Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
56. Sacca Saṃyutta
2. Dhamma-Cakka-Pavattana Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
56. Kindred Sayings about the Truths
2. The Foundation of the Kingdom of the Norm[1]
Sutta 11
Dhamma-Cakka-p-Pavattana Suttaṃ
Paṭhama Tathāgatena Vutta
Spoken by the Tathāgata (a)
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][bodh][than][nymo][piya][olds] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Benares, at Isipatana, in the Deer-Park.
Then the Exalted One thus spake unto the company of five monks:[2]
"Monks, these two extremes
should not be followed
by one who has gone forth as a wanderer.
What two?
Devotion to the pleasures of sense,[3]
a low practice of [357] villagers,[4]
a practice unworthy, unprofitable,
the way of the world
(on the one hand);
and (on the other)
devotion to self-mortification,
which is painful,
unworthy
and unprofitable.
By avoiding these two extremes
the Tathāgata has gained knowledge of that middle path
which giveth vision,
which giveth knowledge,
which causeth calm,
special knowledge,[5]
enlightenment,
Nibbāna.
And what, monks, is that middle path
which giveth vision,
which giveth knowledge,
which causeth calm,
special knowledge,
enlightenment,
Nibbāna?
Verily it is this Ariyan eightfold way, to wit:
Right view,
right aim,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right effort,
right mindfulness,
right concentration.
This, monks, is that middle path
which giveth vision,
which giveth knowledge,
which causeth calm,
special knowledge,
enlightenment,
Nibbāna.
Now this, monks, is the Ariyan truth about Ill:
Birth is Ill,
decay is Ill,
sickness is Ill,
death is Ill:
likewise sorrow and grief,
woe, lamentation and despair.[6]
To be conjoined with things which we dislike:
to be separated from things which we like,
— that also is Ill.
Not to get what one wants,
— that also is Ill.
In a word,
this body,
this fivefold mass which is based on grasping,
— that is Ill.
Now this, monks, is the Ariyan truth
about the arising of Ill:
It is that craving that leads back to birth,
along with the lure and the lust
that lingers longingly now here, now there: namely,
the craving for sensual pleasure,
the craving to be born again,
the craving for existence to end.
Such, monks, is the Ariyan truth
about the arising of Ill.
And this, monks,
is the Ariyan truth
about the ceasing of Ill:
Verily it is the utter passionless cessation of,
the giving up,
the forsaking,
the release from,
the absence of longing
for this craving.
[358] Now this, monks,
is the Ariyan truth
about the practice
that leads to the ceasing of Ill:
Verily it is this Ariyan eightfold way, to wit:
Right view,
right aim,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right effort,
right mindfulness,
right concentration.
Monks, at the thought
of this Ariyan truth of Ill,
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
Monks, at the thought:
'This Ariyan truth about Ill
is to be understood',
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
Monks, at the thought:
'This Ariyan truth about Ill
has been understood (by me)',
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
Again, monks, at the thought
of this Ariyan truth
about the arising of Ill,
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
At the thought:
'This arising of Ill[7]
is to be put away',
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
At the thought:
'This arising of I11
has been put away',
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
Again, monks, at the thought
of this Ariyan truth
about the ceasing of Ill,
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
At the thought:
'This ceasing of Ill
must be realized',
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
At the thought:
'This Ariyan truth about the ceasing of Ill
has been realized',
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
Again, monks, at the thought
of this Ariyan truth
about the [359] practice
leading to the ceasing of Ill,
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
At the thought:
'This Ariyan truth
about the practice
leading to the ceasing of Ill
must be cultivated',
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
At the thought:
'This Ariyan truth
about the practice
leading to the ceasing of Ill
has been cultivated',
— concerning things unlearnt before,
there arose in me vision,
insight,
understanding:
there arose in me wisdom,
there arose in me light.
Now, monks, so long as my knowledge and insight
of these thrice revolved twelvefold Ariyan truths,
in their essential nature,
was not quite purified,
— so long was I not sure
that in this world,
together with its Devas,
its Māras,
its Brahmās,
among the hosts of recluses and brahmins,
of Devas and mankind,
there was one enlightened
with supreme enlightenment.
