Advice To Rahula - DR Nandamaalaa PDF
Advice To Rahula - DR Nandamaalaa PDF
and
Rāhula‘s Life
By Sayadaw Dr.
Nandamālābhivaṃsa
Aggamahāganthavācakapaṇḍita Aggamahāpaṇḍita
Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa
The Biography of Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa
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and serves foreigners for further studies and practice. He also
opens a new Buddhist learning centre called Dhammasahāya
Sāsanā Centre in Pyin Oo Lwin (May Myo).
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Preface
This book is intended for people who like to know more about
the life of Venerable Rāhula. It is also for Vipassanā
meditators who want to know more about contemplation of
the six sense bases. Finally, it is for all Dhamma-lovers, who
are simply seeking for the truth within themselves.
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Note:
The book is for free distribution only. You may copy and
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abide by these two basic principles:
1. You may not sell any texts copied or derived from this
book.
2. You may not alter the content of any texts copied or
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reformat them)
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Table of Contents
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THE BUDDHA‘S ADVICE TO RĀHULA AND RĀHULA ‘S LIFE
As recorded in the Tipiṭaka, among the 84000 dhammas,
there are about 40 discourses or suttas about Venerable
Rāhula.
When Rāhula was seven years old, the Buddha gave him an
advice. It is recorded as the Discourse of Advice to Rāhula in
Mango Park (Ambalaṭṭhika Rāhulovāda Sutta i ). Again when
Rāhula was eighteen, at a time when youngsters start to have
fun and enjoy themselves the Buddha gave suitable advice to
him. This is recorded as the Greater Discourse of Advice to
Rāhula (Mahārāhulovāda Sutta ii ). These discourses (suttas)
are numbers 61 and 62 in the Chapter on Monks
(Bhikkhuvagga) in the second section of Middle Length
Discourses (Majjhima Nikāya).
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today Dhamma talk, I will extract the essence out of these 28
discourses and teach all of you accordingly.
You have all seen the lotuses in the lotus lake. Even though
the lotus buds appear today, they will not bloom today. They
bloom when the time is right. When they have sufficient
sunlight and are mature, they will bloom. So also, it is
important for the pāramī to be mature.
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At the time [of the Cūļarāhulovāda Sutta], the Venerable
Rāhula had become a monk and the rainy retreat had not yet
begun. One day, he came to see the Buddha and requested
him to teach a method of meditation. ―May the Buddha teach
a brief meditation method. Then I will go to a secluded place,
and with mind inclined only towards Nibbāna I will try my
utmost to practice meditation.‖
Every dawn and evening, the Buddha would survey the whole
universe, looking for sentient beings who would be able to
attain higher dhammas or enlightenment. At dawn, by using
his omniscience knowledge (sabbaññutañāņa), the Buddha
surveyed the world. Starting from his fragrant chamber
(gandhakuṭi), he pervaded as far as the farthest end of the
universe with his net-like omniscient knowledge
(―sabbaññutañāņajālaṃ pharitvā‖). The beings who could be
helped to be enlightened appeared in the wisdom mind of the
Buddha just as one sees images on television.
One day as usual, just as one casts a net over the sea, the
Buddha pervaded the universe with his omniscient power. He
saw Rāhula, and was aware that in Rāhula‘s mentality, the
vimuttiparipācanīyā, the dhamma for liberation and the
fruit of arahantship (arahatta-phala) had matured.
(―Paripakkato Rāhulassa vimuttaparipācanīya dhammā‖).
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FIFTEEN VIMUTTIPARIPĀCANĪYĀ
There are 15 vimuttiparipācanīyā dhammas, factors that can
lead one to enlightenment. These are mentioned in
Cūļarāhulovāda sutta and further explained in its commentary.
We need to fully develop whichever factors we have in us,
bringing them to perfection and maturity. In the case of non-
existent factors, we have to cultivate these and bring them to
growth. Paripācanīya means to cause things to be matured.
Vimuttī means liberation from defilements (kilesa) or taints
(āsava).
In the first group, the five faculties are mentioned first. These
five faculties are the faculty of faith (saddhindriya), the
faculty of effort (viriyindriya), the faculty of mindfulness
(satindriya), the faculty of concentration (samādhindriya), and
the faculty of wisdom (paññindriya).
The indriya actually means ruling faculty or that which has the
power to govern its own domain or sphere. The faculty of
faith (saddhindriya) means to have ruling power over the
domain of resolution or domain of determination, while
viriyindriya means having ruling control over effort. Satindriya
means to exercise control over those things that are to be
noted and remembered. Samādhindriya has the power over
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the domain of stability and calm. Paññindriya has the power
over the things to be known. In short, the faculty (indriya)
have governing power over their respective spheres and
domains.
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of the conditions in the 24 paṭṭhāna. When our associates are
people without faith, and this is acting as strong decisive
support, we will follow their behavior and thoughts. Soon, the
good faith within ourselves will be disappeared.
