Chapter 14: The Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma
(1) Evaṃ bhagavā tassa brahmuno paṭiññaṃ datvā. The Blessed One, having given his promise to that great Brahma, thought to himself, “To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who will be able to understand the Dhamma quickly?” The Blessed One considered, “Āḷāra Kālāma, of the Kālāma clan, is a wise man with little dust of defilement in his eyes. I should teach the Dhamma to him first. That ascetic will surely understand the Dhamma.” At that moment, a deva approached and informed him, saying, “Venerable Sir, Āḷāra Kālāma of the Kālāma clan passed away seven days ago.” Insight arose in the Blessed One, and he knew, “It is true that Āḷāra Kālāma passed away seven days ago.”
(2) Athassa etadahosi. Then this thought occurred to him again: “To whom should I teach the Dhamma?” He then realized, “Uddaka Rāmaputta the son of Rāma, is a wise man with little dust in his eyes. He should be able to understand the Dhamma quickly.” Then, a deva approached and informed the Blessed One, “Uddaka, the son of Rāma, passed away last evening.” The Blessed One knew through his wisdom, “It is as the deva says.” Then the Blessed One thought, “Those two ascetics have suffered a great loss. If they had been able to hear the Dhamma that the Tathāgata teaches, they would surely have understood it without a doubt.”
(3) Athassa etadahosi. Then this thought occurred to the Blessed One again: “To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who will be able to understand the Dhamma?” He then thought of the group of five ascetics, thinking, “These five ascetics were of great service to the Tathāgata, attending to him for a long time. Therefore, the Tathāgata should teach the Dhamma to the group of five ascetics first.” The Blessed One then considered, “Where have the group of five ascetics gone?” Then he knew, “The group of five ascetics has gone to the Deer Park at Isipatana, near the city of Bārāṇasī.” The Blessed One stayed in the region of Uruvelā as he pleased, and when the time was right, he set out on a journey.
The Ājīvaka Upaka saw the Sammāsambuddha and uttered various words of praise. The Blessed One recited a verse beginning, “Sabbābhibhū sabbavidū” (“Conqueror of all, knower of all”). When he finished, the Ājīvaka Upaka asked, “Where is the ascetic going?” The Blessed One replied, “The Tathāgata is going to the land of Kāsī to set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma.” Upon hearing this, the Ājīvaka Upaka replied, “Friend ascetic, your words are excellent,” and with a nod of his head, he went on his own way.
(4) Atha kho bhagavā anupubbena cārikañcaramāno. Then the Blessed One, journeying in stages, arrived at the Deer Park at Isipatana, the dwelling place of the group of five. The five ascetics saw the Blessed One from a distance and made an agreement among themselves, saying, “Friends, the ascetic Gotama is coming.”
“The ascetic Gotama is approaching. Let us not pay homage to him, nor rise to greet him, nor take his bowl and robes. However, let us prepare a seat for him. If the ascetic wishes to sit, let him sit.” But when the Blessed One drew near, the five ascetics could not keep their agreement. They were filled with joy, went to receive his bowl and robes, performed all the duties of hospitality, and addressed the Blessed One, some using his old name, and some using the term “Āvuso” (friend).
(5) Arahaṃ bhikkhave tathāgato. The Blessed One then spoke, saying, “O monks, the Tathāgata is an Arahant, fully enlightened by his own efforts. O monks, lend your ears and listen to the deathless Dhamma. The Tathāgata will instruct and teach the Dhamma that the Tathāgata has realized.” When the Blessed One said this, the five ascetics asked in return, “Friend Gotama, have you yourself realized the superhuman states?” The Blessed One replied, “The Dhamma which is called the Deathless, the Tathāgata has realized the Deathless, the Tathāgata has realized. The Tathāgata will teach the Dhamma to you all.” The Blessed One was unable to make the five ascetics fully understand for a total of two times. It was only on the third occasion that the five ascetics accepted and listened to the Buddha’s words.
(6) Atha kho bhagavā pañcavaggiye bhikkhū amantesi. Then the Blessed One addressed the five monks with these words: Dve me, bhikkhave, antā pabbajitena na sevitabbā. “Monks, these two extremes should not be cultivated by one who has gone forth. There are eight components to the path that a renunciant should cultivate.” The Blessed One then delivered the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (The Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma), which consists of three parts: 1) indulgence in sensual pleasures, 2) self-mortification, and 3) the Middle Path. It is structured around the Four Noble Truths: 1) the truth of suffering, 2) the truth of the origin of suffering, 3) the truth of the cessation of suffering, and 4) the truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. It is further explained with three turnings: 1) the knowledge of the truth, 2) the knowledge of the function, and 3) the knowledge of the accomplishment, and is presented with twelve aspects, meaning each of the four truths has three aspects. The devas proclaimed the sound from one to another. The ten thousand world-systems trembled and shook. At that moment, the monk Koṇḍañña attained insight into the supramundane Dhamma, that is, the fruit of stream-entry. Eighteen koṭi (180 million) devas also attained the eye of Dhamma, that is, the fruit of stream-entry, and returned to their celestial realms.
The Blessed One delivered the Dhammacakka discourse on the full moon day of the month of Āsāḷha, in the year of the Rooster.
(End of the Chapter on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma, Chapter 14)
