Rāhula
The Elder Rāhula | |
|---|---|
Rāhula on a Tibetan painting, 16th century | |
| Title | Patriarch of the Dharma (East Asian Buddhism) |
| Personal life | |
| Born | c. 534 BCE or 451 BCE |
| Died | Sources differ |
| Parent(s) | Prince Siddhārtha (father), Princess Yaśodharā (mother) |
| Known for | 1. Pali: sikkhākāmanaṃ, lit. 'Eagerness for learning'; 2. pinyin: mixing diyi; lit. 'Practicing with discretion' |
| Other names | 1. Pali: Rāhula-bhadda, lit. 'Rāhula the Lucky', Sanskrit: Rāhula-bhadra; 2. Chinese: 長子; Japanese pronunciation: chōshi; lit. 'The Eldest Child' |
| Relatives | King Śuddhodana (grand father)
Queen Māyā (grand mother) Queen Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī (grand aunt) Sundarī Nandā(aunt) Nanda(uncle) |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| Initiation | 7–15 years in the Buddha's ministry Park of Nigrodha by Śāriputra |
| Senior posting | |
| Teacher | Gautama Buddha, the Elder Śariputra |
| Predecessor | Āryadeva |
| Successor | Sanghānandi |
Rahul (Pāli) or Rāhula (Sanskrit; born c. 534 BCE or 451 BCE) was the only son of Siddhārtha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha, and his wife, princess Yaśodharā. He is mentioned in numerous Buddhist texts, from the early period onward. Accounts about Rāhula indicate a mutual impact between Prince Siddhārtha's life and the lives of his family members.
According to the Pāli tradition, Rāhula was born on the day of Prince Siddhārtha's renunciation, and was therefore named Rāhula, meaning a fetter on the path to enlightenment.
According to the Mūlasarvāstivāda tradition, however, Rāhula was only conceived on the day of Prince Siddhartha's renunciation, and was born six years later, when Prince Siddhārtha became enlightened as the Buddha. This long gestation period was explained by bad karma from previous lives of both Yaśodharā and of Rāhula himself, although more naturalistic reasons are also given. As a result of the late birth, Yaśodharā needed to prove that Rāhula was really Prince Siddhārtha's son, which she eventually did successfully by an act of truth.
Historian H.W. Schumann has argued that Prince Siddhārtha likely conceived Rāhula and waited for his birth, to be able to leave the palace with the king and queen's permission (having produced a Crown Heir as necessary for succession).
However, Orientalist Noël Péri considered it more likely that Rāhula was born after Prince Siddhārtha left his palace.
12 years after Rahula's birth, the Buddha returned to his hometown, where Yaśodharā had Rāhula ask the Buddha for the throne of the Śākya clan. The Buddha responded by having Rāhula ordained as the first Buddhist novice monk. He taught the young novice about truth, self-reflection, and not-self, eventually leading to Rāhula's enlightenment. Although early accounts state that Rāhula died before the Buddha did, later tradition has it that Rāhula was one of the disciples that outlived the Buddha, guarding the Buddha's Dispensation until the rising of the next Buddha. Rāhula is known in Buddhist texts for his eagerness for learning, and was honored by novice monks and nuns throughout Buddhist history. His accounts have led to a perspective in Buddhism of seeing children as hindrances to the spiritual life on the one hand, and as people with potential for enlightenment on the other hand.