Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. Then the Venerable Rahula approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:"Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute."
"What do you think, Rahula, is the eye permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, venerable sir."
"Is the ear ... the nose ... the tongue ... the body ... the mind permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, venerable sir."
"Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards the eye, revulsion towards the ear, revulsion towards the nose, revulsion towards the tongue, revulsion towards the body, revulsion towards the mind. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion [his mind] is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: 'It's liberated.' He understands: 'Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.'"
(The Buddha answers Rāhula’s request by teaching on the internal sense organs in light of the three characteristics.)
SN 18.2 Rūpa Sutta: Forms, Etc
"What do you think, Rahula, are forms ..... sounds ... odors ... tastes ... tactile objects ... mental phenomena permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards forms ... revulsion towards mental phenomena. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate ... . He understands: ' ... there is no more for this state of being. "'
(The Buddha answers Rāhula’s request by teaching on the external sense objects in light of the three characteristics.) SN 18.3 Viññāṇa Sutta: Consciousness
"What do you think, Rahula, is eye-consciousness ... ear-consciousness ... nose-consciousness ... tongue-consciousness ... body-consciousness ... mind-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards eye-consciousness ... revulsion towards mind-consciousness. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate .... He understands: ' ... there is no more for this state of being.'"
(The Buddha answers Rāhula’s request by teaching on sense consciousness in light of the three characteristics.)
SN 18.4 Samphassa Sutta: Contact "What do you think, Rahula, is eye-contact ... ear-contact ... nose-contact ... tongue-contact ... body-contact ... mind-contact permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards eye-contact ... revulsion towards mind-contact. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate ... .He understands: ' ... there is no more for this state of being.'" (The Buddha answers Rāhula’s request by teaching on sense contact in light of the three characteristics.)
SN 18.5 Vedanā Sutta: Feeling
"What do you think, Rahula, is feeling born of eye-contact ... feeling born of ear-contact ... feeling born of nose-contact ... feeling born of tongue-contact ... feeling born of body-contact ... feeling born of mind-contact permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards feeling born of eye-contact ... revulsion towards feeling born of mind-contact. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate . . .. He understands: ' ... there is no more for this state of being.'" (The Buddha answers Rāhula’s request by teaching on feelings in light of the three characteristics.)
SN 18.6 Saññā Sutta: Perception
"What do you think, Rahula, is perception of forms ... perception of sounds ... perception of odors ... perception of tastes ... perception of tactile objects ... perception of mental phenomena permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards perception of forms ... revulsion towards perception of mental phenomena. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate ... . He understands: ' ... there is no more for this state of being.'"
(The Buddha answers Rāhula’s request by teaching on perceptions in light of the three characteristics.)
SN 18.7 Sañcetanā Sutta: Volition
"What do you think, Rahula, is volition regarding forms ... volition regarding sounds ... volition regarding odors ... volition regarding tastes . .. volition regarding tactile objects ... volition regarding mental phenomena permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards volition regarding forms ... revulsion towards volition regarding mental phenomena. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate ... . He understands: ' ... there is no more for this state of being." (The Buddha answers Rāhula’s request by teaching on intentions in light of the three characteristics.)
SN 18.8 Taṇhā Sutta: Craving
"What do you think, Rahula, is craving for forms ... craving for sounds ... craving for odors ... craving for tastes ... craving for tactile objects ... craving for mental phenomena permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards craving for forms ... revulsion towards craving for mental phenomena. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate . . .. He understands: ' ... there is no more for this state of being.'"
(The Buddha answers Rāhula’s request by teaching on cravings in light of the three characteristics.)
SN 18.9 Dhātu Sutta: Elements "What do you think, Rahula, is the earth element ... the water element ... the heat element ... the air element ... the space element ... the consciousness element permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." . "Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards the earth element . . . . . revulsion towards the water element ... revulsion towards the heat element ... revulsion towards the air element ... revulsion towards the space element ... revulsion towards the consciousness element. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. ... He understands: ' ... there is no more for this state of being.'"
(The Buddha answers Rāhula’s request by teaching on the four material elements in light of the three characteristics.) SN 18.10 Khandha Sutta: Aggregates
"What do you think, Rahula, is form ... feeling ... perception ... volitional formations ... consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards form ... revulsion towards consciousness. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate ... . He understands: ' ... there is no more for this state of being.'"
(The Buddha answers Rāhula’s request by teaching on the five aggregates in light of the three characteristics.)
SN 18.11-20 The Eye, Etc.
(These ten suttas are identical in all respects with SN 18.1-10, except that in these suttas the Buddha interrogates Ruhula on his own initiative without first being asked for a teaching.)
(The Buddha teaches Rāhula about the senses, aggregates, and elements in light of the three characteristics.)
SN 18.21 Anusaya Sutta: Underlying Tendency
At Savatthi. Then the Venerable Rahula approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: "Venerable sir, how should one know, how should one see so that, in regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external signs, I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit no longer occur within?" "Any kind of form whatsoever, Rahula, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near-one sees all form as it really is with correct wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.'"
"Any kind of feeling whatsoever ... Any kind of perception whatsoever ... Any kind of volitional formations whatsoever ... Any kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near-one sees all consciousness as it really is with correct wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' "
"When one knows and sees thus, Rahula, then in regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external signs, I- making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit no longer occur within."
(Rāhula asks how to see so that conceit no longer occurs. The Buddha teaches him to investigate the five aggregates in terms of not-self.) SN 18.22 Apagata Sutta: Rid Of
At Savatthi. Then the Venerable Rahula approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: "Venerable sir, how should one know, how should one see so that, in regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external signs, the mind is rid of I-making, mine-making, and conceit, has transcended discrimination, and is peaceful and well liberated ?"
"Any kind of form whatsoever, Rahula, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near-having seen all form as it really is with correct wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' one is liberated by non-clinging. "Any kind of feeling whatsoever ... Any kind of perception whatsoever ... Any kind of volitional formations whatsoever ... Any kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near-having seen all consciousness as it really is with correct wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' one is liberated by non-c1inging. "
"When one knows and sees thus, Rahula, then in regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external signs, the mind is rid of I-making, mine-making, and conceit, has transcended discrimination, and is peaceful and well liberated."
(Rāhula asks how to see so conceit no longer occurs and one is peaceful. The Buddha teaches him to investigate the five aggregates in terms of not-self.)
References 1. www.accesstoinsight.org 2. https://suttacentral.net/ 3. The connected discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)