Dhamma-cakkappavattana Sutta:
The Discourse on Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Vārāṇasi in the Game Refuge at Isipatana. There he addressed the group of five monks:
“These two extremes are not to be indulged in by one who has gone forth—that which is devoted to sensual pleasure in sensuality: 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 Tathāgata—producing vision, producing knowledge—leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to unbinding.
And what is the middle way realized by the Tathāgata 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 Tathāgata 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 what is unbeloved is stressful, separation from what is beloved is stressful, not getting what one wants is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.
And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: in other words, the craving that makes for further becoming—accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now here & now there—i.e., craving for sensuality, 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.’
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: ‘This noble truth of stress is to be comprehended.’
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: ‘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.’
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: ‘This noble truth of the origination of stress is to be abandoned.’
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: ‘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.’
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: ‘This noble truth of the cessation of stress is to be realized.’
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: ‘This noble truth of the cessation of stress has been realized.’
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.’
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: ‘This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress is to be developed.’
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: ‘This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress has been developed.’
And, monks, as long as this—my three-round, twelve-permutation knowledge & vision concerning these four noble truths as they have come to be—was not pure, I did not claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, with its contemplatives & brāhmans, its royalty & common people.
But as soon this—my three-round, twelve-permutation knowledge & vision concerning these four noble truths as they have come to be—was truly pure, then I did claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, with its contemplatives & brāhmans, its royalty & commonfolk.
The 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 in the Blessed One’s words.
And while this explanation was being given, there arose to Ven. Koṇḍañña the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye: “Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.”
Now when the Blessed One had set the Wheel of Dhamma in motion, the earth devas cried out: “At Vārāṇasi, in the Game Refuge at Isipatana, the Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brāhman or contemplative, deva, Māra, Brahmā, or anyone at all in the cosmos.”
On hearing the earth devas’ cry, the devas of the Heaven of the Four Kings took up the cry.
On hearing the cry of the devas of the Heaven of the Four Kings, the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-three took up the cry.
On hearing the cry of the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-three, the Yama devas took up the cry.
On hearing the cry of the Yama devas, the Tusita devas took up the cry.
On hearing the cry of the Tusita devas, the Nimmanarati devas took up the cry.
On hearing the cry of the Nimmanarati devas, the Paranimmita-vasavatti devas took up the cry.
On hearing the cry of the Paranimmita-vasavatti devas, the devas of Brahmā’s retinue took up the cry: “At Vārāṇasi, in the Game Refuge at Isipatana, the Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brāhman or contemplative, deva, Māra, Brahmā, or anyone at all in the cosmos.”
So in that moment, that instant, the cry shot right up to the Brahmā world. And this ten-thousandfold cosmos shivered & quivered & quaked, while a great, measureless radiance appeared in the cosmos, surpassing the effulgence of the devas.
Then the Blessed One exclaimed: “So you really know, Koṇḍañña? So you really know?”
And that is how Ven. Kondañña acquired the name Añña-Koṇḍañña —Koṇḍañña who knows.
Anatta-lakkhaṇa Sutta: The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Varanasi in the Game Refuge at Isipatana. There he addressed the group of five monks:
“Form, monks, is not-self. If form were self, this form would not lend itself to dis-ease, and it would be possible (to say) with regard to form, ‘Let my form be thus. Let my form not be thus.’ But precisely because form is not-self, form lends itself to dis-ease, and it is not possible (to say) with regard to form, ‘Let my form be thus. Let my form not be thus.’
Feeling is not-self. If feeling were self, this feeling would not lend itself to dis-ease, and it would be possible (to say) with regard to feeling, ‘Let my feeling be thus. Let my feeling not be thus.’ But precisely because feeling is not-self, feeling lends itself to dis-ease, and it is not possible (to say) with regard to feeling, ‘Let my feeling be thus. Let my feeling not be thus.’
Perception is not-self. If perception were self, this perception would not lend itself to dis-ease, and it would be possible (to say) with regard to perception, ‘Let my perception be thus. Let my perception not be thus.’ But precisely because perception is not-self, perception lends itself to dis-ease, and it is not possible (to say) with regard to perception, ‘Let my perception be thus. Let my perception not be thus.’
Fabrications are not-self. If fabrications were self, these fabrications would not lend themselves to dis-ease, and it would be possible (to say) with regard to fabrication, ‘Let my fabrications be thus. Let my fabrications not be thus.’ But precisely because fabrications are not-self, fabrications lend themselves to dis-ease, and it is not possible (to say) with regard to fabrications, ‘Let my fabrications be thus. Let my fabrications not be thus.’
Consciousness is not-self. If consciousness were self, this consciousness would not lend itself to dis-ease, and it would be possible (to say) with regard to consciousness, ‘Let my consciousness be thus. Let my consciousness not be thus.’ But precisely because consciousness is not-self, consciousness lends itself to dis-ease, and it is not possible (to say) with regard to consciousness, ‘Let my consciousness be thus. Let my consciousness not be thus.’
How do you construe thus, monks—Is form constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”
“Stressful, lord.”
“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”
“How do you construe thus, monks—Is feeling constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?
“Stressful, lord.”
