Sutta Translation

Pali Tipitaka > Sutta Pitaka > Majjhima Nikaya > Maharahulovada Sutta

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"Katamaa ca, Raahula, aakaasadhaatu? Aakaasadhaatu siyaa ajjhattikaa, siyaa baahiraa. Katamaa ca, Raahula, ajjhattikaa aakaasadhaatu? Ya.m ajjhatta.m paccatta.m aakaasa.m aakaasagata.m upaadinna.m, seyyathida.m - ka.n.nacchidda.m naasacchidda.m mukhadvaara.m, yena ca asitapiitakhaayitasaayita.m ajjhoharati, yattha ca asitapiitakhaayitasaayita.m santi.t.thati, yena ca asitapiitakhaayitasaayita.m adhobhaaga.m nikkhamati, ya.m vaa panaññampi kiñci ajjhatta.m paccatta.m aakaasa.m aakaasagata.m, agha.m aghagata.m, vivara.m vivaragata.m, asamphu.t.tha.m, ma.msalohitehi upaadinna.m - aya.m vuccati, Raahula, ajjhattikaa aakaasadhaatu. Yaa ceva kho pana ajjhattikaa aakaasadhaatu yaa ca baahiraa aakaasadhaatu aakaasadhaaturevesaa. Ta.m 'neta.m mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attaa'ti - evameta.m yathaabhuuta.m sammappaññaaya da.t.thabba.m. Evameta.m yathaabhuuta.m sammappaññaaya disvaa aakaasadhaatuyaa citta.m nibbindati, aakaasadhaatuyaa citta.m viraajeti.

"Katamaa ca, Raahula, aakaasa-dhaatu?
which / and / Rahula / space-element
"And what, Rahula, is the space element[5]?

  • aakaasa (m.) space; sky.

  • aakaasadhaatu - space element, i.e. ether.

[5] Ruupas arise in groups, never isolated. The four great Elements are present in each group (kalapa). The ruupa space, akaasa, is an infinitesimally tiny rupa surrounding each of these groups, it allows the groups to be distinct from each other. Akaasa is also called pariccheda ruupa (pariccheda meaning limit), because it delimits or separates the different groups of ruupa. The manifestation of akaasa is holes and openings.

Aakaasa-dhaatu siyaa ajjhattikaa, siyaa baahiraa.
space-element / may be / internal / may be / external
The space element may be internal or external.

Katamaa ca, Raahula, ajjhattikaa aakaasa-dhaatu?
which / and / Rahula / internal / space-element
And what, Rahula, is the internal space element?

Ya.m ajjhatta.m paccatta.m aakaasa.m aakaasagata.m upaadinna.m, seyyathida.m -
that / internally / individually / space / void / clung to / namely
That, internally, and individually, is space, void, and clung to, namely:

  • aakaasagata.m - having the characteristic of space, spatial, void.

ka.n.nacchidda.m naasacchidda.m mukhadvaara.m, yena ca asitapiitakhaayitasaayita.m ajjhoharati,
cavity of the ear / orifice of the nose / opening of the mouth / whereby / and / being tasted, chewed, drunk and eaten / swallows
the cavity of the ear, the orifice of the nose, the opening of the mouth, and whereby (one) swallows what is tasted, chewed, drunk and eaten,

  • ka.n.na (nt.) ear.

  • chidda (nt.) hole, cavity.

  • ka.n.nacchidda (nt.) cavity of the ear.

  • naasaa (f.) nose.

  • naasacchidda - orifice of the nose.

  • mukha (nt.) mouth.

  • dvaara (nt.) door.

  • mukhadvaara (nt.) door of the mouth.

  • ajjhoharati (v.) to swallow.

yattha ca asitapiitakhaayitasaayita.m santi.t.thati, yena ca asitapiitakhaayitasaayita.m adhobhaaga.m nikkhamati,
where / and / being tasted, chewed, drunk and eaten / remains / whereby / and / being tasted, chewed, drunk and eaten / lower part (of body) / leaves
and where (food) being tasted, chewed, drunk and eaten remains, and whereby (food) being tasted, chewed, drunk and eaten passes out of the body lower down,

  • yatha (adv.) wherever, where.

