SUTTA 62

[^640]: According to MA, this discourse was taught to Rāhula when he was eighteen years old, for the purpose of dispelling desire connected with the household life. The Shorter Discourse of Advice to Rāhula is MN 147.

[^641]: MA: While Rāhula was following the Buddha, he noted with admiration the physical perfection of the Master and reflected that he himself was of similar appearance, thinking: "I too am handsome like my father the Blessed One. The Buddha's form is beautiful and so too is mine." The Buddha read Rāhula's thought and decided to admonish him at once, before such vain thoughts led him into greater difficulties. Hence the Buddha framed his advice in terms of contemplating the body as neither a self nor the possession of a self.

[^642]: MA: Ven. Sāriputta, Rāhula's teacher, gave Rāhula this advice unaware that he had already been given different meditation instructions by the Buddha. He was misled by Rāhula's cross-legged posture into thinking that he was practising mindfulness of breathing.

[^643]: MA: The Buddha here explains the meditation on the four great elements rather than mindfulness of breathing in order to dispel Rāhula's attachment to the body, which had not yet been removed by the brief instruction on the egolessness of material form. See n. 329 for explanation of terms requiring comment.

[^644]: Space (äkāsa) is not a primary material element but is classified under derivative material form (upädā rūpa).

[^645]: MA: This passage ( $\S 13-17$ ) is taught to show the quality of impartiality (tädibhäva).

[^646]: For explanations of unclear terms in this first tetrad on mindfulness of breathing ( §26 ), see nn.140-142. Terms needing clarification in the following three tetrads will be explained in the notes to MN 118, the Ānāpānasati Sutta.

[^647]: That is, the meditator dies calmly, with mindfulness and awareness.