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To develop fully the faculty of wisdom (paññindriya), we
should
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The commentary of this Cūļarāhulovāda Sutta also points out
another set of 15 vimuttiparipācanīyā dhammas.
The first five refers to five faculties like faith etcetera and are
same as mentioned above. The next five are:
The remaining five (11 to 15) are the five dhammas the
Buddha preached to Elder Meghiya.
11. Associate with kalyāṇamitta (a good friend).
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who can share the Dhamma properly, and who can teach you
the meditation method.
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INTERNAL CONTEMPLATION OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PHENOMENA
What is the meditation taught by the Buddha to the Venerable
Rāhula so that he could gain arahatship and final liberation? It
is the contemplation of phenomena within oneself.
For the nose door, there are nose, smell, nose consciousness,
the contact that unites the nose and smell, the feeling that
occurs due to the contact. Due to pleasant smell, there will be
pleasant feeling. Due to unpleasant smell, there will be
unpleasant feeling. There is also the perception that notes the
smell, and mental formations—including volition (cetanā)
which is the leader. The consciousness that is only pure
awareness of the smell also arises.
So also, the four great elements in the body have their own
individual characteristic which has nothing in common with
the others. The earth element has the characteristics of
hardness and softness, while the water element has fluidity
and cohesion. The heat element has the characteristics of
heat and cold. The wind element has supporting and motion
as its characteristics. These natural characteristics are called
sabhāva-lakkhaņā in Pāļi.
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Sometimes, there is heat or cold in the body. Sometimes,
sweat flows down, and sometimes there is motion and
shaking in the body. These are the natural characteristics of
fire, water and wind. At the time of these events, don‘t think
of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) or non-self
(anatta). You should just be aware of the natural
characteristics of the four great elements.
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THE STAGES OF INSIGHT KNOWLEDGE
When one is really able to observe all these natural
characteristics, then the general characteristic (sāmaññā
lakkhaņa) will emerge. The general characteristic means the
impermanent (anicca), unsatisfactory or suffering (dukkha)
and non-self (anattā) characteristics of all phenomena.
Then, when one sees that all arising phenomena will soon
pass away, one will gain the knowledge of arising and passing
away (udayabbaya-ñāņa). On seeing this arising and passing
away again and again, one‘s mindfulness, concentration and
insight knowledge gain strength. Then one will not see the
arising of phenomena but only more clearly aware the
dissolution and passing away of these phenomena. One has
attained the knowledge of dissolution (bhaṅga-ñāņa).
One may feel fearful when seeing that things keep dissolving,
so one will gain knowledge of fearfulness (bhaya-ñāņa).
Earlier, one may think ‗this I is the one who sees the
phenomena‘ but at this time one will know that there is no ‗I‘
at all. Now, one is clearly aware of the danger and faulty
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nature of all phenomena. One then gains the knowledge of
things as dangerous (ādīnava-ñāņa). Later one feels
disenchanted from one‘s own physical and mental
phenomena. One will be no longer attached to them as
before, and thus reaches the knowledge of disenchantment
(nibbidā ñāņa).
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HOW THE VENERABLE RĀHULA GAINED ENLIGHTENMENT
We now go back to the story of the Venerable Rāhula.
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and sharp? Certainly not. In this way, we can see the
impermanence of our eyes in a general way.
―Aniccaṁ, bhante‖
He answered, ‖Impermanent, Venerable Sir.‖
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sensitivity. This visible object has a life span of 17 mind-
moments. It appears in the eye sensitivity and will pass away
in a very short time. It is not the outside flower that will fade
away so quickly, actually we refer to the visible object (image
of flower) appeared in the eye sensitivity that having an
obviously impermanent nature.
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Then the Buddha continued to ask Rāhula with regard to ear
door, nose door, tongue door, the body door and mind door.
There are 8 phenomena for each door. All the phenomena are
impermanent.
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When one sees the impermanence of eye consciousness etc.,
what are the benefits? As the eye consciousness fades away,
the feeling that comes with it will also pass away. There is no
pleasant or unpleasant feeling anymore. At the moment of
seeing, it is just seeing, there will not be craving for the form
or visible object at all. One becomes disenchanted with this
visible object and will not desire for it at all.
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Virāgā vimuccati, means when the mind is free from craving,
the mind will be free. Vimuccati refers to fruition knowledge
(phala ñāņa).
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END OF THE LIFE OF THE V ENERABLE RĀHULA
How long was his monkhood? When did he pass away? There
is no record of the exact date of his death in the Tipiṭaka. We
can only guess. After Mahāpajāpati Gotamī the queen mother
attained the final passing away (parinibbāna) and before the
Venerable Sāriputta had attained parinibbāna, the Venerable
Rāhula attained parinibbāna.
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Appendix I
mahārāhulovāda-sutta
(MN 62)
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