MN62 — Mahārāhulovāda Sutta
Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then, having robed himself in the morning and taking his bowl and robe, the Blessed One entered Sāvatthī for alms.
Venerable Rāhula also robed himself in the morning and taking his bowl and robe, followed the Blessed One step by step.
Then the Blessed One, looking back, addressed Venerable Rāhula:
Whatever form, Rāhula, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, whether far or near: all forms should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.
Is it only form, Blessed One? Is it only form, Well-Gone One?
Form as well, Rāhula, feeling as well, Rāhula, perception as well, Rāhula, formations as well, Rāhula, consciousness as well, Rāhula.
Then Venerable Rāhula thought, Who today will be advised in person by the Blessed One and enter the village for alms? and he turned back and sat at the root of a certain tree, cross-legged, setting mindfulness on itself, straightening his body.
Venerable Sāriputta saw Venerable Rāhula sitting at the root of a certain tree, cross-legged, setting mindfulness on itself, straightening his body.
Seeing him, Venerable Sāriputta addressed him:
Develop mindfulness of breathing, Rāhula. Mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit.
Then, in the evening, Venerable Rāhula emerged from seclusion and approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Venerable Rāhula said to the Blessed One:
How, Venerable Sir, is mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so that it is of great fruit and benefit?
Whatever, Rāhula, is internal, pertaining to oneself, solid, clung to: such as hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, stomach, feces, or whatever else is internal, pertaining to oneself, solid, clung to: this is called, Rāhula, the internal earth element.
Both the internal earth element and the external earth element are simply the earth element. And that should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self. Seeing it thus as it really is with correct wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the earth element and makes the mind dispassionate towards the earth element.
What, Rāhula, is the water element? The water element may be either internal or external. What, Rāhula, is the internal water element? Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is water, watery, and clung to: such as bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, spit, snot, oil of the joints, urine, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is water, watery, and clung to: this is called, Rāhula, the internal water element.
Both the internal water element and the external water element are simply the water element. And that should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self. Seeing it thus as it really is with correct wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the water element and makes the mind dispassionate towards the water element.
What, Rāhula, is the fire element? The fire element may be either internal or external. What, Rāhula, is the internal fire element? Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is fire, fiery, and clung to: such as that by which one is warmed, ages, and is consumed, and that by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted gets fully digested, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is fire, fiery, and clung to: this is called, Rāhula, the internal fire element.
Both the internal fire element and the external fire element are simply the fire element. And that should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self. Seeing it thus as it really is with correct wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the fire element and makes the mind dispassionate towards the fire element.
What, Rāhula, is the air element? The air element may be either internal or external. What, Rāhula, is the internal air element? Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is air, airy, and clung to: such as up-going winds, down-going winds, winds in the belly, winds in the bowels, winds that course through the limbs, in-breathing and out-breathing, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is air, airy, and clung to: this is called, Rāhula, the internal air element.
Both the internal air element and the external air element are simply the air element. And that should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self. Seeing it thus as it really is with correct wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the air element and makes the mind dispassionate towards the air element.
The external air element is just the air element. It should be seen as it truly is with proper wisdom thus: This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self. Seeing it thus as it truly is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the air element, and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the air element.
And what, Rahula, is the space element? The space element may be internal or external. And what, Rahula, is the internal space element? Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, space, spatial and included, that is, the cavity of the ear, the nostrils, the door of the mouth, and whereby one swallows what is eaten, drunk, consumed, and tasted, and where it stays, and whereby it is excreted from below, or whatever else internal, belonging to oneself, space, spatial and included, not contacted by flesh and blood: this is called the internal space element.
Both the internal space element and the external space element are simply the space element. It should be seen as it truly is with proper wisdom thus: This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self. Seeing it thus as it truly is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the space element, and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the space element.
Develop meditation that is like the earth, Rahula. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation that is like the earth, agreeable and disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not overpower his mind.
Just as, Rahula, the earth is not repelled, humiliated, or disgusted by anything clean or unclean placed on it; similarly, Rahula, develop meditation that is like the earth.
For, Rahula, for one who is developing the meditation that is like the earth, agreeable and disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not overpower his mind.
Develop meditation that is like water, Rahula. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation that is like water, agreeable and disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not overpower his mind.
Just as, Rahula, water washes clean and unclean things without being repelled, humiliated, or disgusted; similarly, Rahula, develop the meditation that is like water. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation that is like water, agreeable and disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not overpower his mind.
Develop meditation that is like fire, Rahula. For, Rahula, for one who is developing the meditation that is like fire, agreeable and disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not overpower his mind.
Just as, Rahula, fire burns clean and unclean things without being repelled, humiliated, or disgusted; similarly, Rahula, develop meditation that is like fire. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation that is like fire, agreeable and disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not overpower his mind.
Develop meditation that is like wind, Rahula. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation that is like wind, agreeable and disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not overpower his mind.
Just as, Rahula, the wind blows clean and unclean things without being repelled, humiliated, or disgusted; similarly, Rahula, develop meditation that is like wind. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation that is like wind, agreeable and disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not overpower his mind.
Develop meditation that is like space, Rahula. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation that is like space, agreeable and disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not overpower his mind.
Just as, Rahula, space is not established anywhere; similarly, Rahula, develop meditation that is like space. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation that is like space, agreeable and disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not overpower his mind.
Develop meditation on goodwill, Rahula. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation on goodwill, any ill-will will be abandoned.
Develop meditation on compassion, Rahula. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation on compassion, any cruelty will be abandoned.
Develop meditation on appreciative joy, Rahula. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation on appreciative joy, any discontent will be abandoned.
Develop meditation on equanimity, Rahula. For, Rahula, for one who is developing meditation on equanimity, any aversion will be abandoned.
Rahula, develop meditation on the unattractive. For you, Rahula, developing the meditation on the unattractive, any passion will be abandoned.
Develop the perception of inconstancy, Rahula. For you, Rahula, developing the perception of inconstancy, any conceit I am will be abandoned.
Develop mindfulness of breathing, Rahula. For you, Rahula, mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit.
How, Rahula, is mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated so that it is of great fruit and benefit? Here, Rahula, a disciple, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down; having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and established mindfulness on itself. Mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.
Breathing in long, he knows, I breathe in long; or breathing out long, he knows, I breathe out long. Breathing in short, he knows, I breathe in short; or breathing out short, he knows, 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 calming bodily formation; he trains thus: I shall breathe out calming bodily 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 pleasure; he trains thus: I shall breathe out experiencing pleasure. He trains thus: I shall breathe in experiencing the mental formation; he trains thus: I shall breathe out experiencing the mental formation. He trains thus: I shall breathe in calming the mental formation; he trains thus: I shall breathe out calming the mental formation.
He trains 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 concentrating the mind. He trains thus: I shall breathe in liberating the mind; he trains thus: I shall breathe out liberating the mind.
He trains thus: I shall breathe in contemplating inconstancy; he trains thus: I shall breathe out contemplating inconstancy. He trains thus: I shall breathe in contemplating dispassion; he trains thus: I shall breathe out contemplating dispassion. He trains thus: I shall breathe in contemplating cessation; he trains thus: I shall breathe out contemplating cessation. He trains thus: I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment; he trains thus: I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment.
Thus developed, Rahula, mindfulness of breathing, thus cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit. With mindfulness of breathing so developed and so cultivated, even the final in-breaths and out-breaths are known as they cease, not unknown.
This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, venerable Rahula rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Greater Discourse of Advice to Rahula is finished.