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The ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'' (Pali; Sanskrit: ''Dharmacakrapravartana Sūtra''; English: ''The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of the Dharma Sutta'' or ''Promulgation of the Law Sutta'') is a Buddhist text that is considered by Buddhists to be a record of the first
sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. ...
given by
Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
, the Sermon in the Deer Park at Sarnath. The main topic of this sutta is the
Four Noble Truths In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (Sanskrit: ; pi, cattāri ariyasaccāni; "The four Arya satyas") are "the truths of the Noble Ones", the truths or realities for the "spiritually worthy ones". Four Noble Truths: BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY Encycl ...
, which refer to and express the basic orientation of Buddhism in a formulaic expression. This sutta also refers to the Buddhist concepts of the
Middle Way The Middle Way ( pi, ; sa, ) as well as "teaching the Dharma by the middle" (''majjhena dhammaṃ deseti'') are common Buddhist terms used to refer to two major aspects of the Dharma, that is, the teaching of the Buddha.; my, အလယ်� ...
, impermanence, and Pratītyasamutpāda, dependent origination. According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha delivered this discourse on the day of Asalha Puja, in the month of
Ashadha Ashadha or Aashaadha or Aadi ( hi, आसाढ़ ''Āsāṛh'' or ''Āṣāḍh''; as, আহাৰ ''ahar''; or, ଆଷାଢ଼ ''Āṣāḍh''; bn, আষাঢ়; syl, ꠀꠀꠠ ''aáṛ''; ne, असार ''asār''; gu, અષા� ...
, in a deer sanctuary in Isipatana. This was seven weeks after he attained enlightenment. His audience consisted of five ascetics who had been his former companions: Kondañña, Assaji, Bhaddiya, Vappa, and Mahānāma.


Definitions

''Dhamma'' (Pāli) or ''dharma'' (Sanskrit) can mean a variety of things depending on its context; in this context, it refers to the Buddha's teachings or his "truth" that leads to one's liberation from suffering. ''Cakka'' (Pāli) or ''cakra'' (Sanskrit) can be translated as "wheel." The '' dhammacakka'', which can be translated as "Dhamma-Wheel," is a Buddhist symbol referring to Buddha's teaching of the path to enlightenment. ''Pavattana'' (Pāli) can be translated as "turning" or "rolling" or "setting in motion."


Text

The sutra contains the following topics:accesstoinsight
''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion''
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu] * The two extremes to be avoided (sensual indulgence and self-mortification) * The
Middle Way The Middle Way ( pi, ; sa, ) as well as "teaching the Dharma by the middle" (''majjhena dhammaṃ deseti'') are common Buddhist terms used to refer to two major aspects of the Dharma, that is, the teaching of the Buddha.; my, အလယ်� ...
* The
Four Noble Truths In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (Sanskrit: ; pi, cattāri ariyasaccāni; "The four Arya satyas") are "the truths of the Noble Ones", the truths or realities for the "spiritually worthy ones". Four_Noble_Truths:_BUDDHIST_PHILOSOPHY_Encycl_...
*_The_Noble_Eightfold_Path *_The_Twelve_Insights_of_the_Four_Noble_Truths *_Proclamation_of_release_from_the_Saṃsāra.html" "title="Noble_Eightfold_Path.html" ;"title="Four Noble Truths: BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY Encycl ...
* The Noble Eightfold Path">Four Noble Truths: BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY Encycl ...
* The Noble Eightfold Path * The Twelve Insights of the Four Noble Truths * Proclamation of release from the Saṃsāra">cycle of rebirth Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is a ...
 (commonly referred to as ''nibbana'') * The Opening of the Dhamma Eye (the attainment of View (Buddhism), right view) * Proclamation of the Deva (Buddhism), devas upon the setting of the Dharmachakra, Wheel of Dhamma in motion by the Buddha * Response of the Buddha to Aññā Kondañña's comprehension of his teachings