But, monks, so soon as my knowledge and insight
of these thrice revolved twelvefold Ariyan truths,
in their essential nature,
was quite purified,
— then, monks, was I assured
what it is to be enlightened
with supreme enlightenment
with regard to the world and its Devas,
its Māras,
its Brahmās,
and with regard to the hosts
of recluses and brahmins,
of Devas and mankind.
Now knowledge and insight
have arisen in me
so that I know:
'Sure is my heart's release.
This is my last birth.
There is no more becoming for me.'"
Thus spake the Exalted One,
and the company of five monks
were glad and rejoiced at the words
of the Exalted One.
Now when this sermon had been spoken,
there arose in the venerable Kondañña
the pure and stainless eye
to see the Norm, to wit:
Whatsoever is of a nature to arise
is likewise of a nature to cease.
Moreover, when the foundation of the kingdom of the Norm
had been thus established by the Exalted One,
the Devas of the earth raised the cry:
'At Benares, at Isipatana,
in the Deer-Park,
hath been established by the Exalted One
this kingdom of the Norm unsurpassed,
this kingdom not to be overset
by any recluse or brahmin,
any Deva or Māra
or Brahmā,
or by anyone whatsoever in the world.'
When the Devas of the Four Kings heard the cry
of the [360] Devas of the earth,
they also raised the cry:
'At Benares, at Isipatana,
in the Deer-Park,
hath been established by the Exalted One
this kingdom of the Norm unsurpassed,
this kingdom not to be overset
by any recluse or brahmin,
any Deva or Māra
or Brahmā,
or by anyone whatsoever in the world.'
When the Devas of the Thirty-Three,
the Yama Devas,
the Devas of Delight,
the Creative Devas,
the Devas who rejoice in the works of other Devas,
and the Devas of the company of Brahmā,
heard the cry of the Devas of the Four Kings,
they also raised the cry:
'At Benares, at Isipatana,
in the Deer-Park,
hath been established by the Exalted One
this kingdom of the Norm unsurpassed,
this kingdom not to be overset
by any recluse or brahmin,
any Deva or Māra
or Brahmā,
or by anyone whatsoever in the world.'
Thus at that very hour,
at that very moment,
in an instant of time
the cry reached even to the Brahma World,
and this thousandfold world-system quaked
and quaked again:
it was shaken to and fro,
and an immeasurable mighty radiance shone forth,
surpassing even the magic power of the Devas.
Thereupon the Exalted One uttered this solemn saying:
"Kondañña indeed has understood!
Kondañña indeed has understood!"
Thus it was that the venerable Kondañña
won his name of
"Kondañña-who-hath-understood"[8]
[1] Sometimes translated as 'The setting rolling of the wheel of the Norm.' Cf. Vin. i, 10. [In his Introd. to Buddhist Suttas, Prof. R. D. erroneously ascribes this Sutta to Aṇguttara N.] Preached originally on the full-moon day of Āsā'ha (July-August), a festival still kept up in Ceylon.
[2] The five co-wanderers were Kondañña, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahānāma, and Assaji.
[3] Text has several misprints: kāmesu kāmesu khallika-, which should be kāmesu kāma-sukh. ... puthujjanīko ... and further on, anupagamma.
[4] Gammo = gāma-vasīnaṇ santako. Comy.
[5] Comy. 'of the four truths.'
[6] These last omitted by the Vinaya version.
[7] Here Burmese MSS. (v.l. of text) omit Ariya-. But we must omit ariya-saccaṇ; otherwise the text would mean 'the Ariyan truth about the arising of Ill is to be put away.' Craving has to be put away. The frame has obscured the picture here.
[8] Aññāta-Kondañña. 'Hereupon,' says the Vinaya account, 'Kondañña asked for ordination, and it was given in these words: "Come, monk! Well proclaimed is the Norm. Live the holy life for the utter destruction of Ill." This was full ordination (upasampadā) for that venerable one.' Then Vappa and Bhaddiya gained insight, and a little later Mahānāma and Assaji. Thus here were six in the Order.
