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- Samyutta Nikaya LVI.11
- Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta
- Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Varanasi
in the Game Refuge at Isipatana. There he addressed the group of
five monks:
"There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged
in by one who has gone forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual pleasure with
reference to sensual objects: base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable; and that which
is devoted to self-affliction: painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of these
extremes, the middle way realized by the Tathagata -- producing vision, producing
knowledge -- leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.
"And what is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that --
producing vision, producing knowledge -- leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to
self-awakening, to Unbinding? Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right
resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness,
right concentration. This is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that -- producing
vision, producing knowledge -- leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to
Unbinding.
"Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress: Birth is
stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress,
& despair are stressful; association with the unbeloved is stressful, separation from
the loved is stressful, not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five
aggregates of clinging/sustenance are stressful.
"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving
that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now
here & now there -- i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving
for non-becoming.
"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the remainderless
fading & cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, & letting go of that
very craving.
"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the
cessation of stress: precisely this Noble Eightfold Path -- right view, right resolve,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration.
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination
arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of
stress'...'This noble truth of stress is to be comprehended'...'This noble truth of stress
has been comprehended.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination
arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the
origination of stress'...'This noble truth of the origination of stress is to be
abandoned'...'This noble truth of the origination of stress has been abandoned.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination
arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the
cessation of stress'...'This noble truth of the cessation of stress is to be directly
experienced'...'This noble truth of the cessation of stress has been directly
experienced.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination
arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the
way of practice leading to the cessation of stress'...'This noble truth of the way of
practice leading to the cessation of stress is to be developed'...'This noble truth of the
way of practice leading to the cessation of stress has been developed.'
"And, monks, as long as this knowledge & vision of mine -- with its three
rounds & twelve permutations concerning these four noble truths as they actually are
present -- was not pure, I did not claim to have directly awakened to the right
self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities, Maras, & Brahmas, with its
contemplatives & priests, its royalty & commonfolk. But as soon as this knowledge
& vision of mine -- with its three rounds & twelve permutations concerning these
four noble truths as they actually are present -- was truly pure, then I did claim to have
directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities,
Maras & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & priests, its royalty & commonfolk.
Knowledge & vision arose in me: 'Unprovoked is my release. This is the last birth.
There is now no further becoming.'"
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the group of five monks delighted at his
words. And while this explanation was being given, there arose to Ven. Kondañña the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye: Whatever is
subject to origination is all subject to cessation.
And when the Blessed One had set the Wheel of Dhamma in motion, the earth deities cried
out: "At Varanasi, in the Game Refuge at Isipatana, the Blessed One has set in motion
the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by priest or contemplative, deity, Mara or God or anyone in the cosmos." On hearing the earth deities'
cry, the deities of the Four Kings' Heaven took up the cry...the deities of the
Thirty-three...the Yama deities...the Tusita
deities...the Nimmanarati deities...the Paranimmita-vasavatti deities...the deities of Brahma's retinue took up the cry: "At Varanasi, in the Game Refuge
at Isipatana, the Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot
be stopped by priest or contemplative, deity, Mara, or God or anyone at all in the
cosmos."
So in that moment, that instant, the cry shot right up to the Brahma worlds. And this
ten-thousand fold cosmos shivered & quivered & quaked, while a great, measureless
radiance appeared in the cosmos, surpassing the effulgence of the deities.
Then the Blessed One exclaimed: "So you really know, Kondañña? So you really
know?" And that is how Ven. Kondañña acquired the name Añña-Kondañña --
Kondañña who knows.