THE FIRST SERMON

Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta

Translated by Kaba-Aye U Chit Tin

Vol. 1, No.1, 1981

           Thus I have heard: on one occasion the Exalted One was staying at Banares at Isipatata in the Deer Park. There the Exalted One addressed the five bhikkhus:

           "These two extremes, bhikkhus, are not to be practised by one who has gone forth from the world. What are the two?

           (1) (Kamasukhallikanuyoga) That conjoined with the passions luxury, low, vulgar common, ignoble, and unprofitable, and (2) (Attakilamathanuyoga) That conjoined with self-mortification painful, ignoble and unprofitable.

           There is the Middle Way, O! bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathagata, a path which opens the eyes and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full Enlightenment, to Nibbana.

           And what, bhikkhus, is that Middle Path which opens the eyes and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full Enlightenment, to Nibbana?

           Verily, it is this Noble Eightfold Path, namely:

1. Right Understanding,
2. Right Thinking,
3. Right Speech,
4. Right Action,
5. Right Livelihood,
6. Right Effort,
7. Right Mindfulness, and
8. Right Concentration.

           This, bhikkhus, is Middle Path which opens the eyes and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom to full Enlightenment, to Nibbana.

           (1) Now this, bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of Suffering; Birth is Suffering; Decay is Suffering; Disease is Suffering; Death is Suffering; association with those one does not love is Suffering; separation from those one loves is Suffering; not to get what one wants is Suffering; in short, the five constituent group of existence which are the object of Clinging are Suffering.

           (2) Now this, bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of the cause of Suffering:

           It is the Craving which gives rise to fresh rebirth, and bound up with lust and greed now here now there, finds ever fresh delight. It is the Sensual Craving (kamma-tanha), the Craving for Existence (Bhava-tanha), and the Craving for Self-Annihilation (Vibhava-tanha).

           (3) Now this, bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering:

           It is the complete fading away and extinction of this Craving, its forsaking and giving up, liberation and detachment from it.

           (4) Now this, bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering:

           It is this very Noble Eightfold Path, namely: -

1. Right Understanding,
2. Right Thinking,
3. Right Speech,
4. Right Action,
5. Right Livelihood,
6. Right Effort,
7. Right Mindfulness, and
8. Right Concentration.

           (1) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision, Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge, and Light that this is the Noble Truth of Suffering, with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           (2) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision, Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge and Light that this Noble Truth of Suffering must be understood by me, with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           (3) Bhikkhus there arose in me Vision, Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge and Light that this Noble Truth of Suffering has been understood by me, with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           (4) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision, Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge and Light that this is the Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering, with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           (5) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision, Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge and Light that this Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering must be got rid of, with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           (6) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision, Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge and Light that this Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering has been got rid of by me, with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           (7) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision, Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge and Light that this is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering, with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           (8) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision, Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge and Light that this Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering must be realised with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           (9) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge, and Light that this Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering has been realised by me, with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           (10) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision, Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge and Light that this is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering, with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           (11) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision, Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge and Light that this Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering, must be developed, which have never been heard before.

           (12) Bhikkhus, there arose in me Vision. Insight, Wisdom, Knowledge and Light that this Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering has been developed by me, with reference to the Dhammas which have never been heard before.

           Now so long, Bhikkhus, as my Knowledge and Insight into these Four Noble Truths in three phases and twelve ways, were not fully purified—so long I did not profess to have attained the Incomparable Supreme Enlightenment in this world, together with the devas, the Maras, the brahmas, among the hosts of samanas and brahmanas of devas and mankind.

           But bhikkhus, since my Knowledge and Insight into these Four Noble Truths in three phases and twelve ways, were fully purified,—then, bhikkhus, I declared that I have attained Incomparable Supreme Enlightenment to the world, together with the devas, the Maras, the brahmas, among the hosts of samanas and brahmanas, of devas and mankind.

           Insight of retrospection arose in me "My Knowledge of the Fruition of Holiness cannot be destroyed by the opposite Dhammas; this is my last birth and there is no more becoming for me."

           Thus the Exalted One spoke the Words beginning with "Dve me, bhikkhave,". The five bhikkhus were delighted, and rejoiced at the words of the Exalted One.

           When the Exalted One set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma, the bhuma devas proclaimed in unison; "The Incomparable Wheel of Dhamma is turned by the Exalted One in the Deer Park, Isipatana near Banares, and neither samana, brahmana, deva, Mara, brahma nor any other beings in the world can stop it."

           Having heard the proclamation of bhuma devas, the Catumaharajika devas proclaimed in unison; "The Incomparable Wheel Of Dhamma is turned by the Exalted One in the Deer Park, Isipatana near Banares, and neither samana, brahmana, devas, Mara, brahma, nor any other beings in the world can stop it."

           This utterance was echoed and re-echoed in the upper realms; from Catumaharajika it was transmitted successively to Tavatimsa, Yama, Tusita, Nimmanarati and Paranimmita vasavatti.

           Having heard the proclamation of Paranimmita vasavatti devas, the Brahmakayika devas proclaimed in unison, "The Incomparable Wheel of Dhamma is turned by the Exalted One in the Deer Park, Isipatana near Banares, and neither samana, brahmana, devas, Mara, brahma, nor any other beings in the world can stop it."

           Thus in a moment, at an instant within a flash, the word about turning the Wheel of Dhamma reached the Brahma-world; and the whole system of ten thousand universes pitched and tossed.

           A boundless, sublime radiance caused by the Power of Desana—dhamma—cakka surpassing the power of devas appeared on earth.

           Then the Exlted One pronounced this solemn utterance: "Bhikkhus, truly Kondanna has realised the Four Noble Truths; truly Kondanna has realised the Four Noble Truths."

           On account of this solemn utterance, the venerable Kondanna received the name Annasikondanna (Kondanna who has realised the Four Noble Truths).

           And the venerable Kondanna (who has now become a Sotapanna), having realised the Four Noble Truths, having attained the Four Noble Truths, having fully understood the Four Noble Truths, having penetrated the Four Noble Truths, having overcome doubts, having dispelled all uncertainties having full confidence in Sasana, the Teaching of the Buddha, having realised that there was none except the Buddha in whom to confide, spoke to the Exalted One:

           "May I receive the full ordination from the Exalted One."

          "Come, O bhikkhu," said the Exalted One, "well taught is the Dhamma; strive for the next three higher Holy Paths for the sake of the complete Cessation of Suffering." Thus the Venerable Kondanna received the full ordination as an "ehi bhikkhu (Come, O bhikkhu)".

Here ends the First Sermon of the Lord Buddha.