MAHĀRĀHULOVĀDA-SUTTA: CURRICULUM OF BUDDHISM FOR COMMON PEOPLE Pradit Srinonyang

Abstract

The objective of the academic article was to demonstrate a series of seven suttas the Buddha taught Venerable Rāhula as the curriculum of Buddhism, suitable for general people. As known, Venerable Rāhula was the first novice in Buddhism, represented the first student of the curriculum of Buddhism, and spent fourteen years to graduate the curriculum and to attain Arahantship. Apart from the first Cūḷarāhulovāda-sutta, the majority of children could be trained in morality and ethics at the age of seven years, the abstention from false speech was appropriate to be the first virtue to be improved for seven-year-old students, and the meditation of mindfulness of in-and-out breathing (Ānāpānasati) was capable to be trained by the children at the age of seven years. According to the second Mahārāhulovāda-sutta, a youngster should be taught to realize the body in reality in order to reduce the craving for four requisites and to alleviate an exciting desire (Chanda-rāga) in five sensual pleasures (Kāmaguṇa), loving-kindness (Mettā) should be developed to destroy ill-will (Byāpāda), compassion (Karuṇā) should be developed to abolish non-violence (Avihiṅsā), sympathetic joy (Muditā) should be developed to eliminate envy or jealousy (Issā), equanimity (Upekkhā) should be developed to remove repulsion or irritation (Paṭigha), perception of foulness (Asubha-saññā) should be developed to get rid of sensual lust (Rāga), perception of impermanence or transiency (Anicca-saññā) should be developed to drive away conceit or pride (Asmimāna). According to a series of four Rāhula suttas, an adolescent should be trained, without selfishness, egotism, arrogance or self-importance (Ahaṁkāra), conceit of mine (Mamaṁkāra), and the latent tendency of conceit (Nāmānusaya), in consideration of five aggregates or five groups of existence (Pañca-khandha): form or corporeality (Rūpa), feeling or sensation (Vedanā), perception (Saññā), mental formation (Saṅkhāra), and consciousness (Viññāṇa), as it was actually with right discernment as: 'This was not mine. This was not my self. This was not what I am.' For Buddhist monks, abandoning five sensual pleasures and ordaining with faith, the Buddha taught them not to underestimate the pundits because of association and closeness, to make the end of suffering, to associate with good friends, to consume a quiet place without any noise, to know moderation in food, not to crave for four requisites: clothes, food, dwelling and medicine causing the craving, not to come to the world, to be restraint by the code of 227 precepts for the monks, to be restraint by mindfulness, to be mindful in the body, to be full of boredom, to refrain from beautiful signs leading to sensual lust, to develop a single mind well-placed in unpleasant things, and to develop insight meditation to release from the latent tendency of conceit.