Rahula
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rahula (534 BC–?;) was the only son of Siddhartha Gautama, later to become the Buddha. This Pali and Sanskrit name translates roughly as "chain" or "chained one," an interesting philosophical contrast to Buddha, "the awakened one." It can also be translated as obstacle. Siddhartha Gautama named his son Rahula in recognizing that the child could be a tie that bound him to his wife Yashodhara and the comforts of the life of a householder. In the Dhammapada, the pleasure and joy that a man takes in his wife and children is called a 'soft fetter' that ties individuals to the life of suffering – possibly a reference to Siddhartha's own son.
In modern Indian languages, Rahul is now a common name in India and Nepal, its first use is probably correctly attributed to the above mentioned person.
Although Rahula was parted from his father when Siddhartha began his life as a monk, Rahula, according to several Buddhist sutras, eventually came to be a part of his father's new-founded religious order. He is seen in several anecdotes about Gautama, and he is exclusively portrayed as a student. According to the scriptures, Rahula was first ordained as a novice as a young boy, without his mother's knowledge.
Rahula subsequently became one among the many arhants through following the Buddha's teachings.
[edit] External links
 |
This Buddhist biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
