Aṅguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XVIII: Sañcetaniya Vagga

The Book of the Fours

Chapter XVIII: Intentional

Sutta 177

Rāhula Suttaṃ

Rāhula¹

 

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[170]

Now the venerable Rāhula came to visit the Exalted One, and on coming to him saluted him and sat down at one side.

As he thus sat
the Exalted One said this
to the venerable Rāhula:

[171]"Rāhula, both the earth-element in the self²
and that in external objects
are just this earth-element.

Thus should it be regarded,
as it really is,
by perfect wisdom:

'This is not of me.

Not this am I.

Not to me is this the self.'

So seeing it,
as it really is,
by perfect wisdom,
one has revulsion for the earth-element;
by wisdom one cleanses the heart of passion.

■

Rāhula, both the water-element in oneself
and that in external objects
are just this water-element.

Thus should it be regarded,
as it really is,
by perfect wisdom:

'This is not of me.

Not this am I.

Not to me is this the self.'

So seeing it,
as it really is,
by perfect wisdom,
one has revulsion for the water-element;
by wisdom one cleanses the heart of passion.

■

Rāhula, both the heat-element in oneself
and that in external objects
are just this heat-element.

Thus should it be regarded,
as it really is,
by perfect wisdom:

'This is not of me.

Not this am I.

Not to me is this the self.'

So seeing it,
as it really is,
by perfect wisdom,
one has revulsion for the heat-element;
by wisdom one cleanses the heart of passion.

■

Rāhula, both the air-element in oneself
and that in external objects
are just this air-element.

Thus should it be regarded,
as it really is,
by perfect wisdom:

'This is not of me.

Not this am I.

Not to me is this the self.'

So seeing it,
as it really is,
by perfect wisdom,
one has revulsion for the air-element;
by wisdom one cleanses the heart of passion.

■

Now, Rāhula, when a monk beholds neither the self
nor what pertains to the self
in these four elements,
this one is called
'a monk who has cut off craving,
has loosed the bond,
and by perfectly understanding (this) vain conceit,
has made an end of Ill'"³

 

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¹ The Buddha's only son.

² Comy. refers to Ambalaṭṭhika-sutta (M. i, 414) and Mahārāhulovāda-sutta (M. i, 421), and S. ii, 140, 245, 252 equal to S. iii, 135; S. iv, 2, 3. In the first-mentioned greater detail will be found, and 'space' is included in the category. Comy. following M. loc. cit. takes this to mean 'in hair, bones, etc.,' as opposed to 'senseless things like rocks and solids.' Cf. Buddh. Psych. Eth. 207.

³ Cf. M. i, 12.