  • santi.t.thati (v.) to stand still, to remain.

  • adhobhaaga (m.) lower part.

  • nikkhamati (v.) to leave.

ya.m vaa pan-aññam-pi kiñci ajjhatta.m paccatta.m aakaasa.m aakaasagata.m,
that / or / else-other-and / whatever / internally / individually / space / void
or whatever else internally, and individually is space, void,

agha.m aghagata.m, vivara.m vivaragata.m, asamphu.t.tha.m, ma.msalohitehi upaadinna.m -
sky / empty / an opening / hollow / untouched / by flesh and blood / clung to
sky, empty, an opening, hollow, untouched by flesh and blood, and clung to.[6]

  • agha (m.) sky.

  • aghagata - belonging to/having the characteristic of sky, empty.

  • vivara (nt.) an opening.

  • vivaragata - nature of/connected with an opening, hollow.

  • phu.t.tha (pp. of phusati) touched.

  • asamphu.t.tha - untouched.

  • ma.msa (nt.) flesh.

  • lohita (nt.) blood.

  • ma.msalohita - flesh and blood.

[6] Dhammasangani (First book of Abhidhamma) has: That which is space and belongs to space, is sky and belongs to sky, is vacuum and belongs to vacuum, and is not in contact with the four Great Phenomena.

aya.m vuccati, Raahula, ajjhattikaa aakaasa-dhaatu.
this / is called / Rahula / internal / space-element
This, Rahula, is called the internal space element.

Yaa c-eva kho pana ajjhattikaa aakaasa-dhaatu yaa ca baahiraa aakaasa-dhaatu aakaasa-dhaatu-r-ev-esaa.
that / and-very / indeed / but / internal / space-element / that / and / external / space-element / thus this space element
But that very internal space element and that external space element are simply space element.

Ta.m 'n-eta.m mama, n-eso-ham-asmi, na m-eso attaa'ti -
that / not-this / mine / not this I am / not / for me-this / self
Thus "this is not mine, this I am not, this is not myself"

evam-eta.m yathaabhuuta.m sammappaññaaya da.t.thabba.m.
thus this / just as it is / with right wisdom / is to be seen
is to be seen with right wisdom just as it is.

Evam-eta.m yathaabhuuta.m sammappaññaaya disvaa aakaasa-dhaatuyaa citta.m nibbindati, aakaasa-dhaatuyaa citta.m viraajeti.
thus this / just as it is / with right wisdom / having seen / [on] space element / mind / becomes dispassionate / from space element / mind / detaches
Having seen this with right wisdom just as it is, the mind becomes dispassionate towards (and) detaches (itself) from the space element.

"And what, Rahula, is the space element[5]? The space element may be internal or external. And what, Rahula, is the internal space element? That, internally, and individually, is space, void, and clung to, namely: the cavity of the ear, the orifice of the nose, the opening of the mouth, and whereby (one) swallows what is tasted, chewed, drunk and eaten, and where (food) being tasted, chewed, drunk and eaten remains, and whereby (food) being tasted, chewed, drunk and eaten passes out of the body lower down, or whatever else internally, and individually is space, void, sky, empty, an opening, hollow, untouched by flesh and blood, and clung to.[6] This, Rahula, is called the internal space element. But that very internal space element and that external space element are simply space element. Thus "this is not mine, this I am not, this is not myself" is to be seen with right wisdom just as it is. Having seen this with right wisdom just as it is, the mind becomes dispassionate towards (and) detaches (itself) from the space element.

[5] Ruupas arise in groups, never isolated. The four great Elements are present in each group (kalapa). The ruupa space, akaasa, is an infinitesimally tiny rupa surrounding each of these groups, it allows the groups to be distinct from each other. Akaasa is also called pariccheda ruupa (pariccheda meaning limit), because it delimits or separates the different groups of ruupa. The manifestation of akaasa is holes and openings.

[6] Dhammasangani (First book of Abhidhamma) has: That which is space and belongs to space, is sky and belongs to sky, is vacuum and belongs to vacuum, and is not in contact with the four Great Phenomena.

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