Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Ambalatthika-Rahulovada Sutra: "Instructions to Rahula at Mango Stone" (MN 61, Mi 414), based on Ven. Thanissaro (trans.), Wisdom Quarterly
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| Family: Rahula, the Buddha, and Ananda |
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One (the Buddha) was staying near Rajagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
At that time Ven. Rahula [the Buddha's son, a monastic* in training at age 7 (Comy.)] was staying at the Mango Stone. Then the Blessed One, arising from his meditative seclusion in the late afternoon, went there. Ven. Rahula saw him approaching from afar and set out a seat and water to wash his feet.
The Blessed One sat down on the seat prepared for him and washed his feet. Ven. Rahula, bowed and sat respectfully to one side.
Then the Blessed One, having left a little bit of water in the water dipper, said to Ven. Rahula: "Rahula, do you see this small amount of water remaining in the dipper?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"That's how little of a monastic* there is in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie."
Having tossed away the little leftover water, the Blessed One said to Ven. Rahula: "Rahula, do you see how this small amount of water is tossed away?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a monastic in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie is tossed away just like that."
Having turned the water dipper upside down, the Blessed One said to Ven. Rahula: "Rahula, do you see how this water dipper is turned upside down?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a monastic in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie is turned upside down just like that."
Having turned the water dipper right side up, the Blessed One said to Ven. Rahula: "Rahula, do you see how empty and hollow this water dipper is?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a monastic in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie is empty and hollow just like that.
"Rahula, it's like a royal elephant: mighty, of good pedigree, accustomed to battle, its tusks like chariot poles. Having gone into battle, it uses its forefeet and hindfeet, its forequarters and hindquarters, its head and ears, its tusks and tail. But it keeps protecting its trunk. The elephant trainer notices and thinks:
"'This royal elephant has not given up its life to the king.' But when the royal elephant...having gone into battle, uses its limbs and his trunk, the trainer notices and thinks: 'This royal elephant has given up its life to the king. There is nothing it will not do.'
"In the same way, Rahula, when anyone feels no shame in telling a deliberate lie, there is no harm (wrong), I tell you, he will not do. Thus, Rahula, train yourself, 'I will not tell a deliberate lie even in jest.'
"What do you think, Rahula, what is a mirror for?"
"For reflection, venerable sir."
"In the same way, Rahula, bodily, verbal, and mental actions (deeds, karma) are to be done with repeated reflection."Whenever you want to do a bodily action, reflect on it: 'This bodily action I want to do, would it lead to my harm, the harm of others, or both? Would it be an unskillful bodily action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know that it would lead to self-harm, the harm of others, or to both, that it would be an unskillful bodily action with painful consequences, painful results, then any bodily action of that sort is absolutely unfit for you to do.
"But if on reflection you know that it would not cause harm...it would be a skillful bodily action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results, then any bodily action of that sort is fit for you to do.
"While you are doing a bodily action, reflect on it: 'This bodily action I am doing, is it leading to self-harm, to the harm of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful bodily action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know that it is leading to self-harm, to the harm of others, or to both...give it up.
"But if on reflection you know that it is not...you may continue with it.
"Having done a bodily action, reflect on it: 'This bodily action I have done, did it lead to self-harm, to the harm of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful bodily action, with painful consequences, painful results?'
"If, on reflection, you know that it led to self-harm, to the harm of others, or to both, it was an unskillful bodily action with painful consequences, painful results, then confess it, reveal it, lay it open to the Teacher or to a knowledgeable companion in the supreme [monastic] life. Having confessed it...exercise restraint in the future.
"But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to harm...it was a skillful bodily action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results, then stay elated and joyful, training day and night in skillful mental states.
- [The same is then said for verbal and mental actions.]
"Rahula, all those Brahmins and [wandering ascetic] monastics in the course of the past who purified their bodily, verbal, and mental actions did it through repeated reflection on their bodily, verbal, and mental actions in this way.
"All those Brahmins and monastics in the course of the future who will purify their bodily, verbal, and mental actions will do it through repeated reflection on their bodily, verbal, and mental actions in this way.
"All those Brahmins and monastics at present who purify their bodily, verbal, and mental actions do it through repeated reflection on their bodily, verbal, and mental actions in 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.' This is how to train yourself."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Rahula delighted in the Blessed One's words. More
*NOTE: Throughout ancient cultures, the terminology of music was used to describe the moral quality of people and actions. Discordant intervals or poorly tuned musical instruments were metaphors for wrongdoing (harm). Harmonious intervals and well-tuned instruments were metaphors for good. In Pali, the term sama ("even") described a tuned instrument. There is a famous passage (AN 6.55) where the Buddha reminds Sona Kolivisa — who had been over-exerting himself in his spiritual practice — that a lute sounds appealing only if the strings are neither too tight nor too loose but "evenly" tuned. This image has special resonance with the Buddha's teaching on the Middle Way, which avoids the two extremes of sensual indulgence and self mortification. It also adds meaning to the term samana ("monastic" or "wandering ascetic"), which the texts frequently mention as being derived from sama. The word samañña ("evenness," the characteristic or quality of being in tune) also means the quality of being a monastic: The true monastic is always in tune with what is proper and good.
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