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Mv I 41
PTS: Mv I 54 | CS: vin.mv.01.41
Rāhulavatthu
The Case of Rāhula[1]
by
Ven. Khematto Bhikkhu
Alternate translations/layout: 'line by line' Pāḷi - English

(Mv.I.54.1) [118] Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Rājagaha as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Kapilavatthu, and traveling by stages, arrived at Kapilavatthu. The Blessed One stayed right there in Kapilavatthu among the Sakyans in the Banyan Park. Then the Blessed One, early in the morning, adjusted his under robe and — carrying his bowl & robes, went to the residence of Suddhodana the Sakyan and, on arrival, sat down on a seat laid out. Then the queen, Rāhula’s mother, said to Prince Rāhula, “Rāhula, that’s your father. Go and ask for your inheritance.”

(Mv.I.54.2) So Prince Rāhula went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, stood in front of him, (saying,) “Contemplative, your shadow is pleasant.”

Then the Blessed One, getting up from his seat, left.

So Prince Rāhula followed along behind the Blessed One, (saying,) “Contemplative, give me my inheritance. Contemplative, give me my inheritance.”

Then the Blessed One addressed Ven. Sāriputta, “In that case, Sāriputta, give Prince Rāhula the Going-forth.”

“How should I give Prince Rāhula the Going-forth, Lord?”

(Mv.I.54.3) Then the Blessed One, having given a Dhamma talk with regard to this cause, to this incident, addressed the monks:

“Monks, I allow the Going-forth for a novice by means of three goings for refuge.

“The Going-forth should be given like this:

“First — having gotten him to shave his head & beard, to clothe himself in ochre robes, to arrange his robe over one shoulder, to bow down at the feet of the monks, to sit in the kneeling position, and to raise his hands palm-to-palm in front of the heart — he should be told, ‘Say this:

“‘“I go to the Buddha for refuge. I go to the Dhamma for refuge. I go to the Saṅgha for refuge. A second time, I go to the Buddha for refuge. A second time, I go to the Dhamma for refuge. A second time, I go to the Saṅgha for refuge. A third time, I go to the Buddha for refuge. A third time, I go to the Dhamma for refuge. A third time, I go to the Saṅgha for refuge.”’

“Monks, I allow the Going-forth for a novice by means of these three goings for refuge.”

(Mv.I.54.4) So Ven. Sāriputta gave Prince Rāhula the Going-forth. Then Suddhodana the Sakyan went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, bowed down and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, I have one boon to ask of the Blessed One.”

“Tathāgatas have gone beyond boons, Gotama.”

“It is allowable and blameless.”

“Say it, Gotama.”

(Mv.I.54.5) When the Blessed One went forth, I suffered not just a little. Likewise for Nanda, and exceedingly so for Rāhula. Lord, affection for a son cuts through the outer skin. Having cut through the outer skin it cuts through the inner skin. Having cut through the inner skin, it cuts through the flesh. Having cut through the flesh, it cuts through the tendons. Having cut through the tendons, it cuts into the bones. Having cut into the bones, it penetrates the bone marrow and stays there.

“It would be good, Lord, if the Masters didn’t give the Going-forth to sons without the parents’ permission.”

(Mv.I.54.6) Then the Blessed One instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged Suddhodana the Sakyan with a Dhamma talk. Having been instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged by the Blessed One with a Dhamma talk, Suddhodana the Sakyan got up from his seat, bowed down to him, circumambulated him, keeping him to his right, and left.

Then the Blessed One, having given a Dhamma talk with regard to this cause, to this incident, addressed the monks:

“Monks, a son without permission from his parents should not be given the Going-forth. Whoever should give it: an offense of wrong-doing.”[2]

(Mv.I.55.1) Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Kapilavatthu as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Sāvatthī, and traveling by stages, arrived at Sāvatthī. There at Sāvatthī, the Blessed One stayed in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.

[119] At that time a family that supported Ven. Sāriputta sent a boy to Ven. Sāriputta’s presence, (saying,) “May the elder give this boy the Going-forth.”

Then the thought occurred to Ven. Sāriputta, “The Blessed One has declared: ‘One (monk) should not get two novices to attend to him.’ But I have this Novice Rāhula. What should I do?”

He reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“Monks, I allow a single monk, if experienced and competent, to get two novices — or as many as he is capable of instructing and exhorting — to attend to him.” [3]

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