English translation
3.3.6 How to Train Oneself and to Confess Shortcomings to One’s Elders, Part One *
Thus has been heard by me. At one time the Bhagavā was staying near Rājagiri at the bamboo grove, Kalandakanivāpe. At that time the Venerable Rāhula was living at Ambalaṭṭhikā. One evening the Bhagavā arose from his place of meditation and went to Ambalaṭṭhikā approaching the Venerable Rāhula. The Venerable Rāhula saw the Bhagavā from afar approaching, and seeing him he prepared a seat and water for washing the feet. The Bhagavā sat down at the prepared seat and, having sat down, washed his feet. The Venerable Rahula greeted the Bhagavā respectfully and sat down at one side.
…
“How do you construe this, Rahula: What is the purpose of a mirror?”
“For the purpose of looking at oneself, Bhante!”
“In the same way, Rahula, physical actions should be performed with repeated reflection, verbal actions should be made with repeated reflection and mental actions should be considered with repeated reflection.
Whenever you want to perform any physical action, you should reflect on it: ‘This physical action I want to perform—could it lead to affliction for me, to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both? Is it an unwholesome physical action with painful consequences and painful results?’ If, from this reflection, you understand thus: ‘This physical action I want to perform could lead to affliction for me, to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both; it would be an unwholesome physical action with painful consequences and painful results!’—Then any physical action of that kind certainly should not be performed by you.
But if after this reflection you understand thus: ‘This physical action I want to perform will not lead to affliction for me, to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both; it is a wholesome physical action with good consequences and beneficial results!’— then any physical action of that kind you should perform.
While you are performing a physical action, you should reflect on it: ‘This physical action I am performing—is it leading to affliction for me, to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both? Is it an unwholesome physical action with painful consequences and painful results?’
If, from this reflection, you understand thus: ‘This physical action I am performing could lead to affliction for me, to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both; it would be an unwholesome physical action with painful consequences and painful results!’—Then any physical action of that kind certainly should not be performed by you.
But if after this reflection, you understand thus: ‘This physical action I am performing is not leading to affliction for me, to affliction of others, or to affliction of both; it is a wholesome physical action with good consequences and beneficial results.’—Then any physical action of that kind you may perform.
Having performed a bodily action, you should reflect on it thus: ‘This physical action I have performed—could it lead to affliction for me, to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both? Was it an unwholesome physical action with painful consequences and painful results?’ If, from this reflection, you understand thus: ‘This physical action I have performed could lead to affliction for me, to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both; it was an unwholesome physical action with painful consequences, painful results!’—Then you should confess it, reveal it, lay it open to the teacher or to a wise one or a companion in the holy life. Having confessed it, revealed it and laid it open you should exercise restraint in the future.
But if after this very reflection, you understand thus: ‘This physical action did not lead to affliction for me, to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both; it was a wholesome physical action with happy consequences, beneficial results!’ then you should dwell mentally at peace and joyful, training yourself day and night in wholesome mental qualities.” …
* Ambalaṭṭhikarāhulovādasuttaṃ: Ambalaṭṭhika + rāhulo + vāda + suttaṃ – mango grove + Rahula + speech + suttaṃ.