Buddhist understanding of the sutta

According to the Buddhist tradition, the ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'' is the first teaching given by the Buddha after he attained enlightenment. According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha attained enlightenment and liberation while
meditating Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...
under the Bodhi Tree by the Nerañjarā river in
Bodh Gaya Bodh Gaya is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous as it is the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment ( ...
. Afterwards, he remained silent for forty-nine days. According to MN 26 and MĀ 204, after deciding to teach, the Buddha initially intended to visit his former teachers, Āḷāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta, to teach them his insights, but they had already died and born in a place where it is not apt to preach or they were deaf, so he decided to visit his five former companions. On his way, he encountered a spiritual seeker named Upaka. The Buddha proclaimed that he had achieved full awakening, but Upaka was not convinced and "took a different path".The Buddha then journeyed from Bodhgaya to Sarnath, a small town near the sacred city of
Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...
in central India. There he met his five former companions, the ascetics with whom he had shared six years of hardship. His former companions were at first suspicious of the Buddha, thinking he had given up his search for the truth when he renounced their ascetic ways. But upon seeing the radiance of the Buddha, they requested him to teach what he had learned. Thereupon the Buddha gave the teaching that was later recorded as the ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'', which introduces fundamental concepts of Buddhist thought, such as the
Middle Way The Middle Way ( pi, ; sa, ) as well as "teaching the Dharma by the middle" (''majjhena dhammaṃ deseti'') are common Buddhist terms used to refer to two major aspects of the Dharma, that is, the teaching of the Buddha.; my, အလယ်� ...
and the
Four Noble Truths In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (Sanskrit: ; pi, cattāri ariyasaccāni; "The four Arya satyas") are "the truths of the Noble Ones", the truths or realities for the "spiritually worthy ones". *_academic_scholars_have_identified_many_of_such_inconsistencies,_and_tried_to_explain_them._Information_of_the_oldest_teachings_of_Buddhism,_such_as_on_the_Four_Noble_Truths_ In_Buddhism,_the_Four_Noble_Truths_(Sanskrit:_;__pi,_cattāri_ariyasaccāni;_"The_four_Arya_satyas")_are_"the_truths_of_the__Noble_Ones",_the_truths_or_realities_for_the_"spiritually_worthy_ones".[aFour_Noble_Truths:_BUDDHIST_PHILOSOPHY_Encycl_...
,_which_are_an_important_topic_in_the_''Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta'',_has_been_obtained_by_analysis_of_the_oldest_texts_and_these_inconsistencies,_and_are_a_matter_of_ongoing_discussion_and_research.


_Development_of_the_sutta

According_to_Bronkhorst_this_"first_sermon"_is_recorded_in_several_sutras,_with_important_variations._In_the_Vinaya_texts,_and_in_the_''Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta''_which_was_influenced_by_the_Vinaya_texts,_the_four_truths_are_included,_and_Kondañña_is_enlightened_when_the_"vision_of_Dhamma"_arises_in_him:_"whatever_is_subject_to_origination_is_all_subject_to_cessation."_Yet,_in_the_''Ariyapariyesanā_Sutta''_("The_Noble_Search",_Majjhima_Nikaya_26)_the_four_truths_are_not_included,_and_the_Buddha_gives_the_five_ascetics_personal_instructions_in_turn,_two_or_three_of_them,_while_the_others_go_out_begging_for_food._The_versions_of_the_"first_sermon"_which_include_the_four_truths,_such_as_the_''Dhammacakkappavattana_Sutta'',_omit_this_instruction,_showing_that According_to_Bronkhorst,_this_indicates_that_the_four_truths_were_later_added_to_earlier_descriptions_of_liberation_by_practicing_the_four_dhyanas,_which_originally_was_thought_to_be_sufficient_for_the_destruction_of_the_arsavas._Anderson,_following_Norman,_also_thinks_that_the_four_truths_originally_were_not_part_of_this_sutta,_and_were_later_added_in_some_versions._According_to_Bronkhorst,_the_"twelve_insights"_are_probably_also_a_later_addition,_born_out_of_unease_with_the_substitution_of_the_general_term_"prajna"_for_the_more_specific_"four_truths".


_The_"essence"_of_Buddhism

According_to_Cousins,_many_scholars_are_of_the_view_that_"this_discourse_was_identified_as_the_first_sermon_of_the_Buddha_only_at_a_later_date."_According_to_Richard_Gombrich, Yet,_the_understanding_of_what_exactly_constituted_this_"very_essence"_also_developed_over_time._What_exactly_was_regarded_as_the_central_insight_"varied_along_with_what_was_considered_most_central_to_the_teaching_of_the_Buddha."__"Liberating_insight"_came_to_be_defined_as_"insight_into_the_four_truths,"_which_is_presented_as_the_"liberating_insight"_which_constituted_the_Enlightenment_in_Buddhism.html" ;"title="Four Noble Truths: BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY Encycl ...
.


