Sutta Translation

Pali Tipitaka > Sutta Pitaka > Majjhima Nikaya > Maharahulovada Sutta

Still under compilation.....

"Metta.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi. Mettañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato yo byaapaado so pahiiyissati. Karu.na.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi. Karu.nañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato yaa vihesaa saa pahiiyissati. Mudita.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi. Muditañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato yaa arati saa pahiiyissati. Upekkha.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi. Upekkhañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato yo pa.tigho so pahiiyissati. Asubha.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi. Asubhañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato yo raago so pahiiyissati. Aniccasañña.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi. Aniccasaññañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato yo asmimaano so pahiiyissati.

"Metta.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi.
loving kindness / Rahula / mental development / cultivate
"Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development of loving kindness.

  • mettaa (f.) loving kindness.

Mettañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato
loving kindness / for you / Rahula / mental development / is cultivating
For you who are cultivating the mental development of loving kindness,

yo byaapaado so pahiiyissati.
which / malevolence / that / will be abandoned
that which is malevolence will be abandoned.

  • yo (rel. pron., m.) who, which.
  • byaapaada (m.) malevolence.
  • so (dem. pron., m.) he, that.
  • pahiiyissati (future passive of pajahati) will be renounced, abandoned.

Karu.na.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi.
compassion / Rahula / mental development / cultivate
Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development of compassion.

  • karu.naa (f.) compassion.

Karu.nañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato
compassion / for you / Rahula / mental development / is cultivating
For you who are cultivating the mental development of compassion,

yaa vihesaa saa pahiiyissati.
which / harming / that / will be abandoned
that which is harming will be abandoned.

  • yaa (rel. pron., f.) who, which.
  • vihesaa (f.) harming, vexation, injury.
  • saa (dem. pron., f.) she, that.

Mudita.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi.
sympathetic joy / Rahula / mental development / cultivate
Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development of sympathetic joy.

  • muditaa (f.) sympathetic (altruistic) joy.

Muditañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato yaa arati saa pahiiyissati.
sympathetic joy / for you / Rahula / mental development / is cultivating / which / dislike / that / will be abandoned
For you who are cultivating the mental development of sympathetic joy, that which is dislike will be abandoned.

  • arati (f.) dislike, discontent, non-attachment.

Upekkha.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi.
equanimity / Rahula / mental development / cultivate
Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development of equanimity.

  • upekkhaa (f.) equanimity.

Upekkhañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato yo pa.tigho so pahiiyissati.
equanimity / for you / Rahula / mental development / is cultivating / which / anger / that / will be abandoned
For you who are cultivating the mental development of equanimity, that which is anger will be abandoned.

  • pa.tigha (m.) anger, sensory reaction.

Asubha.m [8], Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi.
foulness / Rahula / mental development / cultivate
Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development of foulness (of a body).

  • asubha (n.) foulness (of a body).

[8] We read about the corpses in different states of decay and also about parts of the body. Both kinds of meditation are asubha meditations. By "foulness of the body" we refer to both, and also: we can be reminded that our body too is a bag of bones. We read in the Sa.laayatanavagga, (Third Fifty, the Housefather, § 127, Bhaaradvaaja, S IV, 110) that Pi.ndola said to raajah Udena, that the Buddha had said: <Come ye, brethren, look upon this same body, upwards from the soles of the feet, downwards from the top of the head, enclosed by skin, full of manifold impurities. There are in this body hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, skin...> It is a meditation subject for every occasion. When we see a dead animal we can be reminded: as that body is, so is our body. Or, nails, skin, etc. these are right at hand. Rahula was attached to the body. He was not sitting at a cemetery, but he should realize the foulness of his body. This could bring him back to reality: his body consisted of the four great elements, and he should develop vipassana realizing these elements as: this is not mine, etc.

Asubhañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato yo raago so pahiiyissati.
foulness / for you / Rahula / mental development / is cultivating / which / attachment / that / will be abandoned
For you who are cultivating the mental development of foulness, that which is attachment will be abandoned.

  • raaga (m.) attachment.

Aniccasañña.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi.
perception of impermanence / Rahula / mental development / cultivate
Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development that is the perception of impermanence.

  • anicca (adj.) impermanent.
  • sañña (f.) sense, perception, recognition.

Aniccasaññañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato yo asmimaano so pahiiyissati.
perception of impermanence / for you / Rahula / mental development / is cultivating / which / conceit of 'I am' / that / will be abandoned
For you who are cultivating the mental development that is the perception of impermanence, that which is the conceit of 'I am' will be abandoned.

  • asmi (first person singular of atthi) I am.
  • maana (m.) conceit.

"Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development of loving kindness. For you who are cultivating the mental development of loving kindness, that which is malevolence will be abandoned. Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development of compassion. For you who are cultivating the mental development of compassion, that which is harming will be abandoned. Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development of sympathetic joy. For you who are cultivating the mental development of sympathetic joy, that which is dislike will be abandoned. Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development of equanimity. For you who are cultivating the mental development of equanimity, that which is anger will be abandoned.

"Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development of foulness (of a body) [8]. For you who are cultivating the mental development of foulness, that which is attachment will be abandoned. Cultivate, Rahula, the mental development that is the perception of impermanence. For you who are cultivating the mental development that is the perception of impermanence, that which is the conceit of 'I am' will be abandoned.

[8] We read about the corpses in different states of decay and also about parts of the body. Both kinds of meditation are asubha meditations. By " foulness of the body" we refer to both, and also: we can be reminded that our body too is a bag of bones. We read in the Sa.laayatanavagga, (Third Fifty, the Housefather, § 127, Bhaaradvaaja, S IV, 110) that Pi.ndola said to raajah Udena, that the Buddha had said: <Come ye, brethren, look upon this same body, upwards from the soles of the feet, downwards from the top of the head, enclosed by skin, full of manifold impurities. There are in this body hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, skin...> It is a meditation subject for every occasion. When we see a dead animal we can be reminded: as that body is, so is our body. Or, nails, skin, etc. these are right at hand. Rahula was attached to the body. He was not sitting at a cemetery, but he should realize the foulness of his body. This could bring him back to reality: his body consisted of the four great elements, and he should develop vipassana realizing these elements as: this is not mine, etc.

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