Rahula
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- For Buddha Shakyamuni's son Rahula see Son Rahula
Rahula (Skt. Rāhula; Tib. སྒྲ་གཅན་འཛིན་, Drachen Dzin; Wyl. sgra gcan 'dzin) —
1) The Buddha's son, who also became
2) the tenth of the Sixteen Arhats.
When he was six years old the Buddha visited his homeland and was greeted by his family. Soon afterwards Rahula, wishing to be with his father, joined the Sangha. He was noted for his diligent study and observance of the Vinaya.
When the Buddha was about to enter parinirvana, Rahula, overcome with grief, begged him to remain, but the Buddha reminded him of the impermanence of all things and assured him he would be guided by all the buddhas for as long as he remained in the world.
He lives in northern India in Priyangudvipa with 1,000 arhats.
He holds a diadem which he received from the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, which carries the blessing to vanquish passion and understand the teachings. Those who pray to him are cared for by the protective deities.
3) The dharmapala Za Rahula.
4) One of the eighty-four mahasiddhas.
5) A class of worldly spirits.
Source
Rahula (Tibetan: kyab jug): wrathful protector of the Revealed Treasure Tradition.
Fiercely wrathful, black in colour, with nine heads, each face has three large eyes and a gaping mouth with exposed fangs. The right faces are green, left red and the central black, the top central face is white.
On the stomach is the large face of the original Rahula who devoured the nine celestial planets.
The body is covered with numerous eyes. In the first pair of hands are a drawn bow and arrow. The second right holds aloft a makara stick and the left a snake lasso. Adorned with crowns of five skulls and gold earrings he wears a green scarf and various coloured lower garments.
The lower body is that of a coiled naga serpent, dark blue in colour, rising out of a blood filled black triangle enclosure; surrounded by orange flames and black smoke.
In a skullcup in front is a large triangular red torma offering (stylized food) with two more offering skullcups arranged at the sides of the enclosure.
"From a fierce E syllable in a realm equal to space, the Lord arises out of wrathful activity, smoky, with nine heads, four hands and a thousand blazing eyes; homage to the Great Rahula - Protector of the Teachings." (Nyingma liturgical verse.)
