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Rahula

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The Buddha’s son, who became the first novice monk and symbolizes the renunciation of familial ties for spiritual pursuit.

Detailed Definition
Rahula’s ordination as a child marks a pivotal moment in Buddhist history, illustrating the priority of Dharma over blood ties. In poetry, he embodies youthful sincerity, the testing of truth, and the inheritance of wisdom. His dialogues with the Buddha on mindfulness and ethics provide rich material for didactic and reflective verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
Rāhula’s story inspires a poem: “The Buddha’s son became the first novice—his inheritance was renunciation”; In a modern verse, “Rāhula teaches: truth is the greatest gift a parent can give”; A minimalist reflection: “Rāhula: legacy of letting go”; A student’s lyric: “I thought enlightenment was solitary—Rāhula shows it’s shared.”
Additional Notes
Rahula was the only son of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), born just before his father's Great Renunciation. The name Rahula means "fetter," indicating how his birth reinforced the ties to worldly life that Siddhartha felt compelled to break. Later, after the Buddha's enlightenment, Rahula became the first novice monk (Samanera). His story symbolizes the renunciation of worldly attachments and the establishment of the monastic lineage.
Also Known As
Rahula Thera
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