2.11. Teaching Rāhula (SNP2.11)

Buddha
From living together constantly,
the Teacher you don’t scorn?
Torch-bearer to humanity,
is he by you revered?

Rāhula
From living together constantly,
the Teacher I scorn not.
Torch-bearer to humanity
is by me revered.

Buddha
Having let go five sense-desires,
and forms that are dear, delighting mind,
with faith renounce the household life,
be one who dukkha ends.

Keep company with noble friends,
dwell in a lonely practice-place,
secluded, having little noise,
with food be moderate.

Robes as well as food from alms,
with shelter, also remedies—
for these things no craving form,
so turn not to the world again.

By Pāṭimokkha stay restrained
and by the five sense faculties,
practise bodily mindfulness
to be dispassionate.

Avoid those objects beautiful,
which may be linked with lust,
on the unlovely, one-pointed,
well-concentrated, grow the mind.

Develop then the signless state,
with tendency to pride let go—
by fully understanding it,
truly as peaceful you will fare.

In this way the Radiant One with these verses frequently exhorted the venerable Rāhula.

Translated by Laurence Khantipalo Mills.

This translation was edited by Bhikkhu Sujato as part of the full translation of the Sutta Nipāta with commentary prepared from a draft handwritten and typed manuscript of Laurence Khantipalo Mills in 2015. The project was managed by Laurence’s students Michael Wells and Gary Dellora, and initial digitizing of the text was by Sean Read. Full text is available at https://suttacentral.net/downloads

In addition to the suttas noted, Bhikkhu Sujato also translated verses 46, 78, 232, 465, 500, 589–597, 865, 885–890, 894–5, 897–901, 902–916, and 919–921.

This text is released dedicated to the Public Domain by way of Creative Commons Zero. No rights reserved.