Chapter 20
Abhinha RÈhulovada Sutta cannot be ascertained because the Buddha taught it to RÈhula
time and again as opportunity presented, regardless of place and time.
The Buddha started giving discourses on the RÈhula
SaÑyutta from the time novice
RÈhula was seven years up to the time he received ordination and was beginning his first
vassa
.
MahÈ RÈhula Sutta was taught when he was eighteen years while he was still a novice
(
sÈmaÓera
).
C|Äa RÈhula Sutta was taught when he received ordination and began his first
vassa
.
SÈmaÓera PanhÈ and this Ambalatthika RÈhulovada Sutta were taught when RÈhula was a
novice at the age of seven.
Of all these discourses, Abhinha RÈhulovada Sutta was taught as a standing instruction to
be followed by RÈhula throughout his life. RÈhula SaÑyutta discourses were given in order
to make RÈhula's mind become impregnated with Insight Knowledge (
vipassanÈ-ÒÈÓa
).
MahÈ RÈhulovada Sutta was taught in order to dispel
gehassita chandarÈga
. C|Äa RÈhula
Sutta was preached just after the ordination of RÈhula, before the end of the first
vassa
, in
order to help him achieve the arahatship after gaining maturity in the fifteen factors for
deliverance (
vimuttiparipÈcaniya
). SÈmaÓera Panha was taught to refrain from speaking
improper words (matters non-beneficial to attaining the Path and Fruition). The following
Ambalathika Sutta was preached to refrain from knowingly or deliberately telling lies.
(excerpts from Mattha, 3/8889).
The time was when the Buddha was residing at VeÄuvana monastery in RÈjagaha during
the second
vassa
, and RÈhula, (then a young novice) was residing in Ambatatthika
meditation monastery, so called because it was built near a mango tree at the far edge of
VeÄuvana monastery and living a life of solitude (
viveka
).
(Just as a thorn naturally has a sharp point from the beginning of its growth, so
young RÈhula practices physical solitude (
kaya viveka
) and mental solitude (
citta
viveka
), ever since he was a youthful novice at the age of seven without having
been exhorted by anyone.)
At that time, one cool evening, the Buddha, after rising from the
phala-samÈpatti
state,
went to Ambalatthika meditation monastery of novice RÈhula. When RÈhula saw Him
coming from a distance, he arranged the seating place for Him and placed in readiness the
water for washing His feet. The Buddha sat on the reserved seat after washing His feet
(merely as a gracious acceptance of service rendered by a dutiful disciple because His feet
were free from dust.) Novice RÈhula seated himself at a spot free from the six kinds of
fault, after making respectful homage to Him.
(1) The Buddha left a small amount of water in the basin after washing His feet and asked
RÈhula: ‚My son RÈhula, do you see the small amount of water I have left in the
basin?‛ ‚Yes, my Lord,‛ replied RÈhula. Then He exhorted: ‚Just as the water left in
the basin is small, so the good and noble
bhikkhu
-Dhamma, which should be practised
to eradicate the defilements, is hopelessly small in the physical and mental continuum
of persons who knowingly speak lies without any sense of shame.‛ Thus was the first
exhortation given by the Buddha.
(2) The Buddha then poured away the little water He had left in the basin, and asked: ‚Son
RÈhula, do you see I have thrown away the small amount of water?‛ ‚Yes, my Lord,‛
replied RÈhula. Then He exhorted: ‚Just as I have thrown away the little water in the
basin, so persons, who knowingly speak lies without any sense of shame, throw away
the good and noble
bhikkhu
-Dhamma which eradicates defilements.‛ Thus the Buddha
gave the second exhortation.
(3) The Buddha then overturned the basin placing it with its mouth downwards, and asked
RÈhula: ‚Do you see that I have overturned the basin?‛ ‚Yes, my Lord,‛ replied
RÈhula. Then He exhorted: ‚Son RÈhula, just as the basin has been overturned, so
persons who knowingly speak lies without any sense of shame have already repudiated
the good and noble
bhikkhu
-Dhamma which eradicates defilements.‛ Thus the third