1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind: “The qualities that ripen in freedom have ripened in Rāhula. Why don’t I lead him further to the ending of defilements?”

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then, after the meal, on his return from alms-round, he addressed Venerable Rāhula:

“Rāhula, get your sitting cloth. Let’s go to the Dark Forest for the day’s meditation.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Rāhula. Taking his sitting cloth he followed behind the Buddha.

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2Now at that time many thousands of deities followed the Buddha, thinking: “Today the Buddha will lead Rāhula further to the ending of defilements!”

Then the Buddha plunged deep into the Dark Forest and sat at the root of a tree on the seat spread out. Rāhula bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

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3“What do you think, Rāhula? Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

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“What do you think, Rāhula? Are sights permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if they're impermanent, are they suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if they're impermanent, suffering, and perishable, are they fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

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“What do you think, Rāhula? Is eye consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

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“What do you think, Rāhula? Is eye contact permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

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“What do you think, Rāhula? Anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises conditioned by eye contact: is that permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

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4“What do you think, Rāhula? Is the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

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“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

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“What do you think, Rāhula? Are thoughts permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if they're impermanent, are they suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if they're impermanent, suffering, and perishable, are they fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

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“What do you think, Rāhula? Is mind consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

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“What do you think, Rāhula? Is mind contact permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

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“What do you think, Rāhula? Anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises conditioned by mind contact: is that permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”

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5“Seeing 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 conditioned by eye contact.

They grow disillusioned with the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, thoughts, mind consciousness, and mind contact. And they grow disillusioned with anything included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that arises conditioned by mind contact.

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Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’”

6That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Rāhula was happy with what the Buddha said. And while this discourse was being spoken, Rāhula’s mind was freed from defilements by not grasping.

And the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in those thousands of deities: “Everything that has a beginning has an end.”

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: "paripakkā kho rāhulassa vimuttiparipācanīyā dhammā. Yannūnāhaṁ rāhulaṁ uttariṁ āsavānaṁ khaye vineyyan"ti.

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ āmantesi:

"gaṇhāhi, rāhula, nisīdanaṁ; yena andhavanaṁ tenupasaṅkamissāma divāvihārāyā"ti.

"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho āyasmā rāhulo bhagavato paṭissutvā nisīdanaṁ ādāya bhagavantaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhi.

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2Tena kho pana samayena anekāni devatāsahassāni bhagavantaṁ anubandhāni honti: "ajja bhagavā āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ uttariṁ āsavānaṁ khaye vinessatī"ti.

Atha kho bhagavā andhavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle paññatte āsane nisīdi. Āyasmāpi kho rāhulo bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ rāhulaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: 

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3"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, cakkhu niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?

"Aniccaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, rūpā niccā vā aniccā vā"ti?

"Aniccā, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?

"Aniccaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, cakkhusamphasso nicco vā anicco vā"ti?

"Anicco, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, yamidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ tampi niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?

"Aniccaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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4"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi rāhula, sotaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?

"Aniccaṁ, bhante … pe … ghānaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?

"Aniccaṁ, bhante … pe … jivhā niccā vā aniccā vā"ti?

"Aniccā, bhante … kāyo nicco vā anicco vā"ti?

"Anicco, bhante … mano nicco vā anicco vā"ti?

"Anicco, bhante".

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"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

---

"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi rāhula, dhammā niccā vā aniccā vā"ti?

"Aniccā, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi rāhula, manoviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?

"Aniccaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi rāhula, manosamphasso nicco vā anicco vā"ti?

"Anicco, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, yamidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, tampi niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?

"Aniccaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?

"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".

"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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5"Evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmiṁ nibbindati, rūpesu nibbindati, cakkhuviññāṇe nibbindati, cakkhusamphasse nibbindati, yamidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ tasmimpi nibbindati.

Sotasmiṁ nibbindati, saddesu nibbindati … pe … ghānasmiṁ nibbindati, gandhesu nibbindati … jivhāya nibbindati, rasesu nibbindati … kāyasmiṁ nibbindati, phoṭṭhabbesu nibbindati … manasmiṁ nibbindati, dhammesu nibbindati, manoviññāṇe nibbindati, manosamphasse nibbindati, yamidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ tasmimpi nibbindati.

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Nibbindaṁ virajjati, virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī"ti.

6Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā rāhulo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti. Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne āyasmato rāhulassa anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucci.

Tāsañca anekānaṁ devatāsahassānaṁ virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi: "yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman"ti.

Cūḷarāhulovādasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.