Commentary on the Mahaaraahulovaadasutta

Part I : Section C

Relevant sutta passage: Atha kho aayasmaa Raahulo "Ko najja Bhagavataa sammukhaa ovaadena ovadito gaama.m pi.n.daaya pavisissatii"ti tato pa.tinivattitvaa aññatarasmi.m rukkhamuule nisiidi palla'nka.m aabhujitvaa uju.m kaaya.m pa.nidhaaya parimukha.m sati.m upa.t.thapetvaa.

Then the venerable Rahula thought, "Who indeed , after being personally exhorted by the Blessed One himself today, would go into the village for alms?" Turning back, he sat down at the foot of a certain tree, crossed his legs and, keeping his body upright, established mindfulness before him.

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11. Words:

• vitakko: thought.
• pariyaaya (m): order, method.
• pariyaayakathaa: round-about talk.
• puna: again.
• duuta (m): messenger.
• peseti: to send.
• bha.n.da (n): goods.
• cora (m): thief.
• cuu.laa (f): crest, topknot.
• asa"nkheyya: countless.
• kappa (m): aeon.
• dullabho: hard to receive.
• viññuu: wise, intelligent.
• pa.n.dita: wise.
• pa.n.dita jaatiko: of wise descendance.
• kicca (n): duty, work.
• pahaaya: gerund of pajahati: to give up.
• .thaana (n): place.
• .thita: p.p. of ti.t.thati: to stand, remain.
• laddho: p.p. of labhati: to receive.
• nivattati : turn back, turn away.
• pa.tinivattati: to turn back again.
• amata: the deathless, nibbaana.

Commentary:
athassa bhagavaa yasmaa na kevala.m ruupameva, vedanaadayopi eva.m da.t.thabbaa,
Then, because Rahula should not only know matter, but also feelings, etc. in that way,

tasmaa ruupampi raahulaatiaadimaaha.
the Blessed One said because of this to him, "also matter, Rahula, ..." and so on.

ko najjaati ko nu ajja.
The words "ko n'ajja", mean: ko nu ajja, "who would today."

therassa kira etadahosi "sammaasambuddho mayha.m attabhaavanissita.m chandaraaga.m ñatvaa
This occurred to the Thera (Rahula): "The Buddha, the Exalted One, who knows my attachment with regard to the body

`sama.nena naama evaruupo vitakko na vitakkitabbo'ti neva pariyaayena katha.m kathesi,
did not give a round-about talk, saying, 'A monk should not have such a thought.'

gaccha bhikkhu raahula.m vadehi `maa puna evaruupa.m vitakka.m vitakkesii'ti na duuta.m pesesi.
He did not send a messenger with the words, 'Go bhikkhu and say to Rahula, do not think again such a thought.'

ma.m sammukkhe .thatvaayeva pana
But he put me in front of him,

sabha.n.daka.m cora.m cuu.laaya ga.nhanto viya
just as one would grab a thief with his (stolen) wares by his topknot,

sammukhaa sugatovaada.m adaasi.
and he personally gave me a Blessed One's exhortation.

sugatovaado ca naama asa"nkheyyehipi kappehi dullabho.
It is truly difficult to receive a Blessed One's exhortation even in the course of countless aeons.

evaruupassa buddhassa sammukhaa ovaada.m labhitvaa ko nu viññuu pa.n.ditajaatiko ajja gaama.m pi.n.daaya pavisissatii''ti.
Whoever is intelligent, of a wise disposition, would, after being personally exhorted by such a Blessed One, go today into the village for alms?"

athesa aayasmaa aahaarakicca.m pahaaya
Then this venerable person, after he had abandoned the task of (receiving) almsfood,

yasmi.m nisinna.t.thaane .thitena ovaado laddho, tatova pa.tinivattetvaa
and after he had turned back again from the sitting place where he had remained to receive the exhortation,

aññatarasmi.m rukkhamuule nisiidi.
sat down at the foot of a certain tree.

bhagavaapi ta.m aayasmanta.m nivattamaana.m disvaa na evamaaha --
When the Blessed One saw that the venerable Rahula had turned back, he did not say to him:

"maa nivatta taava, raahula, bhikkhaacaarakaalo te''ti.
"Do not turn back, Rahula, because it is the time for you to receive almsfood."

kasmaa? eva.m kirassa ahosi -- ``ajja taava kaayagataasatiamatabhojana.m bhuñjatuu''ti.
Why? It may have occurred to the Buddha: " May he today eat the food of Deathlessness, namely, Mindfulness of the Body."

English:
Then, because Rahula should not only know matter, but also feelings, etc. in that way, the Blessed One said because of this to him, "also matter, Rahula, ..." and so on. The words "ko n'ajja", mean: ko nu ajja, "who would today." This occurred to the Thera (Rahula): "The Buddha, the Exalted One, who knows my attachment with regard to the body did not give a round-about talk, saying, 'A monk should not have such a thought.' He did not send a messenger with the words, 'Go bhikkhu and say to Rahula, do not think again such a thought.' But he put me in front of him, just as one would grab a thief with his (stolen) wares by his topknot, and he personally gave me a Blessed One's exhortation. It is truly difficult to receive a Blessed One's exhortation even in the course of countless aeons. Whoever is intelligent, of a wise disposition, would, after being personally exhorted by such a Blessed One, go today into the village for alms?" Then this venerable person, after he had abandoned the task of (receiving) almsfood, and after he had turned back again from the sitting place where he had remained to receive the exhortation, sat down at the foot of a certain tree. When the Blessed One saw that the venerable Rahula had turned back, he did not say to him: "Do not turn back, Rahula, because it is the time for you to receive almsfood." Why? It may have occurred to the Buddha: " May he today eat the food of Deathlessness, namely, Mindfulness of the Body."