The Buddha's son, Ven. Rahula, was prone to petty mischief and "false speech" (musavada). The Buddha warned him against misrepresenting the truth, lying, exaggerating even for the sake of joking. Norwegian Peer Gynt was warned in the same way by his girlfriend, Solveig. Young Rahula listened and in no long time became one of the noble ones or those who have gained enlightenment from the stage of stream entry (first stage) up to the final liberation of an arhat or a fully enlightened individual. So much for irony, hyperbole, and being funny by counterfeiting the truth.
Instructions to the Buddha's son Rahula at the Mango Stone
Edited by Wisdom Quarterly, Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta (MN 61 PTS: M i 414) from original Pali to English translation by Ven. Thanissaro (a.k.a. Geoffrey DeGraff), Wat Metta
At that time his son now ordained as the youngest monk ever, Ven. Rahula [Note 1], was staying at the Mango Stone.
Then the Blessed One, arising from his seclusion [withdrawal in the various meditative absorptions] in the late afternoon, went to where Ven. Rahula was staying. His son, Ven. Rahula, saw him coming from afar and set out a seat and water for washing the feet.
The Blessed One then sat down on the prepared seat and washed his feet.
Ven. Rahula, bowed to the Blessed One and sat respectfully to one side.
Then the Blessed One, having left some water in the dipper, said to Ven. Rahula:
"Rahula, do you see the small amount of leftover water in this dipper?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"That's how little of a wandering ascetic [2] there is in anyone who feels no shame about telling a deliberate lie."
Having tossed away the small amount of leftover water, the Blessed One said to Ven. Rahula: "Rahula, do you see how this little bit of leftover water is tossed away?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a wandering ascetic in anyone who feels no shame about telling a deliberate lie is tossed away just like that."
Having turned the water dipper upside down, the Blessed One said: "Rahula, do you see how this dipper is turned upside down?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a wandering ascetic in anyone who feels no shame about telling a deliberate lie is turned upside down just like that."
Having turned the water dipper right side up, the Blessed One said: "Rahula, do you see how empty and hollow this water dipper is?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a wandering ascetic in anyone who feels no shame about telling a deliberate lie is empty and hollow just like that.
"Rahula, it is like a royal elephant -- enormous, of fine pedigree, accustomed to enduring battles -- its tusks like chariot poles. Having gone into battle, it uses its front feet and hindfeet, its forequarters and hindquarters, its head and ears, tusks and tail, but it keeps protecting its sensitive trunk.
"The elephant trainer notices that and thinks, 'This royal elephant has not given its life to the king.' But when the royal elephant... having gone into battle, uses its front feet and hindfeet, its forequarters and hindquarters, its head and ears, tusks and tail and his trunk, the trainer notices and thinks, 'This royal elephant has given its life to the king. There is nothing it will not do.'
"In the same way, Rahula, I tell you, when anyone feels no shame about telling a deliberate lie, there is no harm [wrongdoing], that that person will not do.
"Thus, Rahula, train yourself: 'I will abstain from telling a deliberate lie even in jest.'
"What do you think, Rahula, what is a mirror for?"
"For reflection, sir."
"In just the same way, Rahula, bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions are to be done with repeated reflection.
Physical
"Whenever you wish to do a bodily action, reflect on it: 'This bodily action I want to do, will it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both? Would it be an unskillful bodily action (unwholesome karma), with unwelcome (painful) consequences and painful results?'
"If, on reflection, you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both, it would be an unskillful bodily action with painful consequences and painful results, then any bodily action of that sort is absolutely unfit to do.
"But if on reflection you know that it will not cause affliction... it will be a skillful bodily action (wholesome karma) with welcome (pleasant) consequences and pleasant results, then that sort of bodily action is fit to do.
"While performing a bodily action, reflect on it: 'This bodily action I am doing, is it leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful bodily action, with painful consequences and painful results?'
"If, on reflection, you know that it is leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both... give it up. But if on reflection you know that it is not... continue with it.
"Having done a bodily action, reflect on it: 'This bodily action I have done, did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful bodily action, with painful consequences and painful results?'
Confession
"If, on reflection, you know that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both, it was an unskillful bodily action with painful consequences and painful results, then CONFESS it, reveal it, lay it open to the Teacher [the Buddha] or to a knowledgeable companion [kalyana mitta, a "noble friend" along the path to enlightenment] in the pure monastic life.
