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(Dhammacakkappavattanasuttaü)
(The Discourse that Set the Dhamma Wheel Rolling)

(from Vinaya Mahàvagga 1)

Edited & Translated by ânandajoti Bhikkhu

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...atha kho Bhagavà paÿcavaggiye bhikkhå àmantesi:
...then the Gracious One addressed the group-of-five monks, saying:

ßDveme bhikkhave antà pabbajitena na sevitabbà,
ßThere are these two extremes, monks, that one who has gone forth ought not to associate with,

Ete te bhikkhave ubho ante anupagamma, majjhimà pañipadà
Not having approached either of these two extremes, monks, the middle practice

Tathàgatena abhisambuddhà, cakkhukaraõã, ÿàõakaraõã,
was awakened to by the Realised One, which produces vision, produces knowledge,

upasamàya abhiÿÿàya Sambodhàya Nibbànàya saüvattati.
and which leads to peace, deep knowledge, Complete Awakening, and Nibbàna.

Katamà ca sà bhikkhave majjhimà pañipadà,
Now what is this middle practice, monks,

Tathàgatena abhisambuddhà, cakkhukaraõã, ÿàõakaraõã,
that was awakened to by the Realised One, which produces vision, produces knowledge,

upasamàya abhiÿÿàya Sambodhàya Nibbànàya saüvattati?
and which leads to peace, deep knowledge, Complete Awakening, and Nibbàna?

Ayam-eva ariyo aññhaïgiko maggo, seyyathãdam:
It is this noble path with eight factors, as follows:

Ayaü kho sà bhikkhave majjhimà pañipadà,
This is the middle practice, monks,

Tathàgatena abhisambuddhà, cakkhukaraõã, ÿàõakaraõã,
that was awakened to by the Realised One, which produces vision, produces knowledge,

upasamàya abhiÿÿàya Sambodhàya Nibbànàya saüvattati.
and which leads to peace, deep knowledge, Complete Awakening, and Nibbàna.

The Four Noble Truths

i. Idaü kho pana bhikkhave dukkhaü ariyasaccaü:
Now this, monks, is the noble truth of suffering:

ii. Idaü kho pana bhikkhave dukkhasamudayaü ariyasaccaü:
Now this, monks, is the noble truth of the arising of suffering:

iii. Idaü kho pana bhikkhave dukkhanirodhaü ariyasaccaü:
Now this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering:

iv. Idaü kho pana bhikkhave,
Now this, monks,

dukkhanirodhagàminã pañipadà ariyasaccaü:
is the noble truth of the practice leading to the end of suffering:

Ayam-eva ariyo aññhaïgiko maggo, seyyathãdam:
It is this noble path with eight factors, as follows:

Realisation

i. ßIdaü dukkhaü ariyasaccanû-ti -
ßThis is the noble truth of sufferingû -

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

Taü kho pan' ßidaü dukkhaü ariyasaccaüû pariÿÿeyyan-ti -
Now that to which ßthis is the noble truth of sufferingû refers (i. e. suffering itself) ought to be fully known -

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

Taü kho pan' ßidaü dukkhaü ariyasaccaüû pariÿÿàtan-ti -
Now that to which ßthis is the noble truth of sufferingû refers has been fully known -

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

ii. ßIdaü dukkhasamudayaü ariyasaccanû-ti -
ßThis is the noble truth of the arising of sufferingû -

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

Taü kho pan' ßidaü dukkhasamudayaü ariyasaccaüû pahàtabban-ti -
Now that to which ßthis is the noble truth of the arising of sufferingû refers (i. e. craving) ought to be given up -

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

Taü kho pan' ßidaü dukkhasamudayaü ariyasaccaüû pahãnan-ti -
Now that to which ßthis is the noble truth of the arising of sufferingû refers has been given up,

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

iii. ßIdaü dukkhanirodhaü ariyasaccanû-ti -
ßThis is the noble truth of the cessation of sufferingû -

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

Taü kho pan' ßidaü dukkhanirodhaü ariyasaccaüû sacchikàtabban-ti -
Now that to which ßthis is the noble truth of the cessation of sufferingû refers (i. e. Nibbàna) ought to be experienced -

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

Taü kho pan' ßidaü dukkhanirodhaü ariyasaccaüû sacchikatan-ti -
Now that to which ßthis is the noble truth of the cessation of sufferingû refers has been experienced -

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

iv. ßIdaü dukkhanirodhagàminã pañipadà ariyasaccanû-ti -
ßThis is the noble truth of the practice going to the cessation of sufferingû-

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

Taü kho pan' ßidaü dukkhanirodhagàminã pañipadà ariyasaccaüû bhàvetabban-ti -
Now that to which ßthis is the noble truth of the practice leading to the end of sufferingû refers (i. e. the practice itself) ought to be developed -

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

Taü kho pan' ßidaü dukkhanirodhagàminã pañipadà ariyasaccaüûbhàvitan-ti -
Now that to which ßthis is the noble truth of the practice leading to the end of sufferingû refers has been developed -

me bhikkhave pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu
to me, monks, regarding these previously unheard-of things

cakkhuü udapàdi, ÿàõaü udapàdi,
vision arose, knowledge arose,

paÿÿà udapàdi, vijjà udapàdi, àloko udapàdi.
wisdom arose, understanding arose, light arose.

