The Buddha teaches Rāhula to contemplate craving for sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas as impermanent, suffering, and not-self—not fit to be regarded as “mine, I am this, my self”—until disenchantment, fading of desire, and liberation arise.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, rūpataṇhā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“saddataṇhā …pe… gandhataṇhā … rasataṇhā … phoṭṭhabbataṇhā … dhammataṇhā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpataṇhāyapi nibbindati …pe… saddataṇhāyapi nibbindati … gandhataṇhāyapi nibbindati … rasataṇhāyapi nibbindati … phoṭṭhabbataṇhāyapi nibbindati … dhammataṇhāyapi nibbindati …pe… pajānātī”ti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthī.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula,
“What do you think, Rāhula?
rūpataṇhā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
Is craving for sights permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“saddataṇhā …pe…
“… craving for sounds …
gandhataṇhā …
craving for smells …
rasataṇhā …
craving for tastes …
phoṭṭhabbataṇhā …
craving for touches …
dhammataṇhā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
Is craving for ideas permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpataṇhāyapi nibbindati …pe… saddataṇhāyapi nibbindati … gandhataṇhāyapi nibbindati … rasataṇhāyapi nibbindati … phoṭṭhabbataṇhāyapi nibbindati … dhammataṇhāyapi nibbindati …pe…
“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with craving for sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas. …”
pajānātī”ti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.
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Last updated on July 27, 2026