"Having confessed it... exercise restraint in the future. But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to affliction... it was a skillful bodily action with pleasant consequences and pleasant results, then stay energetic and joyful, training day and night in the development of skillful qualities.
Verbal
"Whenever you want to do a verbal action, reflect on it: 'This verbal action I want to do, would it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Would it be an unskillful verbal action, with painful consequences and painful results?'
"If, on reflection, you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both, it would be an unskillful verbal action with painful consequences and painful results, then that sort of verbal action is absolutely unfit to do.
"But if on reflection you know that it will not cause affliction... it would be a skillful verbal action with pleasant consequences and pleasant results, then that sort of verbal action is fit to do.
"While you are doing a verbal action, reflect on it: 'This verbal action I am doing, is it leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful verbal action, with painful consequences and painful results?'
"If, on reflection, you know that it is leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both... give it up. But if on reflection you know that it is not... continue to do it.
"Having done a verbal action, reflect on it: 'This verbal action I have done, did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful verbal action with painful consequences and painful results?'
"If, on reflection, you know that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both, it was an unskillful verbal action with painful consequences and painful results, then confess it, reveal it, lay it open to the Teacher or to a knowledgeable companion ["noble friend"] in the pure life.
"Having confessed it... exercise restraint in the future. But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to affliction... it was a skillful verbal action with pleasant consequences and pleasant results, then stay energetic and joyful, training day and night in skillful qualities.
Mental
"Whenever you want to do a mental action, reflect on it: 'This mental action I want to do, would it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Would it be an unskillful mental action, with painful consequences and painful results?'
"If, on reflection, you know that it will lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both, it would be an unskillful mental action with painful consequences and painful results, then that sort of mental action is absolutely unfit to do.
"But if on reflection you know that it will not cause affliction... it will be a skillful mental action with pleasant consequences and pleasant results, then that sort of mental action is fit to do.
"While you are performing a mental action, reflect on it: 'This mental action I am doing, is it leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful mental action with painful consequences and painful results?'
"If, on reflection, you know that it is leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both... give it up. But if on reflection you know that it is not... continue to do it.
"Having done a mental action, reflect on it: 'This mental action I have done, did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful mental action with painful consequences and painful results?'
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| The face of disgust (paulekman.com) |
"Feeling distressed, ashamed, and disgusted with it, exercise restraint in the future. But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to affliction... it was a skillful mental action with pleasant consequences and pleasant results, then stay energetic and joyful, training day and night in skillful qualities [kusala karma or "beneficial intentional-actions"].
"Rahula, all those Brahmins and shramans [wandering ascetics] in the course of the past who purified their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions [their threefold karma] did it through repeated reflection on their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions in just this way.
"All those Brahmins and shramans in the course of the future who will purify their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions will do it through repeated reflection on their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions in just this way.
"All those Brahmins and shramans at present who purify their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions do it through repeated reflection on their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions in just this way.
"Thus, Rahula, train yourself: 'I will purify my bodily actions through repeated reflection. I will purify my verbal actions through repeated reflection. I will purify my mental actions through repeated reflection.'
"That is how you should train yourself."
This is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Rahula delighted in the Blessed One's words.
NOTES
1.
Rahula was the Buddha's son, who according to the Commentary was 7-years-old when his father asked for him to be ordained and when this discourse (sutra) was delivered to him.
2.
Samañña ("renunciate"): Throughout ancient cultures, the terminology of music was used to describe the virtuous (sila, moral) quality of people and actions (karma). Discordant intervals or poorly tuned musical instruments were metaphors for wrongdoing, whereas harmonious intervals and well tuned instruments were metaphors for good. In the Pali language, the common tongue spoken in the Buddha's time in that area, the term sama ("even") described an instrument tuned to the appropriate pitch. There is a famous passage (AN 6.55) where the Buddha reminds Ven. Sona Kolivisa — who had been over-exerting himself in the practice of meditation — that a lute sounds appealing only if the strings are neither tuned to be too tight nor too lax. It should be a balance, a pleasant medium, an "even" tune. Otherwise, the strings will break or produce a dull sound. This image has a special resonance with the Buddha's teachings on the Middle Way that avoids both extremes. It also adds meaning to the term samana — a wandering ascetic, monastic, or recluse — whom the sacred texts frequently mention as being derived from sama. The word samañña ("evenness" or the quality of being in tune) also means the quality of being a reclusive contemplative practicing letting go of things rather than a worldly person obsessed with clinging. The true wandering ascetic is constantly in tune with what is proper, fitting, and good.
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