Setting the Wheel of Dhamma

1.1At one time the Buddha was staying near Varanasi in the deer park at Isipatana.

1.2There the Buddha addressed the group of five mendicants:

2.1“Mendicants, these two extremes should not be cultivated by one gone forth.

2.2What two?

2.3Indulgence in sensual pleasures, which is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. And indulgence in self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, and pointless.

2.4Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One understood the middle way of practice, which gives vision and knowledge, and leads to peace, direct knowledge, awakening, and extinguishment.

3.1And what is that middle way of practice?

3.2It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:

3.3right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

3.4This is that middle way of practice, which gives vision and knowledge, and leads to peace, direct knowledge, awakening, and extinguishment.

4.1Now this is the noble truth of suffering.

4.2Rebirth is suffering; old age is suffering; illness is suffering; death is suffering; being coupled with the disliked is suffering; separation from the liked is suffering; not getting what you wish for is suffering. In brief, the five grasping aggregates are suffering.

4.3Now this is the noble truth of the origin of suffering.

4.4It’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure there wherever it alights. That is,

4.5craving for sensual pleasures, craving for continued existence, and craving for nonexistence.

4.6Now this is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering.

4.7It’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving no residue left behind; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not clinging to it.

4.8Now this is the noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.

4.9It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:

4.10right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

5.1‘This is the noble truth of suffering.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another.

5.2‘This noble truth of suffering should be completely understood.’ Such was the vision that arose in me …

5.3‘This noble truth of suffering has been completely understood.’ Such was the vision that arose in me …

6.1‘This is the noble truth of the origin of suffering.’ Such was the vision that arose in me …

6.2‘This noble truth of the origin of suffering should be given up.’ Such was the vision that arose in me …

6.3‘This noble truth of the origin of suffering has been given up.’ Such was the vision that arose in me …

7.1‘This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering.’ Such was the vision that arose in me …

7.2‘This noble truth of the cessation of suffering should be realized.’ Such was the vision that arose in me …

7.3‘This noble truth of the cessation of suffering has been realized.’ Such was the vision that arose in me …

8.1‘This is the noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.’ Such was the vision that arose in me …

8.2‘This noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering should be developed.’ Such was the vision that arose in me …

8.3‘This noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering has been developed.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another.

9.1As long as my true knowledge and vision about these four noble truths was not fully purified in these three rounds and twelve aspects, I didn’t announce my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.

10.1But when my true knowledge and vision about these four noble truths was fully purified in these three rounds and twelve aspects, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.

10.2Knowledge and vision arose in me:

10.3‘My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there’ll be no more future lives.’”

10.4That is what the Buddha said.

10.5Satisfied, the group of five mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

11.1And while this discourse was being spoken, the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in Venerable Koṇḍañña:

11.2“Everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.”

12.1And when the Buddha rolled forth the Wheel of Dhamma, the earth gods raised the cry:

12.2“Near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana, the Buddha has rolled forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma. And that wheel cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world.”

12.3Hearing the cry of the earth gods, the gods of the four great kings …

12.5the gods of the thirty-three …

12.6the gods of Yama …

12.7the joyful gods …

12.8the gods who love to create …

12.9the gods who control what is created by others …

12.10the gods of the Divinity’s host raised the cry:

12.11“Near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana, the Buddha has rolled forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma. And that wheel cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world.”

13.1And so at that moment, that second, that hour, the cry soared up to the realm of divinity.

13.2And this ten-thousandfold galaxy shook and rocked and trembled. And an immeasurable, magnificent light appeared in the world, surpassing the glory of the gods.

14.1Then the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

14.2“Koṇḍañña has really understood! Koṇḍañña has really understood!”

14.3And that’s how Venerable Koṇḍañña came to be known as “Koṇḍañña Who Understood”.