SN 56:11 Dhammacakkappavattana Suttaṁ: Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma

The first sutta preached by the Supreme Buddha

Evaṁ me sutaṁ. Ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā Bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati Isipatane Migadāye. Tatra kho Bhagavā pañcavaggiye bhikkhū āmantesi.
Thus have I heard: / On one occasion / the Blessed One was living in the Deer Park / at Isipatana near Bārānasi. Then the Blessed One addressed the group of five monks:

Dve me bhikkhave, antā pabbajitena na sevitabbā. Yocā’yaṁ kāmesu kāmasukhallikānuyogo hīno gammo pothujjaniko anariyo anatthasaṁhito.
Monks, these two extremes ought not to be practised / by one who has gone forth from the household life. There is addiction to indulgence in sense-pleasures, / which is low, coarse, and the way of ordinary people, / not practised by noble ones, and is unbeneficial;

Yocā’yaṁ attakilamathānuyogo dukkho anariyo anatthasaṁhito.

and there is addiction to self-mortification, / which is painful, / not practised by noble ones, and unbeneficial.

Ete te bhikkhave, ubho ante anupagamma majjhimā paṭipadā Tathāgatena abhisambuddhā cakkhukaraṇī ñāṇakaraṇī upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbāṇāya saṁvattati.

Avoiding both these extremes, monks, / the Tathāgata has realized the Middle Path / which gives vision, gives knowledge; / and leads to calm, to insight, / to enlightenment, and to Nibbāna.

Katamā ca sā bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā Tathāgatena abhisambuddhā, cakkhukaraṇī, ñāṇakaraṇī, upasamāya, abhiññāya, sambodhāya, nibbāṇāya saṁvattati?

And what, monks, is the Middle Path realized by the Tathāgata / which gives vision, gives knowledge; / and leads to calm, to insight, / to enlightenment, and to Nibbāna?

Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo. Seyyathīdaṁ: sammā diṭṭhi sammā saṅkappo sammā vācā sammā kammanto sammā ājīvo sammā vāyāmo sammā sati sammā samādhi.

It is just this Noble Eightfold Path, / namely: right view, right intention, / right speech, right action, / right livelihood, right effort, / right mindfulness, and right concentration.

Ayaṁ kho sā bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā Tathāgatena abhisambuddhā cakkhukaraṇī ñāṇakaraṇī upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbāṇāya saṁvattati.

Monks, this is the Middle Path realized by the Tathāgata / which gives vision, gives knowledge; / and leads to calm, to insight, / to enlightenment, and to Nibbāna.

Idaṁ kho pana bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ: Jāti’pi dukkhā jarāpi dukkhā vyādhi’pi dukkho maraṇaṁ’pi dukkhaṁ appiyehi sampayogo dukkho piyehi vippayogo dukkho yaṁpicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ saṅkhittena pañcūpādānakkhandhā dukkhā.

Monks, the Noble Truth of Suffering, is this: / birth is suffering, / ageing is suffering, / sickness is suffering, / death is suffering, / association with disagreeable people and unpleasant things is suffering, / separation from loved ones and pleasant thing is suffering, / not receiving what one desires is suffering. In brief, the five aggregates of clinging are suffering.

Idaṁ kho pana bhikkhave, dukkha samudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ. Yāyaṁ taṇhā ponobhavikā nandirāga sahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī seyyathīdaṁ: kāmataṇhā bhavataṇhā vibhavataṇhā.

Monks, the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering is this: / it is the craving which produces re-existence / accompanied by passionate lust, / and finding delight now here, and now there; / namely, craving for sense-pleasures, / craving for existence, / and craving for non-existence.

Idaṁ kho pana bhikkhave, dukkha nirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ. Yo tassāy’eva taṇhāya asesa virāga nirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo.

