Rāhula

[Ceisiwr]

I was just reading this sutra from the EA. It seems in the Mahāsāṃghika Rāhula was viewed as just a monk, rather than the Buddha's son. This is interesting, since the Mahāsāṃghika tended to view the Buddha in more transcendental and less worldly ways. Having sex and becoming a father is quite human, and not quite what you would expect from a cosmic Buddha.

"At this time, after Venerable Rāhula had become an arhat, he arose from his seat, arranged his robes, and went to the place of the Bhagavān. Bowing his head at the feet of the Bhagavān, he then moved to one side. He addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “That which was sought has been attained: the cessation of all outflows.” At that time, the Bhagavān told all the bhikṣus, “Of those who have attained arhatship, there is none equal to Rāhula. In regard to the cessation of outflows, it is the bhikṣu Rāhula who is foremost. In regard to those who maintain the precepts, it is again the bhikṣu Rāhula who is foremost. In this manner, all tathāgatas of the past, those of Anuttarā Samyaksaṁbodhi, also had this bhikṣu Rāhula. Wishing to be called the Son of the Buddha, this bhikṣu Rāhula closely followed the life of the Buddha to the highest Dharma.” At that time, the Bhagavān told all the bhikṣus, “Amongst my śrāvakas, the foremost student in maintaining the precepts is truly the bhikṣu Rāhula.”

https://suttacentral.net/ea17.1/en/pierquet

[DooDoot]

what gives the impression Rahula was treated as the Buddha's son when in MN 62 Rahula is scolded by the Buddha for thinking about the Buddha in terms of "I", mine, myself"?

[asahi]

This is interesting, since the Mahāsāṃghika tended to view the Buddha in more transcendental and less worldly ways. Having sex and becoming a father is quite human, and not quite what you would expect from a cosmic Buddha.

The cosmic Buddha theme appears to be a late insertion .

[Ceisiwr]

This is interesting, since the Mahāsāṃghika tended to view the Buddha in more transcendental and less worldly ways. Having sex and becoming a father is quite human, and not quite what you would expect from a cosmic Buddha.

The cosmic Buddha theme appears to be a late insertion .

According to them the Buddha always exists as an eternal substance (dravya). What we call the Buddha was merely a projection.