{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn147/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn147","id":"suttacentral_mn147","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn147/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near S\u0101vatth\u012b in Jeta\u2019s Grove, An\u0101thapi\u1e47\u1e0dika\u2019s monastery. Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, \u201cThe qualities that ripen in freedom have ripened in R\u0101hula. Why don\u2019t I lead him further to the ending of defilements?\u201d Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered S\u0101vatth\u012b for alms. Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable R\u0101hula, \u201cR\u0101hula, get your sitting cloth. Let\u2019s go to the Dark Forest for the day\u2019s meditation.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d replied R\u0101hula. Taking his sitting cloth he followed behind the Buddha. Now at that time many thousands of deities followed the Buddha, thinking, \u201cToday the Buddha will lead R\u0101hula further to the ending of defilements!\u201d Then the Buddha plunged deep into the Dark Forest and sat at the root of a tree on the seat spread out. R\u0101hula bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: \u201cWhat do you think, R\u0101hula? Is the eye permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?\u201d \u201cSuffering, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: \u2018This is mine, I am this, this is my self\u2019?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, R\u0101hula? Are sights permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if they\u2019re impermanent, are they suffering or happiness?\u201d \u201cSuffering, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if they\u2019re impermanent, suffering, and perishable, are they fit to be regarded thus: \u2018This is mine, I am this, this is my self\u2019?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, R\u0101hula? Is eye consciousness permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?\u201d \u201cSuffering, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: \u2018This is mine, I am this, this is my self\u2019?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, R\u0101hula? Is eye contact permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?\u201d \u201cSuffering, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: \u2018This is mine, I am this, this is my self\u2019?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, R\u0101hula? Anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises dependent on eye contact: is that permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?\u201d \u201cSuffering, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: \u2018This is mine, I am this, this is my self\u2019?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, R\u0101hula? Is the ear \u2026 nose \u2026 tongue \u2026 body \u2026 mind permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?\u201d \u201cSuffering, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: \u2018This is mine, I am this, this is my self\u2019?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, R\u0101hula? Are ideas permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if they\u2019re impermanent, are they suffering or happiness?\u201d \u201cSuffering, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if they\u2019re impermanent, suffering, and perishable, are they fit to be regarded thus: \u2018This is mine, I am this, this is my self\u2019?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, R\u0101hula? Is mind consciousness permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?\u201d \u201cSuffering, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: \u2018This is mine, I am this, this is my self\u2019?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, R\u0101hula? Is mind contact permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?\u201d \u201cSuffering, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: \u2018This is mine, I am this, this is my self\u2019?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, R\u0101hula? Anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises dependent on mind contact: is that permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?\u201d \u201cSuffering, sir.\u201d \u201cBut if it\u2019s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: \u2018This is mine, I am this, this is my self\u2019?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cSeeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact. And they grow disillusioned with anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises dependent on eye contact. They grow disillusioned with the ear \u2026 nose \u2026 tongue \u2026 body \u2026 mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and mind contact. And they grow disillusioned with anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises dependent on mind contact. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they\u2019re freed. When they\u2019re freed, they know they\u2019re freed. They understand: \u2018Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.\u2019\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable R\u0101hula approved what the Buddha said. And while this discourse was being spoken, R\u0101hula\u2019s mind was freed from defilements by not grasping. And the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in those thousands of deities: \u201cEverything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.\u201d","title":"The Shorter Advice to R\u0101hula","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":878}