Monks, the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering is this: / it is the complete cessation of that very craving, / giving it up, relinquishing it, / liberating oneself from it, / and detaching oneself from it.

ldaṁ kho pana bhikkhave, dukkha nirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ. Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo. Seyyathīdaṁ: sammā diṭṭhi sammā saṅkappo sammā vācā sammā kammanto sammā ājīvo sammā vāyāmo sammā sati sammā samādhi.

Monks, the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering is this: / it is just this Noble Eightfold Path, / namely: right view, right intention, / right speech, right action, / right livelihood, right effort, / right mindfulness, and right concentration.

Idaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccan’ti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this is the Noble Truth of Suffering. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me, / concerning things not heard before.

Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ pariññeyyan’ti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this Suffering as a Noble Truth / should be fully realized. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ, pariññātanti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this Suffering as a Noble Truth / has been fully realized by me. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Idaṁ dukkha samudayaṁ ariyasaccan’ti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkha samudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ pahātabbanti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this Origin of Suffering as a Noble Truth / should be eradicated. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkha samudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ pahīnanti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this Origin of Suffering as a Noble Truth / has been eradicated by me. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Idaṁ dukkha nirodhaṁ ariyasaccanti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkha nirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ sacchikātabbanti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this Cessation of Suffering as a Noble Truth / should be attained. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkha nirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ sacchikatanti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this Cessation of Suffering as a Noble Truth / has been attained by me. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Idaṁ dukkha nirodha gāminipaṭipadā ariyasaccanti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi ālokoudapādi.

Monks, this is the Noble Truth of the Path / leading to the Cessation of Suffering. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkha nirodha gāminīpaṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ bhāvetabbanti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering / as a Noble Truth should be developed. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkha nirodha gāminīpaṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ bhāvitanti me bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Monks, this Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering / as a Noble Truth, has been developed by me. Such was the vision, the understanding, / the wisdom, the knowledge, / the light that arose in me / concerning things not heard before.

Yāva kīvañca me bhikkhave, imesu catusu ariyasaccesu evaṁ tiparivaṭṭaṁ dvādasākāraṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñānadassanaṁ na suvisuddhaṁ ahosi. Nevatāvā’haṁ bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisaṁbuddho paccaññāsiṁ.

Monks, so long as my knowledge and vision of these Four Noble Truths, / as they really are, / were not perfected in their three phases and twelve aspects, / I did not claim to have realized the matchless supreme Enlightenment, / in this world with its devās, with its Māras and Brahmas; / in this generation with its recluses and brāhmins, / with its devās and humans.

Yato ca kho me bhikkhave, imesu catusu ariyasaccesu evaṁ tiparivaṭṭaṁ dvādasākāraṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ ahosi. Athā’haṁ bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabbrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho paccaññāsiṁ.

Monks, but when my knowledge and vision / of these Four Noble Truths, / as they really are, / were perfected in their three phases and twelve aspects, / then I claimed to have realized the matchless supreme Enlightenment, / in this world with its devās, with its Māras and Brahmas; / in this generation with its recluses and brāhmins, / with its devās and humans.

Ñāṇanca pana me dassanaṁ udapādi, Akuppā me cetovimutti. Ayaṁantimā jāti. Natthi’dāni punabbhavo’ti.

And a vision of insight arose in me thus: / Unshakable is the liberation of my mind. This is my last birth. Now there is no more re-birth for me.

Idamavoca Bhagavā. Attamanā pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū Bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandun’ti.

The Blessed One taught this discourse / on setting in motion the Wheel of Dhamma. The group of five monks was delighted, / and they rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One.

Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne āyasmato Koṇḍaññassa virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi, yaṁ kinci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman’ti.

When this discourse was thus expounded, / there arose in the Venerable Kondañña / the passion-free, stainless eye of Dhamma: / “Whatever has the nature of arising, / has the nature of ceasing.”

Pavattite ca pana Bhagavatā Dhammacakke bhummā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ. Etaṁ Bhagavatā, Bārāṇasiyaṁ Isipatane Migadāye anuttaraṁ Dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ appativattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kena ci vā lokasmin’ti.

