1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then the Venerable Rahula approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:[n.337] Rahula was the Buddha’s son. He became a novice (sāmaṇera) at the age of seven, during the Buddha’s first visit to his native city of Kapilavatthu after his enlightenment. Other discourses spoken to him are: MN61, MN62, and MN147 (the latter is the same as SN35:121) and Sutta Nipata 2.11.

"Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute."

"What do you think, Rahula, are forms sn.ii.246permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."

"Are sounds permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."

"Are odours permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."

"Are tastes permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."

"Are tactile objects permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."

"Are mental phenomena permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."

"Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards forms, revulsion towards sounds, revulsion towards odours, revulsion towards tastes, revulsion towards tactile objects, revulsion towards mental phenomena.

Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated.[n.338] Spk explains the three "grips" (gāha) of "mine, I, and my self" exactly as in n. 155. It takes dispassion (virāga) to denote the four paths, liberation (vimutti) the four fruits. Spk does not comment on nibbindati, "experiences revulsion," but the commentaries consistently identify the corresponding noun nibbidā with strong insight knowledge. See above n. 69 When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It's liberated.’

He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’"

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati.

"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, rūpā niccā vā aniccā vā"ti?
"Aniccā, bhante" … pe …

saddā …

gandhā …

rasā …

phoṭṭhabbā …

dhammā niccā vā aniccā vā"ti?
"Aniccā, bhante" …

"evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpesupi nibbindati … saddesupi nibbindati … gandhesupi nibbindati … rasesupi nibbindati … phoṭṭhabbesupi nibbindati … dhammesupi nibbindati;

nibbindaṁ virajjati … pe …

pajānātī"ti.

Dutiyaṁ.