭṭhati, yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṃ adhobhāgaṃ nikkhamati,
[11] This section does not seem to be in al Pāḷi editions: aghaṃ aghagataṃ, vivaraṃ vivaragataṃ, asamphuṭṭhaṃ, maṃsalohitehi upādinnaṃ—
[12] Pathavīsamañhi te bhāvanaṃ bhāvayato uppannā manāpāmanāpā phassā cittaṃ na pariyādāya ṭhassanti.
[13] pathaviyā sucimpi nikkhipanti, asucimpi nikkhipanti, gūthagatampi nikkhipanti, muttagatampi nikkhipanti, kheḷagatampi nikkhipanti, pubbagatampi nikkhipanti, lohitagatampi nikkhipanti, na ca tena pathavī aṭṭīyati vā harāyati vā jigucchati vā;
[14] Mettaṃ, rāhula, bhāvanaṃ bhāvehi. Mettañhi te, rāhula, bhāvanaṃ bhāvayato yo byāpādo so pahīyissati.
[15] Karuṇañhi te, rāhula, bhāvanaṃ bhāvayato yā vihesā sā pahīyissati.
[16] Muditañhi te, rāhula, bhāvanaṃ bhāvayato yā arati sā pahīyissati.
[17] Upekkhañhi te, rāhula, bhāvanaṃ bhāvayato yo paṭigho so pahīyissati.
[18] Asubhañhi te, rāhula, bhāvanaṃ bhāvayato yo rāgo so pahīyissati.
[19] Aniccasaññañhi te, rāhula, bhāvanaṃ bhāvayato yo asmimāno so pahīyissati.
[20] Evaṃ bhāvitāya, rāhula, ānāpānassatiyā, evaṃ bahulīkatāya yepi te carimakā assāsā tepi viditāva nirujjhanti no aviditā”ti.
