Vesak Discussion about the Mahaaraahulovaada Sutta, Part I.

On Vesak, when we were away for a vacation, Lodewijk, my husband, wanted to
know more about the Mahaaraahulovaadasutta. I gave him an introduction to
this Sutta and its Commentary. We are translating this sutta section by
section with pauses in between, but we should not lose sight of the Sutta as
a whole. After my introduction we had a discussion about the application of
the Sutta.
We read in the Sutta that the Buddha taught Rahula:
"Rahula, whatever materiality, - past, future or present, internal or
external, gross or subtle, base or exalted, whether it is far or
near, - all form should be seen as it really is with right wisdom in
such a way: "This is not mine, I am not this, this is not me".
"Materiality only, Blessed One? materiality only, Well-gone?²
³Also Materiality, feeling, recognbition (sa~n~naa), the activities
(sa²nkhaarakkhandha) and consciousness, Rahula.²

Nina: The same is true for the four nama khandhas. The five khandhas are
past, future or present, they arise and fall away. Each moment the khandhas
change. When seeing, the khandhas are completely different from the moment
of hearing or thinking. Rahula had to develop understanding not only of
rupa, also of nama, of all khandhas. When we take them all as a whole, there
is the idea of a person.
We read in the Commentary that Rahula thought: <Since a Blessed One's
exhortation is difficult to receive during the countless aeons, whoever is
wise, son of a wise man, who indeed, after being personally exhorted by the
Blessed One, would today, go into the village for alms?>
The Commentary states: < Although the Blessed One saw that Rahula had
returned he did not say to him:" Do not return, because it is the time for
you to receive almsfood ." Why? It is explained thus: It occurred to the
Buddha : "Today Rahula will eat the food of Deathlessness²>
N:This is nibbaana.
We read in the Commentary: ,When the Blessed One had gone, Sariputta who
came afterwards saw him.
Then, why did he exhort him to develop Mindfulness of Breathing? Because it
is suitable for sitting. It is said that the Thera had not observed that the
Buddha had spoken about the meditation subject of matter
(ruupakamma.t.thaana.m) to Rahula.
As regards the word, aanaapaanasati, mindfulness of breathing, he explained:
"After you have grasped inbreathing and outbreathing, and attained the
fourth or the fifth stage of jhana, and you have developed vipassana,
insight, reach arahatship."
Rahula thought: ³Since my preceptor has told me to develop mindfulness of
breathing I shall be obedient . If I don¹t follow what my teachers and
preceptors say, I am indeed obstinate ( dubbaco, difficult to speak to).>
We read in the Sutta:
<Then, at evening time, the venerable Rahula got up from solitude
[and] approached the Blessed One. Having approached and paid respect
to the Buddha, [Ven. Rahula] sat down on one side. Then, sitting on
one side, the venerable Rahula said this to the Blessed One, "Sir,
how [is] mindfulness of breathing developed? How is there great
benefit, great fruit [when] practised frequently?">
We read that the Buddha then taught him as follows:
<Rahula, whatever internally, and individually, is solid, solidified,
and clung to, namely: head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin... This,
Rahula, is called internal earth element. Thus that
internal earth element and that external earth element are simply
earth element. Thus "this is not mine, I am not this, this is not
myself" is to be seen with right wisdom just as it is. >

Nina: Rahula was attached to the body but he had to see it as only elements
devoid of self. He had to know ultimate realities, namely the five khandhas,
nama and rupa, different from conventional truth, such as tree, bowl, food.
Rahula had not eaten, but he did not think of food, his bowl, his body, he
was only intent on developing vipassana, understanding of nama and rupa.
The Buddha taught him about the four Great Elements of earth, water, fire
and wind, and also about space. After that he taught him to apply himself to
the mental development similar to earth, and similar to the other great
Elements and space. We can admire the structure of the sutta here: after the
explanation about the Elements the Buddha taught the application of this
knowledge in daily life. The Buddha said:
<³Apply yourself to the mental development that is like the earth, Rahula,
For when you apply yourself to the mental development that is like the
earth, Rahula, agreeable and disagreeable impressions that have arisen,
impinging on
the mind will not persist.²>
He taught the same about mental development like water, fire, wind and
space.
(to be continued)