Sutta On Advice To Rahula -- A Reading

In this reading from the suttas, the monk Rahula receives advice from the Buddha. This sutta is the origin of meditation on the elements - earth, water, fire, air, and space - which encourages us to practice equanimity in the face of difficulty. The sutta also encourages all of us to develop mindfulness of loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, before ending with a summary of the steps of meditation on full awareness of breathing.

Transcript

Thus have I heard readings from the sutras of the Buddha.

The following is a reading of the Maha-Ruhulaveda Sutta,

The greater discourse on advice to Rahula.

Thus have I heard.

On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Savathī in Jettas Grove,

Anathapindikas Park.

Then,

When it was morning,

The Blessed One dressed and taking his bowl and outer robe went into Savathī for alms.

The Venerable Rahula,

Also dressed and taking his bowl and outer robe,

Followed close behind the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One looked back and addressed the Venerable Rahula thus,

Rahula,

Any kind of material form whatever,

Whether past,

Future,

Or present,

Internal or external,

Gross or subtle,

Inferior or superior,

Far or near,

All material form,

Should be seen as it actually is,

With proper wisdom thus,

This is not mine,

This I am not.

This is not myself.

Only material form,

Blessed one?

Only material form?

Material form,

Rahula,

And feeling,

Perception,

Formations,

And consciousness.

And then the Venerable Rahula considered thus,

Who would go into town for alms to-day when having been personally admonished by the Blessed One?

Thus he turned back and sat down at the root of a tree,

Folding his legs crosswise,

Setting his body erect,

And establishing mindfulness in front of him.

The Venerable Sariputta saw him sitting there and addressed him thus,

Rahula,

Develop mindfulness of breathing.

When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated,

It is of great fruit and great benefit.

Then when it was evening,

The Venerable Rahula rose from meditation and went to the Blessed One.

After paying homage to him,

He sat down at one side and asked the Blessed One,

Venerable Sir,

How is mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so that it is of great fruit and great benefit?

And the Buddha spoke of the four great elements.

Rahula,

Whatever internally belonging to oneself is solid,

Solidified and clung to,

That is,

Head hairs,

Body hairs,

Nails,

Teeth,

Skin,

Flesh,

Bones,

Bone marrow,

Kidneys,

Heart,

Liver,

Spleen,

Large intestines,

Contents of the stomach,

Or whatever else internally belonging to oneself is solid,

Solidified and clung to,

This is called the internal earth element.

Now both the internal earth element and the external earth element are simply earth element,

And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus,

This is not mine,

This I am not,

This is not myself.

When one sees it thus,

As it actually is with proper wisdom,

One becomes disenchanted with the earth element,

And makes the mind dispassionate toward the earth element.

What Rahula is the water element?

The water element may be either internal or external.

What is the internal water element?

Whatever internally belonging to oneself is water,

Watery and clung to,

That is,

Phlegm,

Blood,

Sweat,

Fat,

Tears,

Spittle,

Or whatever else internally belonging to oneself is water,

Watery and clung to,

This is called the internal water element.

Now both the internal water element and the external water element are simply water element,

And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus,

This is not mine,

This I am not,

This is not myself.

When one sees it thus,

As it actually is with proper wisdom,

One becomes disenchanted with the water element,

And makes the mind dispassionate toward the water element.

And what Rahula is the fire element?

The fire element may be either internal or external.

What is the internal fire element?

Whatever internally belonging to oneself is fire,

Fiery and clung to,

That is,

That by which one is warmed,

Ages,

And is consumed,

And that by which what is eaten,

Drunk,

Consumed,

And tasted,

Gets completely digested,

Or whatever else internally belonging to oneself is fire,

Fiery and clung to,

This is called the internal fire element.

Now both the internal fire element and the external fire element are simply fire element,

And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus,

This is not mine,

This I am not,

This is not myself.

When one sees it thus,

As it actually is with proper wisdom,

One becomes disenchanted with the fire element,

And makes the mind dispassionate toward the fire element.

And what Rahula is the air element?

The air element may be either internal or external.

And what is the internal air element?

Whatever internally belonging to oneself is air,

Airy and clung to,

That is,

Up-going winds,

Down-going winds,

Winds in the belly,

Winds in the bowels,

Winds that course through the limbs,

In breath and out breath,

Or whatever else internally belonging to oneself is air,

Airy and clung to,

This is called the internal air element.

Now both the internal air element and the external air element are simply air element,

And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus,

This is not mine,

This I am not,

This is not myself.

When one sees it thus,

As it actually is with proper wisdom,

One becomes disenchanted with the air element,

And makes the mind dispassionate toward the air element.

And what Rahula is the space element?

The space element may be either internal or external.

What is the internal space element?

Whatever internally belongs to oneself is space,

Spatial and clung to,

That is,

The holes of the ears,

The nostrils,

The door of the mouth,

And that aperture whereby what is eaten,

Drunk,

Consumed and tasted gets swallowed,

And where it collects,

And whereby it is excreted from below,

Or whatever else internally belonging to oneself is space,

Spatial and clung to,

This is called the internal space element.

Now both the internal space element and the external space element are simply space element,

And that should be seen as it actually is,

With proper wisdom thus,

This is not mine,

This I am not,

This is not myself.

When one sees it thus,

As it actually is with proper wisdom,

One becomes disenchanted with the space element,

And makes the mind dispassionate toward the space element.

