Aṅguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
II. Rathakāra Vagga

The Book of the Threes

Sutta 14

Cakkavatti Suttaṃ

Wheel Turner

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 

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[14][pts][bodh][upal] I Hear Tell:

Once upon a time The Lucky Man, Sāvatthi-town residing,
Jeta Grove,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Sporting Grounds.

There, to the beggars gathered round
he said:

"Even he, beggars,
who is a wheel-turning king,
a law-abiding,
Dhamma king,
even he does not turn the wheel
without having a king."

That said,
a certain beggar
said this to The Lucky Man:

"Who, Bhante,
is the king,
the wheel-turning,
law-abiding,
Dhamma king,
follows?"

"Dhamma, beggar."

Here, beggar,
such a king,
a wheel-turning,
law-abiding,
Dhamma king,
relying just on Dhamma,
respecting Dhamma,
esteeming Dhamma,
proudly honoring Dhamma,
with Dhamma, as his flag,
with Dhamma, as his banner,
making Dhamma, preeminent,
does not fail to guard and protect
the families within his rule.

And further,
in addition to that, beggar,
such a king,
a wheel-turning,
law-abiding,
Dhamma king,
relying just on Dhamma,
respecting Dhamma,
esteeming Dhamma,
proudly honoring Dhamma,
with Dhamma, as his flag,
with Dhamma, as his banner,
making Dhamma, preeminent,
does not fail to guard and protect
those of the ruling class,
the army,
Brahmins and householders,
people living in town, city or country,
wild beasts and birds.

He, then, beggar, that king,
that wheel-turning,
law-abiding,
Dhamma king,
relying just on Dhamma,
respecting Dhamma,
esteeming Dhamma,
proudly honoring Dhamma,
with Dhamma, as his flag,
with Dhamma, as his banner,
who makes Dhamma, preeminent, and
not failing to guard and protect
the families within his rule,
not failing to guard and protect
those of the ruling class,
not failing to guard and protect
the army,
not failing to guard and protect
Brahmins and householders,
not failing to guard and protect
people living in town, city or country,
not failing to guard and protect
wild beasts and birds
rolls-on the Dhamma,-wheel,
that wheel the rolling of which
is not to be rolled back by
any personal enemy,
a human being,
any living being.

 

■

 

Even so, beggar,
The Tathāgata,
Arahant,
the Consummately Self-awakened,
that Dhamma king,
relying just on Dhamma,
respecting Dhamma,
esteeming Dhamma,
proudly honoring Dhamma,
with Dhamma, as his flag,
with Dhamma, as his banner,
who makes Dhamma, preeminent, and
does not fail to guard and protect
his bodily acts, thinking:

'This form of bodily action is to be followed;
this form of bodily action is not to be followed.'

And further,
in addition to that, beggar,
the Tathāgata,
Arahant,
the Consummately Self-awakened,
that Dhamma king,
relying just on Dhamma,
respecting Dhamma,
esteeming Dhamma,
proudly honoring Dhamma,
with Dhamma, as his flag,
with Dhamma, as his banner,
who makes Dhamma, preeminent, and
does not fail to guard and protect
his vocal acts, thinking:

'This form of vocal action is to be followed;
this form of vocal action is not to be followed.'

And further,
in addition to that, beggar,
the Tathāgata,
Arahant,
the Consummately Self-awakened,
that Dhamma king,
relying just on Dhamma,
respecting Dhamma,
esteeming Dhamma,
proudly honoring Dhamma,
with Dhamma, as his flag,
with Dhamma, as his banner,
who makes Dhamma, preeminent, and
does not fail to guard and protect
his mental acts, thinking:

'This form of mental action is to be followed;
this form of mental action is not to be followed.'

He then, beggar, the Tathāgata,
Arahant,
the Consummately Self-awakened,
that Dhamma king,
relying just on Dhamma,
respecting Dhamma,
esteeming Dhamma,
proudly honoring Dhamma,
with Dhamma, as his flag,
with Dhamma, as his banner,
who makes Dhamma, preeminent, and
not failing to guard and protect
his bodily acts,
not failing to guard and protect
his vocal acts,
not failing to guard and protect
his mental acts
rolls-on the Dhamma,-wheel,
that wheel the rolling of which
is not to be rolled back by
any shaman or Brahmin,
deity,
Devil,
or Brāhmin,
or anyone in the world."