Muni's PlaySN 22.91 - Rāhula Sutta (The First Sutta on Rāhula)
In this discourse, the Buddha explains to Rāhula how one knows and sees in order to eliminate the latent tendencies of I-making, mine-making, and conceit (ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā) in relation to both the conscious body and all external signs.
The Discourse
Pali (Devanagari)
“कथं नु खो, भन्ते, जानतो कथं पस्सतो इमस्मिञ्च सविञ्ञाणके काये बहिद्धा च सब्बनिमित्तेसु अहङ्कारममङ्कारमानानुसया न होन्ती”ति?
“यं किञ्चि, राहुल, रूपं अतीतानागतपच्चुप्पन्नं अज्झत्तं वा बहिद्धा वा ओळारिकं वा सुखुमं वा हीनं वा पणीतं वा यं दूरे सन्तिके वा, सब्बं रूपं ‘नेतं मम, नेसोहमस्मि, न मेसो अत्ता’ति एवमेतं यथाभूतं सम्मप्पञ्ञाय पस्सति।
या काचि वेदना … या काचि सञ्ञा … ये केचि सङ्खारा … यं किञ्चि विञ्ञाणं अतीतानागतपच्चुप्पन्नं अज्झत्तं वा बहिद्धा वा …पे… सब्बं विञ्ञाणं ‘नेतं मम, नेसोहमस्मि, न मेसो अत्ता’ति एवमेतं यथाभूतं सम्मप्पञ्ञाय पस्सति।
एवं खो, राहुल, जानतो एवं पस्सतो इमस्मिञ्च सविञ्ञाणके काये बहिद्धा च सब्बनिमित्तेसु अहङ्कारममङ्कारमानानुसया न होन्ती”ति।
Pali (Roman)
“Kathaṃ nu kho, bhante, jānato kathaṃ passato imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na hontī”ti?
“Yaṃ kiñci, rāhula, rūpaṃ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṃ ajjhattaṃ vā bahiddhā vā oḷārikaṃ vā sukhumaṃ vā hīnaṃ vā paṇītaṃ vā yaṃ dūre santike vā, sabbaṃ rūpaṃ ‘n’etaṃ mama, n’esohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya passati.
Yā kāci vedanā … Yā kāci saññā … Ye keci saṅkhārā … Yaṃ kiñci viññāṇaṃ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṃ ajjhattaṃ vā bahiddhā vā …pe… sabbaṃ viññāṇaṃ ‘n’etaṃ mama, n’esohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya passati.
Evaṃ kho, rāhula, jānato evaṃ passato imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na hontī”ti.
Sanskrit (Chaya)
“कथं नु खलु, भदन्त, जानतः कथं पश्यतः अस्मिंश्च सविज्ञानके काये बहिर्धा च सर्वनिमित्तेषु अहङ्कारममङ्कारमानानुशया न भवन्ती”ति?
“यत्किञ्चित्, राहुल, रूपम् अतीतानागतप्रत्युत्पन्नम् आध्यात्मिकं वा बहिर्धा वा औदारिकं वा सूक्ष्मं वा हीनं वा प्रणीतं वा यद्दूरे अन्तिके वा, सर्वं रूपं ‘नैतन्मम, नैषोऽहमस्मि, न मेऽेष आत्मा’ इति एवमेतद् यथाभूतं सम्यक्प्रज्ञया पश्यति।
या काचिद् वेदना … या काचिद् संज्ञा … ये केचित् संस्काराः … यत्किञ्चिद् विज्ञानम् अतीतानागतप्रत्युत्पन्नम् आध्यात्मिकं वा बहिर्धा वा …पे… सर्वं विज्ञानं ‘नैतन्मम, नैषोऽहमस्मि, न मेऽेष आत्मा’ इति एवमेतद् यथाभूतं सम्यक्प्रज्ञया पश्यति।
एवं खलु, राहुल, जानतः एवं पश्यतः अस्मिंश्च सविज्ञानके काये बहिर्धा च सर्वनिमित्तेषु अहङ्कारममङ्कारमानानुशया न भवन्ती”ति।
Sanskrit (Roman)
“Kathaṃ nu khalu, bhadanta, jānataḥ kathaṃ paśyataḥ asmiñca savijñānake kāye bahirdhā ca sarvanimitteṣu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānuśayā na bhavantī”ti?
“Yatkiñcit, rāhula, rūpam atītānāgatapratyutpannam ādhyātmikaṃ vā bahirdhā vā audārikaṃ vā sūkṣmaṃ vā hīnaṃ vā praṇītaṃ vā yaddūre antike vā, sarvaṃ rūpaṃ ‘naitanmama, naiṣo’hamasmi, na me’ṣa ātmā’ti evametaṭ yathābhūtaṃ samyakprajñayā paśyati.
Yā kācid vedanā … Yā kācid saṃjñā … Ye kecit saṃskārāḥ … Yatkiñcid vijñānaṃ atītānāgatapratyutpannam ādhyātmikaṃ vā bahirdhā vā …pe… sarvaṃ vijñānaṃ ‘naitanmama, naiṣo’hamasmi, na me’ṣa ātmā’ti evametaṭ yathābhūtaṃ samyakprajñayā paśyati.
Evaṃ khalu, rāhula, jānataḥ evaṃ paśyataḥ asmiñca savijñānake kāye bahirdhā ca sarvanimitteṣu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānuśayā na bhavantī”ti.
English Translation
“How, venerable sir, does one know, how does one see, so that in regard to this body with consciousness and all external signs, there are no inclinations to I-making, mine-making, and conceit?”
“Rāhula, any kind of form whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near—one sees all form as it really is with correct wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
Any kind of feeling… Any kind of perception… Any kind of volitional formations… Any kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external… one sees all consciousness as it really is with correct wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
It is when one knows and sees in this way, Rāhula, that in regard to this body with consciousness and all external signs, there are no inclinations to I-making, mine-making, and conceit.”
Key Terms & Concepts
1. The Three Identifications (Ego-Delusions)
These represent the three ways the mind creates attachment (papañca) to the five aggregates (khandha / skandha). Applying right wisdom (sammappaññā / samyakprajñā) systematically dismantles them:
| Pali | Sanskrit | English Meaning | Counteracts |
|---|---|---|---|
| N’etaṃ mama | Naitanmama | ”This is not mine” | Craving / Greed (taṇhā / tṛṣṇā) |
| N’esohamasmi | Naiṣo’hamasmi | ”This I am not” | Conceit (māna) |
| Na meso attā | Na me’ṣa ātmā | ”This is not my self” | Views of self (diṭṭhi / dṛṣṭi) |
2. The Latent Tendencies
- Ahaṅkāra (अहङ्कार): I-making; the mental construct of an individual ego.
- Mamaṅkāra (ममङ्कार): Mine-making; the projection of ownership and attachment onto experience.
- Mānānusaya / Mānānuśaya (मानानुशय): The latent tendency of conceit; the deep-seated, subtle feeling of “I am” (asmi-māna) that remains until full liberation.
3. The 11 Dimensions of the Aggregates
Wisdom must be applied to all forms of the five aggregates across these 11 dimensions:
- Past (atīta)
- Future (anāgata)
- Present (paccuppanna / pratyutpanna)
- Internal (ajjhatta / ādhyātmika)
- External (bahiddhā / bahirdhā)
- Gross (oḷārika / audārika)
- Subtle (sukhuma / sūkṣma)
- Inferior (hīna)
- Superior (paṇīta / praniṭa)
- Far (dūre)
- Near (santike / antike)