Rahula

Rahula is a figure in Buddhist tradition, best known as the son of Siddhartha Gautama, who would become the Buddha, and his wife, Queen Yashodhara. In early Buddhist texts, Rahula’s life is used to illustrate the tensions between family life and the spiritual path, as well as the education of a monastic novice.

According to canonical accounts, Rahula eventually joined the Buddhist monastic community as a novice under the guidance of his father, and his story is told in ways that vary by tradition. He is often cited as one of the Buddha’s early followers from his own family, representing the transition from household life to spiritual discipline.

The most famous teaching associated with Rahula is the Rahulovada Sutta, found in the Majjhima Nikaya, in which the Buddha provides Rahula with practical instruction on right speech, ethical conduct, mindfulness, and the path to liberation. The discourse emphasizes moral discipline and the development of wisdom as essential to awakening, and it is frequently cited as a source for early monastic training and education.

Etymologically, the name Rahula is commonly interpreted as meaning “fetter” or “binding,” a reference to his lineage and the social ties he embodies, though interpretations of the name vary across languages and commentators. In art and literature, Rahula appears in narratives that discuss the balance between lay life and renunciation, and the role of the Buddha’s family in the early spread of the Dharma.

In summary, Rahula is remembered in Buddhist literature as the Buddha’s son who became part of the monastic path and as a participant in early Buddhist teachings aimed at novices.