Declaring the Awakening

Yàva kãvaÿ-ca me bhikkhave imesu catusu ariya-saccesu
For as long as to me, monks, in regard to these four noble truths

- evaü tiparivaññaü dvàdasàkàraü -
- turned like this, in three ways, twelvefold -

yathàbhåtaü ÿàõadassanaü na suvisuddhaü ahosi,
knowledge and seeing as it really is was not quite clear,

neva tàvàhaü bhikkhave sadevake loke samàrake sabrahmake,
for that long, monks, I did not declare to the world with its gods, Màra, and Brahma,

sassamaõabràhmaõiyà pajàya sadevamanussàya,
to this generation, with its ascetics and brahmins, princes and men,

anuttaraü sammàsambodhiü Abhisambuddho paccaÿÿàsiü.
that I was a Full and Perfect Sambuddha with unsurpassed complete awakening.

Yato ca kho me bhikkhave imesu catusu ariyasaccesu
But when to me, monks, in regard to these four noble truths

- evaü tiparivaññaü dvàdasàkàraü -
- turned like this, in three ways, twelvefold -

yathàbhåtaü ÿàõadassanaü suvisuddhaü ahosi,
knowledge and seeing as it really is was quite clear

athàhaü bhikkhave sadevake loke samàrake sabrahmake
then, monks, I did declare to the world with its gods, Màra, and Brahma,

sassamaõabràhmaõiyà pajàya sadevamanussàya,
to this generation, with its ascetics and brahmins, princes and men,

anuttaraü sammàsambodhiü Abhisambuddho paccaÿÿàsiü.
that I was a Full and Perfect Sambuddha with unsurpassed complete awakening.

¥àõaÿ-ca pana me dassanaü udapàdi:
To me knowledge and seeing arose:

The First Attainment

Idam-avoca Bhagavà,
The Gracious One said this,

attamanà paÿcavaggiyà bhikkhå Bhagavato bhàsitaü abhinandun-ti.
and the group-of-five monks were uplifted and greatly rejoiced in what was said by the Gracious One.

Imasmiÿ-ca pana veyyàkaraõasmiü bhaÿÿamàne,
Moreover, as this sermon was being given,

àyasmato Koõóaÿÿassa virajaü, vãtamalaü,
to venerable Koõóaÿÿa the dust-free, stainless,

Dhammacakkhuü udapàdi:
Vision-of-the-Dhamma arose:

The Gods Rejoice

Pavattite ca pana Bhagavatà Dhammacakke
Now when the Dhamma Wheel was set rolling by the Gracious One

Bhummà devà saddam-anussàvesuü:
the Earth gods let loose a cry:

Bhummànaü devànaü saddaü sutvà
Having heard the cry of the Earth gods

Càtummahàràjikà devà saddam-anussàvesuü:
the gods called the Four Great Kings let loose a cry:

Càtummahàràjikànaü devànaü saddaü sutvà
Having heard the cry of the gods called the Four Great Kings

Tàvatiüsà devà saddam-anussàvesuü:
the Tàvatiüsa gods let loose a cry:

Tàvatiüsànaü devànaü saddaü sutvà
Having heard the cry of the Tàvatiüsa gods

Yàmà devà saddam-anussàvesuü:
the Yàma gods let loose a cry:

Yàmànaü devànaü saddaü sutvà
Having heard the cry of the Yàma gods

Tusità devà saddam-anussàvesuü:
the Tusita gods let loose a cry:

Tusitànaü devànaü saddaü sutvà
Having heard the cry of the Tusita gods

Nimmàõaratã devà saddam-anussàvesuü:
the Nimmàõarati gods let loose a cry:

Nimmàõaratãnaü devànaü saddaü sutvà
Having heard the cry of the Nimmàõarati gods

Paranimmitavasavattino devà saddam-anussàvesuü:
the Paranimmitavasavatti gods let loose a cry:

Paranimmitavasavattãnaü devànaü saddaü sutvà
Having heard the cry of the Paranimmitavasavatti gods

Brahmakàyikà devà saddam-anussàvesuü:
the Brahmakàyika gods let loose a cry:

Iti ha tena khaõena tena muhuttena,
Thus at that moment, at that second,

yàva Brahmalokà saddo abbhuggaÿchi,
that cry reached as far as the Brahma worlds,

ayaÿ-ca dasasahassã lokadhàtu saïkampi, sampakampi, sampavedhi,
and this ten thousand world-element moved, wavered, and shook,

appamàõo ca uëàro obhàso loke pàtur-ahosi,
and great and measureless light became manifest in the world,

atikkamma devànaü devànubhàvan-ti.
transcending the godly power of the gods.

Atha kho Bhagavà udànaü udànesi:
Then the Gracious One uttered this exalted utterance:

Iti hidaü àyasmato Koõóaÿÿassa
Thus to the venerable Koõóaÿÿa

Aÿÿà Koõóaÿÿo tveva nàmaü ahosã ti.
came the name Aÿÿà Koõóaÿÿa (Koõóaÿÿa, he-who-knows).