A rhetorical analysis of chapter 2 and 3 of “What the Buddha Taught” reveals that Rahula used logos, ethos and pathos to define the noble truths.
Logos
Rahula explicated Dukkha and Samudaya in 3 ways:
1. Rahula used Buddha’s words to explain his theory. For instance, one of his opinions is that consciousness cannot exist independently without the other four aggregates. He illustrated this idea by using Buddha’s words: “Consciousness may exist having matter as its means, matter as its object, matter as its support, and seeking delight it may grow, increase and develop...”p(25)
2. Rahula gave examples and stories to support his point of view. He took different kinds of physician as an example to explain pessimism and optimism.
3. Rahula…show more content… 1. Rahula entered a Buddhist temple at the age of 13 and thus received a Buddhist upbringing.
2. Rahula was very interdisciplinary in his studies. His education covered Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit, Buddhism, history and philosophy.
3. Rahula was the first Buddhism monk to hold a Professor title in Western University and he received several other titles during his lifetime.
Walpola Rahula’s strong and subtle rhetoric skills added to his credibility to his audience.
1. Each keyword is followed with its original form in Pali. Each sentence the author referred to can be found in publicly recognized Buddhism Scriptures.
2. Rahula used simple but clear language to illustrate his point of view, making his words understandable to readers from different educational background.
3. Ethos is also conveyed through Rahula’s fairness with which he considered alternative views. “It is true that the Pali word DUKKHA in ordinary usage means ‘suffering’, ‘pain’, ‘sorrow’ or ‘misery’. But the term DUKKHA as the First Noble Truth, which represents Buddha’s view of life and the world, has a deeper philosophical meaning and connotes enormously wider