Rahula,

Develop meditation that is like the earth,

For when you develop meditation that is like the earth,

A risen,

Agreeable and disagreeable context will not invade your mind and remain.

Just as people throw clean things and dirty things,

Excrement,

Urine,

Spittle and blood on the earth,

And the earth is not repelled,

Humiliated or disgusted because of that,

So too,

Rahula,

Develop meditation that is like the earth.

For when you develop meditation that is like the earth,

A risen,

Agreeable and disagreeable context will not invade your mind and remain.

Rahula develop meditation that is like water,

For when you develop meditation that is like water,

A risen,

Agreeable and disagreeable context will not invade your mind and remain.

Just as people wash clean things and dirty things,

Excrement,

Urine,

Spittle and blood in water,

And the water is not repelled,

Humiliated and disgusted because of that,

So too,

Rahula,

Develop meditation that is like water,

For when you develop meditation that is like water,

A risen,

Agreeable and disagreeable context will not invade your mind and remain.

Rahula develop meditation that is like fire,

For when you develop meditation that is like fire,

A risen,

Agreeable and disagreeable context will not invade your mind and remain.

Just as people burn clean things and dirty things,

Excrement,

Urine,

Spittle and blood in fire,

And the fire is not repelled,

Humiliated and disgusted because of that,

So too,

Rahula,

Develop meditation that is like fire.

For when you develop meditation that is like fire,

A risen,

Agreeable,

And disagreeable contacts will not invade your mind,

And remain.

Rahula,

Develop meditation that is like air.

For when you develop meditation that is like air,

A risen,

Agreeable,

And disagreeable contacts will not invade your mind,

And remain.

Just as the air blows on clean things and dirty things,

On excrement,

Urine,

Spittle,

And blood,

And the air is not repelled,

Humiliated,

And disgusted because of that,

So too,

Rahula,

Develop meditation that is like air.

For when you develop meditation that is like air,

Agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not invade your mind,

And remain.

Rahula,

Develop meditation that is like space.

For when you develop meditation that is like space,

A risen,

Agreeable,

And disagreeable contacts will not invade your mind,

And remain.

Just as space is not established anywhere,

So too,

Rahula,

Develop meditation that is like space.

For when you develop meditation that is like space,

A risen,

Agreeable,

And disagreeable contacts will not invade your mind,

And remain.

Rahufulah,

Develop meditation on loving kindness.

For when you develop meditation on loving kindness any ill will will be abandoned.

Rahufulah,

Develop meditation on compassion.

For when you develop meditation on compassion any cruelty will be abandoned.

Rahulah,

Develop meditation on altruistic joy.

For when you develop meditation on altruistic joy any discontent will be abandoned.

Rahulah,

Develop meditation on equanimity.

Startup.

For when you develop meditation on equanimity,

Any aversion will be abandoned.

Rahula develop meditation on foulness.

For when you develop meditation on foulness any lust will be abandoned.

Rahula develop meditation on the perception of impermanence for when you develop meditation on the perception of impermanence the conceit I Am will be abandoned.

Rahula develop meditation on mindfulness of breathing.

When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated,

It is of great fruit and great benefit.

And how is mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated,

So that it is of great fruit and benefit?

Here,

Rahula,

Abiku,

Gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut,

Sits down,

Having folded his legs crosswise,

Set his body erect,

And established mindfulness in front of him.

Through mindful he breathes in,

Mindful he breathes out.

Breathing in long,

He understands I breathe in long.

Or breathing out long,

He understands I breathe out long.

Breathing in short,

He understands I breathe in short.

Or breathing out short,

He understands I breathe out short.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in tranquilizing the bodily formation.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out in tranquility in the body formation.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in experiencing joy.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out experiencing joy.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in,

Experiencing Happiness.

And He trains thus,

I shall breathe out,

Experiencing Happiness.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in,

Experiencing the mental formations.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out,

Experiencing the mental formations.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe in,

Tranquilizing the mental formations.

And He trains thus,

I shall breathe out,

Tranquilizing the mental formations.

HE trades thus I shall breathe in,

Experiencing the mind.

He trains thus I shall breathe out,

Experiencing the mind.

He trains thus I shall breathe in,

Gladdening the mind.

He trains thus I shall breathe out,

Gladdening the mind.

He trains thus I shall breathe in,

Concentrating the mind.

He trains thus,

I shall breathe out,

ANGEL Order,

Epic he trains thus i shall breathe in contemplating impermanence he trains thus he should breathe out contemplating impermanence he trains thus or she'll breathe in contemplating fading away heat rains thus ice or breathe out contemplating fading away he trains thus i shall back down contemplating cessation he trains us as your breathe out cessation.

He trains thus I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment.

He trains thus I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment.

Brahula,

This is how mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated,

So that it is of great fruit and great benefit.

When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated in this way,

Even the final in-breath and out-breath are known as they cease,

Not unknown.

That is what the Blessed One said.

The Venerable Rahula was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words.

This has been a reading of the Maha-Rahula Veda Sutta,

The greater discourse of advice to Rahula,

Taken from the middle-length discourses of the Buddha as translated by Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi.

The music is from the album Good Hope by Dave Holland,

Zakir Hussain and Chris Potter.

Reviews

Gratitude as usual!