Dharmachakra Wheel of the Dharma; Dave; TEXT: Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Wisdom Quarterly
The Great Teaching to Rahula Sutra
What will be my inheritance, Father? - The best, Son. |
The Theravada Buddhist tradition has a sutra or discourse illustrating what the Buddha talked about with his son Rahula. Both boys became fully enlightened.
But the younger Rahula got there first because he was ordained at the age of 7, the youngest child to be brought into the monastic community by his father.
The Buddha's former wife, Bimba Devi (known to the world as his cousin Yasodhara, which is a title rather than a name) was not happy to lose another family member to the Monastic Community (Sangha), nor were his parents.
His father, King Suddhodana, and foster mother, Queen Pajapati Gotami (which is where the Buddha gets his surname, Gotama/Gautama, as this was the sister of his deceased biological mother, Queen Maya).
But Princess Bimba herself became a fully enlightened nun and a fantastic disputant known to history by various names such as Bhaddha Kaccana ("Lucky Kaccana") and Rahulamata ("Rahula's mother").
His father became a noble one, and his foster mother, who raised him from the age of 7 days, became history's first Buddhist nun, who in no long time reach full enlightenment, as did the Buddha's sister and brother, Sundari Nanda and Nanda. We do not hear much about them, perhaps because they were half-siblings, offspring of his biological mother's sister, who was also married to King Suddhodana.
It's sad that what we learn about Buddhism is a twisted tale of a selfish prince abandoning his country and family, leaving his wife who has just given birth, renouncing the throne and the palace life, and leaving his realm just to follow the crazy impulse to meditate.
He let go of everything just to go stomping in the woods with some bald recluses for no apparent reason other than he didn't like the domesticated life? In fact, out of compassion for everyone in the world, humans and devas, he continued a mission many lives in the making -- developing the Ten Perfections to become a supremely enlightened world teacher.
Prince Siddhartha, the Prince of Peace and Light of Asia, always had the intention of saving the Scythians/Shakyians. And that he did, males and females, rich and poor, old and young, related and acquainted.
At least this was the case with the ones who became nuns and monks. The rest were slaughtered by a neighboring Scythian tribe and disgruntled relative.
Yet, we who should know much better than those proud and fierce Scythians (Sakas) still cling to our worldly pursuits, our power and position, as if we won't be wiped out sooner rather than later.
For that reason alone, it's good to know what he taught the person closest to him in all the world, his own son.
- Sutra: Maharahulovada Sutta (MN 62)
- Theravada Buddhist English audiobook (suttareadings.net)
- Theravada Buddhist sutra playlist (English audiobook) 英語佛經 (南傳佛經)
- Mahayana Buddhist Sutra Playlist (English audiobook and videobook) 英語佛經 (漢傳佛經)
- Other Chinese Sutras Playlist 其他華語佛經
- Buddhist Insights: Nuns explain everyday mindfulness
No comments:
Post a Comment