妙法蓮華經文句 2.41

2.41

"Rāhula": here this is translated as "obstruction" (fùzhàng). In the past he plugged a rat's hole and also did not attend to a brāhmaṇa for six days; because of these conditions, he is called "obstruction". When the crown prince sought to leave the household, his royal father would not permit it, [though he] earnestly entreated him without ceasing. The king said, "If you have a son, I will permit you to leave the household." The Bodhisattva pointed to the consort's belly: "After six years, you will give birth to a boy." Being in the womb for six years, he is therefore called "obstruction". The Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha said: "Rāhu was originally the name of an asura who could obstruct the sun and moon with his hand; translating this, one should say 'moon-obstructor'." The Buddha said: "My Dharma is like the moon; this child obstructed me from immediately leaving the household, and in life after life he obstructed me, while I in life after life was able to renounce him; hence he is called 'obstruction'." After the Buddha left the household, Yaśodharā was pregnant. The Śākyas were all enraged: "How could this have happened?" They wished to punish her and wished to kill her; evil gossip filled the roads. The precious woman Gopā testified for her, but [the anger] abated only slightly. They thereupon prepared a flaming fire-pit. She made a great vow: "If I have done wrong, may mother and child both perish; if this is truly his offspring, may the gods bear witness!" She then embraced the child and threw herself into the pit. The pit transformed into a pool, and a lotus supported their bodies. Only then did the king and his subjects cease to doubt. Later, when the Buddha returned to his home country, Yaśodharā had Rāhula offer the Buddha joy-sweets. Rāhula, though at a tender age, went directly through the great assembly and offered them up to the Buddha; Yaśodharā thereby put an end to slander. Slander arose because of having a son, hence he is called "obstruction". The grandfather king was overjoyed: "Although I lost his father, I have gained his son; the grandson will become a gold-wheel[-turning king]—what regret have I?" He looked forward to his growing up, hoping that the divine treasures would arrive. But the Buddha demanded that he leave the household. The royal father would not permit it; Yaśodharā took him up to a high tower, but Maudgalyāyana flew through the air to fetch him. The Buddha ordained him, entrusting him to Śāriputra as a disciple. Once he had left the household, the royal throne was also lost, hence he is called "obstruction". While Rāhula was still a novice monk, he was prone to lying. When kings, ministers, brāhmaṇas, and householders came seeking to see the Buddha, Rāhula would reply, "He is not here," causing countless people to be unable to see the Buddha; this was obstructing others. Because of these lies, the Buddha scolded him. Upon returning from walking, he had Rāhula wash his feet, tipped the washbasin three times face-down and three times face-up, and then overturned it on the ground and ordered water to be poured on it. Rāhula said, "When the basin is overturned, the poured water will not stay." The Buddha said, "You are like an overturned basin: within the Buddha's Dharma, the Dharma-water cannot stay. From now on you must speak the truth and not lie." Later, when he cultivated the path with earnest effort without attaining [the fruit], he questioned the Buddha. The Buddha asked, "Have you expounded the five aggregates to others yet?" He replied, "Not yet." "You must expound them to others." After he had expounded them, the Buddha asked again, "Have you expounded the twelve sense bases yet? Have you expounded the eighteen elements yet? Expounding the Dharma is the gate to attaining the path; if you wish to attain the path, you must expound the Dharma to others." Because he then expounded the Dharma extensively, he subsequently attained the path; this is [the meaning of] "obstruction". Once he had attained the path, views and craving were both eliminated, and births in the three realms were exhausted; hence he is called "obstruction". Births in the three realms being exhausted, vows could no longer lead him; hence he is called "obstruction". The Buddha commanded four great arhats not to pass into extinction, [saying,] "Await until my Dharma is completely extinguished." Because of this he maintains [the Dharma] down to the present day, not yet able to enter nirvāṇa without remainder; hence he is called "obstruction" (and so forth).