The Long Discourse Giving Advice to Rahula

at one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sàvatthi at Anàthapiõóika's grounds in Jeta's Wood. Then the Gracious One, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and robe, was entering Sàvatthi for alms. Also venerable Ràhula, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and robe, followed along close behind the Gracious One. Then the Gracious One, looking back, addressed venerable Ràhula, saying:

ßWhatever form there is, Ràhula, past, future, or present, inside or outside, gross or subtle, base or excellent, whether far or near, (in regard to) all form: ßThis is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,û like this it ought to be seen as it really is, with right wisdom.û

ßForm, Ràhula - and feelings, Ràhula - and perceptions, Ràhula - and (mental) processes, Ràhula - and consciousness, Ràhula.û

Then venerable Ràhula thought: ßWho today, when the Gracious One has advised him with (such) advice to his face, could enter a village for alms?û Therefore having turned back he sat down at the root of a certain tree. After folding his legs crosswise, and setting his body straight, he established mindfulness at the front.

Venerable Sàriputta saw that venerable Ràhula was sitting down at the root of a certain tree, and had folded his legs crosswise, set his body straight, and established mindfulness at the front, and having seen him, he addressed venerable Ràhula, saying:

ßDevelop the meditation, Ràhula, that is mindfulness with breathing. Mindfulness with breathing, Ràhula, when it has been developed and made much of yields great fruit and brings great advantages.û

Then venerable Ràhula rising from seclusion in the evening time approached the Gracious One, and after approaching and worshipping the Gracious One, he sat down on one side. While sitting on one side, venerable Ràhula said this to the Gracious One:

ßHow, reverend Sir, does mindfulness with breathing when it has been developed and made much of yield great fruit, bring great advantages?û

ßWhatever there is, Ràhula, that is inside, in oneself, that is hard or has become solid, and is attached to, like this:

head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin,
flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidney,
heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs,
intestines, mesentery, undigested food, excrement -

or whatever else there is that is inside, in oneself, that is hard, or has become solid, and is attached to, that, Ràhula, is called the internal earth element. Now, that which is the internal earth element, and that which is the external earth element, that is only the earth element. ßThis is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,û like this it ought to be seen, as it really is, with right wisdom. Having seen it like this, as it really is, with right wisdom, one loses interest in the earth element, one detaches the mind from the earth element.

And what, Ràhula, is the water-element? The water element may be internal or may be external. And what, Ràhula, is the internal water element? That which is inside, in oneself, that is water, or has become watery, and is attached to, like this:

bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, oil,
tears, grease, spit, mucus, synovial fluid, urine -

or whatever else there is that is inside, in oneself, that is water, or has become watery, and is attached to, that, Ràhula, is called the internal water element. Now, that which is the internal water element, and that which is the external water element, that is only the water element. ßThis is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,û like this it ought to be seen, as it really is, with right wisdom. Having seen it like this, as it really is, with right wisdom, one loses interest in the water element, one detaches the mind from the water element.

And what, Ràhula, is the fire element? The fire element may be internal or may be external. And what, Ràhula, is the internal fire element? That which is inside, in oneself, that is fire, or has become fiery, and is attached to, like this:

that by which one is heated,
by which one grows old,
by which one is burned up,
by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted, gets completely digested -

or whatever else there is that is inside, in oneself, that is fire, or has become fiery, and is attached to, that, Ràhula, is called the internal fire element. Now, that which is the internal fire element, and that which is the external fire element, that is only the fire element. ßThis is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,û like this it ought to be seen, as it really is, with right wisdom. Having seen it like this, as it really is, with right wisdom, one loses interest in the fire element, one detaches the mind from the fire element.

And what, Ràhula, is the wind element? The wind element may be internal or may be external. And what, Ràhula, is the internal wind element? That which is inside, in oneself, that is wind, or has become windy, and is attached to, like this:

winds that go up,
winds that go down,
winds in the bowels,
winds in the belly,
winds that go through the limbs,
in-breath, out-breath -

or whatever else there is that is inside, in oneself, that is wind, or has become windy, and is attached to, that, Ràhula, is called the internal wind element. Now, that which is the internal wind element, and that which is the external wind element, that is only the wind element. ßThis is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,û like this it ought to be seen, as it really is, with right wisdom. Having seen it like this, as it really is, with right wisdom, one loses interest in the wind element, one detaches the mind from the wind element.

And what, Ràhula, is the space element? The space element may be internal or may be external. And what, Ràhula, is the internal space element? That which is inside that is space, or has become spacy, and is attached to, like this:

ear-holes,
nose-holes,
the door of the mouth,
and that by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is swallowed,
that place where what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted settles,
and the lower part by which that which is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted goes out -