Now when the Blessed One set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma, / the earth devās proclaimed thus: / “The Matchless Wheel of Dhamma which cannot be stopped by any recluse, / brāhmin, devā, Māra or Brahma, / or anyone in the world, / is set in motion by the Blessed One / in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Bārānasi.”

Bhummānaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Cātummahārājikā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the earth devās, / all the Cātummahārājika devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Cātummahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Tāvatiṁsā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Cātummahārājika devās, / all the Tāvatiṁsa devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Yāmā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Tāvatiṁsa devās, / all the Yāma devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Yāmānaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Tusitā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Yāma devās, / all the Tusita devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Tusitānaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Nimmāṇaratī devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Tusita devās, / all the Nimmāṇaratī devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Nimmāṇaratīnaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Paranimmita vasavattino devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Nimmāṇaratī devās, / all the Paranimmitavasavatti devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Brahmapārisajjā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Paranimmitavasavatti devās, / all the Brahmapārisajja devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Brahmapārisajjānaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Brahmapurohitā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Brahmapārisajja devās, / all the Brahmapurohita devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Brahmapurohitānaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Mahābrahmā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Brahmapurohita devās, / all the Mahābrahma devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Mahābrahmāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Parittābhā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Mahābrahma devās, / all the Parittābha devās proclaimed thus:  . . .

Parittābhāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Appamāṇābhā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Parittābha devās, / all the Appamāṇābha devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Appamāṇābhāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Ābhassarā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Appamāṇābha devās, / all the Ābhassara devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Ābhassarāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Parittasubhā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Ābhassara devās, / all the Parittasubha devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Parittasubhāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Appamānasubhā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Parittasubha devās, / all the Appamānasubha devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Appamānasubhāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Subhakiṇhakā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Appamānasubha devās, / all the Subhakiṇha devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Subhakiṇhakāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Vehapphalā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Subhakiṇha devās, / all the Vehapphala devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Vehapphalāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Avihā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Vehapphala devās, / all the Aviha devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Avihāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Atappā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Aviha devās, / all the Atappa devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Atappāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Sudassā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Atappa devās, / all the Sudassa devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Sudassāṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Sudassī devā saddamanussāvesuṁ . . .

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Sudassa devās, / all the Sudassī devās proclaimed thus: . . .

Sudassīṇaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā, Akaniṭṭhakā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ. Etaṁ Bhagavatā Bārāṇasiyaṁ Isipatane Migadāye anuttaraṁ Dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ appativattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kena ci vā lokasmin’ti.

Upon hearing the proclamation of the Sudassī devās, / all the Akaniṭṭha devās proclaimed thus: “The Matchless Wheel of Dhamma which cannot be stopped by any recluse, / brāhmin, devā, Māra, or Brahma, / or anyone in the world, / is set in motion by the Blessed One / in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Bārānasi.”

Itiha tena khaṇena tena muhuttena yāva brahmalokā saddo abbhuggañchi. Ayañca dasasahassī lokadhātu saṅkampi sampakampi sampavedhi. Appamāṇo ca uḷāro obhāso loke pāturahosi atikkamma devānaṁ devānubhāvan’ti.

Thus at that very moment, at that instant, / the proclamation spread as far as the Brahma realm, / and the ten thousand world system / trembled and quaked and shook. An immeasurable sublime radiance, / surpassing the power of devās, / appeared in the world.

Atha kho Bhagavā udānaṁ udānesi:

Then the Blessed One uttered this inspired utterance of joy:

Aññāsi vata bho Koṇḍañño, aññāsi vata bho Koṇḍañño’ti.

“Indeed Kondañña has realized. Indeed Kondañña has realized.”

Itihidaṁ āyasmato Koṇḍaññassa Aññā Koṇḍaññotveva nāmaṁ ahosī’ti.

Thus it was that the Venerable Kondañña / received the name Aññā Kondañña / “Kondañña who realized.”

Etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
By this truth, may there be well-being!