I truly love this supercute Rahula story...just imagine a little 7 yrs old prince followed his father"The Buddha" everywhere and was ordained by Sariputta Thera himself... cute samanera Rahula
...how wonderful !!
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Rahula:The Son From Heaven
[Presented by Dr.Han Tun @ SariputtaDhamma/JTN]
The only son of Gotama Buddha. Rahula was born on the day on which his father left
the household life. When the Buddha visited Kapilavatthu for the first time
after his Enlightenment and accepted Suddhodana's invitation, Rahula's mother
(Yasodhara) sent the boy to the Buddha to ask for his inheritance (dayajja).
The Buddha gave him no answer, and, at the conclusion of the meal,left the palace.
Rahula followed him, reiterating his request until at last the Buddha asked Sariputta
to ordain him. When Suddhodana heard of this he protested to the Buddha, and asked as
a boon that, in future, no child should be ordained without the consent of his parents,
and to this the Buddha agreed.[/
It is said that immediately after Rahula's ordination the Buddha preached to
him constantly (abhinhovaadavasena) many suttas for his guidance. Rahula
himself was eager to receive instruction from the Buddha and his teachers and
would rise early in the morning and take a handful of sand, saying: "May I have
today as many words of counsel from my teachers as there are here grains of
sand!" [/
When Rahula was seven years old, the Buddha preached to him the
Ambalatthika Rahulovada Sutta as a warning that he should never lie, even in
fun. Rahula noticed that he harboured carnal thoughts fascinated by his own
physical beauty and that of his father, the Buddha preached to him, at the age
of eighteen, the Maha Rahulovada Sutta. Two other suttas, also called
Rahulovada, one included in the Samyutta and the other in the Anguttara,
formed the topics for Rahula's meditation (Vipassana). Later, the Buddha,
knowing that Rahula's mind was ripe for final attainment, went with him alone
to Andhavana, and preached to him the Cula Rahulovada Sutta. At the end of the
discourse, Rahula became an arahant,together with one hundred thousand crores of
listening devas.[/
Afterwards, in the assembly of monks, the Buddha declared Rahula foremost among
those of his disciples who were anxious for training (sikkhaakaamaanam).
According to the Digha and Samyutta Commentaries, Rahula predeceased the
Buddha and even Sariputta, and the place of his death is given as Tavatimsa.
For twelve years he never lay on a bed. (DA.iii.736).[/
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Love Buddha's dhamma,
yawares/sirikanya