or whatever else there is that is inside, in oneself, that is space, or has become spacy, and is attached to, that, Ràhula, is called the internal space element. Now, that which is the internal space element, and that which is the external space element, that is only the space element. ßThis is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,û like this it ought to be seen, as it really is, with right wisdom. Having seen it like this, as it really is, with right wisdom, one loses interest in the space element, one detaches the mind from the space element.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is to be even as the earth, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is to be even as the earth, appealing and unappealing contacts that have arisen in the mind will not take a hold there. Just as, Ràhula, they throw what is clean on the earth, and they throw what is unclean, and they throw what has become dung, and they throw what has become urine, and they throw what has become spit, and they throw what has become pus, and they throw what has become blood, but the earth is not distressed, or ashamed, or disgusted by it, just so do you, Ràhula, develop the meditation that is to be even as the earth, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is to be even as the earth appealing and unappealing contacts that have arisen in the mind will not take a hold there.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is to be even as water, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is to be even as water, appealing and unappealing contacts that have arisen in the mind will not take a hold there. Just as, Ràhula, they wash away what is clean in the water, and they wash away what is unclean, and they wash away what has become dung, and they wash away what has become urine, and they wash away what has become spit, and they wash away what has become pus, and they wash away what has become blood, but the water is not distressed, or ashamed, or disgusted by it, just so do you, Ràhula, develop the meditation that is to be even as water, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is to be even as water appealing and unappealing contacts that have arisen in the mind will not take a hold there.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is to be even as fire, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is to be even as fire, appealing and unappealing contacts that have arisen in the mind will not take a hold there. Just as, Ràhula, they burn what is clean in fire, and they burn what is unclean, and they burn what has become dung, and they burn what has become urine, and they burn what has become spit, and they burn what has become pus, and they burn what has become blood, but the fire is not distressed, or ashamed, or disgusted by it, just so do you, Ràhula, develop the meditation that is to be even as fire, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is to be even as fire appealing and unappealing contacts that have arisen in the mind will not take a hold there.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is to be even as the wind, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is to be even as the wind, appealing and unappealing contacts that have arisen in the mind will not take a hold there. Just as, Ràhula, the wind blows over what is clean, and it blows over what is unclean, and it blows over what has become dung, and it blows over what has become urine, and it blows over what has become spit, and it blows over what has become pus, and it blows over what has become blood, but the wind is not distressed, or ashamed, or disgusted by it, just so do you, Ràhula, develop the meditation that is to be even as the wind, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is to be even as the wind appealing and unappealing contacts that have arisen in the mind will not take a hold there.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is to be even as the space, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is to be even as the space, appealing and unappealing contacts that have arisen in the mind will not take a hold there. Just as, Ràhula, the wind doesn't settle anywhere, just so do you, Ràhula, develop the meditation that is to be even as the space, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is to be even as the space, appealing and unappealing contacts that have arisen in the mind will not take a hold there.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is friendliness, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is friendliness whatever ill-will there is will be given up.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is compassion, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is compassion whatever violence there is will be given up.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is gladness, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is gladness whatever discontent there is will be given up.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is equanimity, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is equanimity whatever resentment there is will be given up.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, on the unattractive, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation on the unattractive whatever passion there is will be given up.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is the perception of impermanence, for, Ràhula, from developing the meditation that is the perception of impermanence whatever (kind of) `I am' conceit there is will be given up.

Develop the meditation, Ràhula, that is mindfulness with breathing, mindfulness with breathing, Ràhula, when developed and made much of yields great fruit, brings great advantages. And how Ràhula, does mindfulness with breathing when it has been developed and made much of yield great fruit and bring great advantages?

Here, Ràhula, a monk who has gone to the wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty place, sits down. After folding his legs crosswise, setting his body straight, and establishing mindfulness at the front, ever mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.

5b: Contemplation of the body

While breathing in long, he knows ßI am breathing in longû,
while breathing out long, he knows ßI am breathing out longû,
while breathing in short, he knows ßI am breathing in shortû,
while breathing out short, he knows ßI am breathing out shortû.
Fully aware of the whole body I will breathe in, like this he trains,
fully aware of the whole body I will breathe out, like this he trains,
making the bodily process calm I will breathe in, like this he trains,
making the bodily process calm I will breathe out, like this he trains.

5c: Contemplation of feelings

Fully aware of happiness I will breathe in, like this he trains,
fully aware of happiness I will breathe out, like this he trains,
fully aware of pleasure I will breathe in, like this he trains,
fully aware of pleasure I will breathe out, like this he trains,
fully aware of the mental process I will breathe in, like this he trains,
fully aware of the mental process I will breathe out, like this he trains,
making the mental process calm I will breathe in, like this he trains,
making the mental process calm I will breathe out, like this he trains.

5d: Contemplation of the mind

Fully aware of the mind I will breathe in, like this he trains,
fully aware of the mind I will breathe out, like this he trains,
gladdening the mind I will breathe in, like this he trains,
gladdening the mind I will breathe out, like this he trains,
concentrating the mind I will breathe in, like this he trains,
concentrating the mind I will breathe out, like this he trains,
freeing the mind I will breathe in, like this he trains,
freeing the mind I will breathe out, like this he trains.

5e: Contemplation of phenomena

Contemplating impermanence I will breathe in, like this he trains,
contemplating impermanence I will breathe out, like this he trains,
contemplating dispassion I will breathe in, like this he trains,
contemplating dispassion I will breathe out, like this he trains,
contemplating cessation I will breathe in, like this he trains,
contemplating cessation I will breathe out, like this he trains,
contemplating letting go I will breathe in, like this he trains,
contemplating letting go I will breathe out, like this he trains.

In this way, Ràhula, mindfulness with breathing when it has been developed like this and made much of yields great fruit, brings great advantages. In this way, Ràhula, through the development of mindfulness with breathing through making much of it, the in-breaths and the out-breaths at the end are understood as they cease, they are surely understood.û

The Gracious One said this, and venerable Ràhula was uplifted and greatly rejoiced in what was said by the Gracious One.