THE LESSON GIVEN TO RAHULA

  BEFORE Rahula, the son of Gotama Siddhattha and Yasodhara,

attained to the enlightenment of true wisdom, his conduct was not

always marked by a love of truth, and the Blessed One sent him to a

distant vihara to govern his mind and to guard his tongue. After

some time the Blessed One repaired to the place, and Rahula was filled

with joy.

  The Blessed One ordered the boy to bring him a basin of water and to

wash his feet, and Rahula obeyed. When Rahula had washed the

Tathagata's feet, the Blessed One asked: "Is the water now fit for

drinking?"

  "No, my Lord," replied the boy, "the water is defiled. Then the

Blessed One said: "Now consider thine own case. Although thou art my

son, and the grandchild of a king, although thou art a samana who

has voluntarily given up everything, thou art unable to guard thy

tongue from untruth, and thus defilest thou thy mind." And when the

water had been poured away, the Blessed One asked again: "Is this

vessel now fit for holding water to drink?"

  "No, my Lord," replied Rahula, "the vessel, too, has become

unclean." And the Blessed One said: "Now consider thine own case.

Although thou wearest the yellow robe, art thou fit for any high

purpose when thou hast become unclean like this vessel?" Then the

Blessed One, lifting up the empty basin and whirling it round,

asked: "Art thou not afraid lest it shall fall and break?" "No, my

Lord," replied Rahula, it is cheap, its loss will not amount to much."

  "Now consider thine own case, said the Blessed One. Thou art whirled

about in endless eddies of transmigration, and as thy body is made

of the same substance as other material things that will crumble to

dust, there is no loss if it be broken. He who is given to speaking

untruths is an object of contempt to the wise."

  Rahula was filled with shame, and the Blessed One addressed him once

more: "Listen, and I will tell thee a parable: There was a king who

had a very powerful elephant, able to cope with five hundred

ordinary elephants. When going to war, the elephant was armed with

sharp swords on his tusks, with scythes on his shoulders, spears on

his feet, and an iron ball at his tail. The elephant-master rejoiced

to see the noble creature so well equipped, and, knowing that a slight

wound by an arrow in the trunk would be fatal, he had taught the

elephant to keep his trunk well coiled up. But during the battle the

elephant stretched forth his trunk to seize a sword. His master was

frightened and consulted with the king, and they decided that the

elephant was no longer fit to be used in battle.

  "O Rahula! if men would only guard their tongues all would be

well! Be like the fighting elephant who guards his trunk against the

arrow that strikes in the center. By love of truth the sincere

escape iniquity. Like the elephant well subdued and quiet, who permits

the king to mount on his trunk, thus the man that reveres

righteousness will endure faithfully throughout his life." Rahula

hearing these words was filled with deep sorrow; he never again gave

any occasion for complaint, and forthwith he sanctified his life by

earnest exertions.