Development of the sutta


Retaining the oldest teachings

Modern scholars agree that the teachings of the Buddha were passed down in an oral tradition for approximately a few hundred years after the passing of the Buddha; the first written recordings of these teachings were made hundreds of years after the Buddha's passing. According to academic scholars, inconsistencies in the oldest texts may reveal developments in the oldest teachings. While the Theravada tradition holds that it is likely that the sutras date back to the Buddha himself, in an unbroken chain of oral transmission,* academic scholars have identified many of such inconsistencies, and tried to explain them. Information of the oldest teachings of Buddhism, such as on the
Four Noble Truths In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (Sanskrit: ; pi, cattāri ariyasaccāni; "The four Arya satyas") are "the truths of the Noble Ones", the truths or realities for the "spiritually worthy ones".[aFour Noble Truths: BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY Encycl ...
, which are an important topic in the ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'', has been obtained by analysis of the oldest texts and these inconsistencies, and are a matter of ongoing discussion and research.


Development of the sutta

According to Bronkhorst this "first sermon" is recorded in several sutras, with important variations. In the Vinaya texts, and in the ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'' which was influenced by the Vinaya texts, the four truths are included, and Kondañña is enlightened when the "vision of Dhamma" arises in him: "whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation." Yet, in the ''Ariyapariyesanā Sutta'' ("The Noble Search", Majjhima Nikaya 26) the four truths are not included, and the Buddha gives the five ascetics personal instructions in turn, two or three of them, while the others go out begging for food. The versions of the "first sermon" which include the four truths, such as the ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'', omit this instruction, showing that According to Bronkhorst, this indicates that the four truths were later added to earlier descriptions of liberation by practicing the four dhyanas, which originally was thought to be sufficient for the destruction of the arsavas. Anderson, following Norman, also thinks that the four truths originally were not part of this sutta, and were later added in some versions. According to Bronkhorst, the "twelve insights" are probably also a later addition, born out of unease with the substitution of the general term "prajna" for the more specific "four truths".


The "essence" of Buddhism

According to Cousins, many scholars are of the view that "this discourse was identified as the first sermon of the Buddha only at a later date." According to Richard Gombrich, Yet, the understanding of what exactly constituted this "very essence" also developed over time. What exactly was regarded as the central insight "varied along with what was considered most central to the teaching of the Buddha." "Liberating insight" came to be defined as "insight into the four truths," which is presented as the "liberating insight" which constituted the Enlightenment in Buddhism">awakening, or "enlightenment" of the Buddha. When he understood these truths he was "enlightened" and liberated, as reflected in Majjhima Nikaya 26:42: "his taints are destroyed by his seeing with wisdom." The four truths were superseded by ''pratityasamutpada'', and still later by the doctrine of the Anatta, non-existence of a substantial self or person. According to Anderson, a long recognized feature of the Theravada canon is that it lacks an "overarching and comprehensive structure of the path to ''nibbana''." The sutras form a network or matrix, which have to be taken together. Within this network, "the four noble truths are one doctrine among others and are not particularly central," but are a part of "the entire ''dhamma'' matrix." The four noble truths are set and learnt in that network, learning "how the various teachings intersect with each other," and refer to the various Buddhist techniques, which are all explicitly and implicitly part of the passages which refer to the four truths. According to Anderson,


Translations into English


From the Pali version

In the
Pāli Canon The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school. During ...
, this sutta is found in the Samyutta Nikaya, chapter 56 ("Saccasamyutta" or "Connected Discourses on the Truths"), sutta number 11 (and, thus, can be referenced as "SN 56.11"). There are multiple English translations of the Pali version of this sutta, including: * Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.)
Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma
* Ñanamoli Thera (trans.) (1993)
''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting Rolling the Wheel of Truth''
* Piyadassi Thera (trans.) (1999)
''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth''
* Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1993)
''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion''
*
Bhikkhu Sujato Bhante Sujato, known as Ajahn Sujato or Bhikkhu Sujato (born Anthony Best), is an Australian Theravada Buddhist monk ordained into the Thai forest lineage of Ajahn Chah. Life Bhante Sujato identifies as an anarchist. A former musician with ...
(trans.) (2018)
Rolling Forth the Wheel of Dhamma
* Thich Nhat Hanh (trans.) (1999). "Discourse on Turning the Wheel of the Dharma: Dhamma Cakka Pavattana Sutta". In ''The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching'', p. 257. * Ven. Dr.
Rewata Dhamma Sayadaw U Rewata Dhamma ( pi, Revatadhamma; 4 December 1929, Thamangone – 26 May 2004, Birmingham) was a prominent Theravada Buddhist monk and noted Abhidhamma scholar from Myanmar (Burma). After pursuing an academic career in India for most of ...
(trans.) (1997). "The First Discourse of the Buddha: Turning the Wheel of Dhamma". In ''The First Discourse of the Buddha'', Wisdom, pp. 17–20. * Walpola Rahula (trans.) (2007). "Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth". In ''What the Buddha Taught''.


