23. First Discourse on Rāhula’s Question (SA23)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Feeding Place. At that time the venerable Rāhula approached the Buddha, paid homage with his head at the Buddha’s feet and withdrew to stand at one side. He said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One, knowing what, seeing what in relation to this body of mine with consciousness and in relation to external objects and any sign, will it be possible that there is no sense of an I, of viewing as mine or of the underlying tendency, fetter and attachment to the I-conceit?”

The Buddha said to Rāhula: “It is well, it is well, that you are able to ask the Tathāgata: ‘Knowing what, seeing what in relation to this body of mine with consciousness and in relation to external objects and any sign will there be no sense of an I, of viewing as mine or of the underlying tendency, fetter and attachment to the I-conceit?’ Is it like this?” Rāhula said to the Buddha: “It is like this, Blessed One.”

The Buddha said to Rāhula: “It is well. Listen, listen and pay careful attention to what I will tell you. Rāhula, you should contemplate whatever bodily form, whether past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, sublime or repugnant, far or near, all such bodily form, every instance of it, is not self, is not distinct from the self in the sense of being owned by it, does not exist within the self, nor does a self exist within it. In this way it should be rightly contemplated with balanced wisdom.

“In the same way whatever feeling … perception … formations … consciousness, whether past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, sublime or repugnant, far or near, all such consciousness, every instance of it, is not self, is not distinct from the self in the sense of being owned by it, does not exist within the self, nor does a self exist within it. In this way it should be contemplated with balanced wisdom as it really is.

“In this way, Rāhula, a monk knows like this and sees like this. For one who knows like this and sees like this in relation to this body with consciousness and in relation to external objects and any sign there will be no sense of an I, viewing as mine or underlying tendency, fetter and attachment to the I-conceit.

“Rāhula, if in this way for a monk in relation to this body with consciousness and in relation to external objects and any sign there is no sense of an I, viewing as mine or underlying tendency, fetter and attachment to the I-conceit, that monk is reckoned to have eradicated craving and desire, to have turned around and left all bondage, rightly comprehending the unsurpassed ending of dukkha.”

Then Rāhula, hearing what the Buddha had said, was delighted and received it respectfully.

Translated by Bhikkhu Anālayo. Originally published in ‘On the Five Aggregates (1)—A Translation of Saṁyukta-āgama Discourses 1 to 32’. Dharma Drum Journal of Buddhist Studies, vol. 11, pp. 1–61 (2012). New Taipei City: Dharma Drum Buddhist College.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.