From Tibetan, Chinese and Sanskrit versions


The Tibetan ‘Missing Translator’s Colophon’ Version of the Dharma Wheel Discourse (chos kyi ‘khor lo’i mdo ‘gyur byang med pa): A New Translation into English by Erick Tsiknopoulos (2013)
This is a translation of one of two versions of the Dharma Wheel Sutra in Tibetan, known as the 'Missing Translator's Colophon' version (Tib: 'gyur byang med pa). It has a correlate in Chinese, translated into English by Lapiz Lazuli Texts and listed below.

This is a translation from the Chinese canon; the Chinese version is based on the
Sarvastivadin The ''Sarvāstivāda'' (Sanskrit and Pali: 𑀲𑀩𑁆𑀩𑀢𑁆𑀣𑀺𑀯𑀸𑀤, ) was one of the early Buddhist schools established around the reign of Ashoka (3rd century BCE).Westerhoff, The Golden Age of Indian Buddhist Philosophy ...
Sanskrit version of the text (Dharmacakra Pravartana Sutra). * Thich Nhat Hanh has produced a notable rendering of the first teaching of the Buddha in his biography of the Buddha entitled ''Old Path White Clouds''. Thich Nhat Hanh relied on multiple sources for this rendering. This rendering is also included in Thich Nhat Hanh's book ''Path of Compassion: Stories from the Buddha's Life''. Se
''Turning the Wheel of Dharma''
The 26th chapter of the Lalitavistara Sutra contains a Mahayana version of the first turning that closely parallels the ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta''. The following English translations of this text are available: * ''The Play in Full: Lalitavistara'' (2013), translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee. Translated from Tibetan into English and checked against the Sanskrit version.''A Play in Full: Lalitavistara'' (2013), translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee
/ref> * ''Voice of the Buddha: The Beauty of Compassion'' (1983), translated by Gwendolyn Bays, Dharma Publishing (two-volume set). This translation has been made from French into English and then checked with the original in Tibetan and Sanskrit.


See also

*'' Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta'' * Asalha Puja * Buddha's Dispensation *
Enlightenment in Buddhism The English term enlightenment is the Western translation of various Buddhist terms, most notably bodhi and vimutti. The abstract noun ''bodhi'' (; Sanskrit: बोधि; Pali: ''bodhi''), means the knowledge or wisdom, or awakened intel ...
*
Four Noble Truths In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (Sanskrit: ; pi, cattāri ariyasaccāni; "The four Arya satyas") are "the truths of the Noble Ones", the truths or realities for the "spiritually worthy ones".[aFour Noble Truths: BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY Encycl ...
*
Middle Way The Middle Way ( pi, ; sa, ) as well as "teaching the Dharma by the middle" (''majjhena dhammaṃ deseti'') are common Buddhist terms used to refer to two major aspects of the Dharma, that is, the teaching of the Buddha.; my, အလယ်� ...
*Noble Eightfold Path * Sarnath *Taṇhā *Three marks of existence


Notes

;Subnotes


References


Sources


Printed sources

Pali Canon * * Buddhist teachers * Anandajoti Bhikkhu (trans.) (2010). ''The Earliest Recorded Discourses of the Buddha (from Lalitavistara, Mahākhandhaka & Mahāvastu)''. Kuala Lumpur: Sukhi Hotu
Also available on-line
* * * * * * * * * * Secondary * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Web-sources


Further reading

;Scholarly * * Analayo, V (2012)
The Chinese Parallels to the Dhammacakkappavattana-sutta (1)
Journal of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies 3, 12-46 * Analayo, V (2013)
The Chinese Parallels to the Dhammacakkappavattana-sutta (2)
Journal of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies 5, 9-41 ;Commentaries in English *
Ajahn Sucitto Ajahn Sucitto (Bhikkhu Sucitto, born 4 November 1949) is a British-born Theravada Buddhist monk ('' Ajahn'' is the Thai rendition of ''ācārya'', the Sanskrit word for 'spiritual teacher'). He was, between 1992 and 2014, the abbot of ''Citta ...
(2010), ''Turning the Wheel of Truth: Commentary on the Buddha's First Teaching'', Shambhala * Bhikkhu Pesala
''An Exposition of the Dhammacakka Sutta''
* Mahasi Sayadaw (1996–2012)
''Discourse on the Wheel of Dharma''
* Ven. Dr. Rewata Dhamma (1997), ''The First Discourse of the Buddha'', Wisdom, .


External links



translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu with links to alternative translations.

by Guy Armstrong



- contains links to seven different translations by notable Theravada translators



by Bhikkhu Pesala {{Gautama Buddha Samyutta Nikaya Gautama Buddha Sarnath