“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”
“How do you construe thus, monks—Is perception constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”
“Stressful, lord.”
“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”
“How do you construe thus, monks—Are fabrications constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”
“Stressful, lord.”
“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”
“How do you construe thus, monks—Is consciousness constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”
“Stressful, lord.”
“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”
“Thus, monks, any form whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: Every form—is to be seen as it has come to be with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’
Any feeling whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: Every feeling—is to be seen as it has come to be with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’
Any perception whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: Every perception—is to be seen as it has come to be with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’
Any fabrications whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: All fabrications—are to be seen as they have come to be with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’
Any consciousness whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: Every consciousness—is to be seen as has come to be with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’
Seeing thus, the instructed noble disciple grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications, & disenchanted with consciousness.
Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is released. With release, there is the knowledge, ‘Released.’ He discerns that, ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.’”
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the group of five monks delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
And while this explanation was being given, the hearts of the group of five monks, through lack of clinging, were released from effluents.
Āditta-pariyāya Sutta: The Fire Discourse
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Gayā, at Gayā Head, with 1,000 monks. There he addressed the monks:
“Monks, All is aflame. What All is aflame? The eye is aflame. Forms are aflame. Consciousness at the eye is aflame. Contact at the eye is aflame. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the eye—experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain—that too is aflame. Aflame with what? Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion. Aflame, I tell you, with birth, aging, & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs.
The ear is aflame. Sounds are aflame. Consciousness at the ear is aflame. Contact at the ear is aflame. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the ear—experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain—that too is aflame. Aflame with what? Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion. Aflame, I tell you, with birth, aging, & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs.
The nose is aflame. Aromas are aflame. Consciousness at the nose is aflame. Contact at the nose is aflame. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the nose—experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain—that too is aflame. Aflame with what? Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion. Aflame, I tell you, with birth, aging, & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs.
The tongue is aflame. Flavors are aflame. Consciousness at the tongue is aflame. Contact at the tongue is aflame. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the tongue—experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain—that too is aflame. Aflame with what? Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion. Aflame, I tell you, with birth, aging, & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs.
The body is aflame. Tactile sensations are aflame. Consciousness at the body is aflame. Contact at the body is aflame. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the body—experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain—that too is aflame. Aflame with what? Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion. Aflame, I tell you, with birth, aging, & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs.
The intellect is aflame. Ideas are aflame. Consciousness at the intellect is aflame. Contact at the intellect is aflame. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the intellect— experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain—that too is aflame. Aflame with what? Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion. Aflame, I tell you, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs.
Seeing thus, the instructed Noble disciple grows disenchanted with the eye, disenchanted with forms, disenchanted with consciousness at the eye, disenchanted with contact at the eye. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the eye, experienced as pleasure, pain or neither-pleasure-nor-pain: With that, too, he grows disenchanted.
He grows disenchanted with the ear, disenchanted with sounds, disenchanted with consciousness at the ear, disenchanted with contact at the ear. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the ear, experienced as pleasure, pain or neither-pleasure-nor-pain: With that, too, he grows disenchanted.
He grows disenchanted with the nose, disenchanted with aromas, disenchanted with consciousness at the nose, disenchanted with contact at the nose. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the nose, experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain: With that, too, he grows disenchanted.
He grows disenchanted with the tongue, disenchanted with flavors, disenchanted with consciousness at the tongue, disenchanted with contact at the tongue. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the tongue, experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain: With that, too, he grows disenchanted.
He grows disenchanted with the body, disenchanted with tactile sensations, disenchanted with consciousness at the body, disenchanted with contact at the body. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the body, experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain: With that, too, he grows disenchanted.
He grows disenchanted with the intellect, disenchanted with ideas, disenchanted with consciousness at the intellect, disenchanted with contact at the intellect. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the intellect, experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain: With that, too, he grows disenchanted.
Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is released. With release, there is the knowledge, ‘Released.’ He discerns that ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.’”
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
And while this explanation was being given, the hearts of the 1,000 monks, through lack of clinging, were released from effluents.
Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta: The Discourse on Goodwill
This is to be done by one skilled in aims appreciating the state of peace:
Be capable, upright, & straightforward, easy to instruct, gentle, & not conceited, content & easy to support, with few duties, living lightly, with peaceful faculties, masterful, modest, & no greed for supporters. Do not do the slightest thing that the wise would later censure.
Think: Happy & secure, may all beings be happy at heart. Whatever beings there may be, weak or strong, without exception, long, large, middling, short, subtle, blatant, seen & unseen, living near & far, born & seeking birth: May all beings be happy at heart.
Let no one deceive another or despise anyone anywhere, or through anger or irritation wish for another to suffer.
As a mother would risk her life to protect her child, her only child, even so should one cultivate the heart limitlessly with regard to all beings.
With goodwill for the entire cosmos, cultivate the heart limitlessly: above, below, & all around, unobstructed, without enmity or hate.
Whether standing, walking, sitting, or lying down, as long as one’s drowsiness is gone, one should be resolved on this mindfulness.
This is called a sublime abiding here.
Not taken with views, but virtuous & consummate in vision, having subdued desire for sensual pleasures, one never again will lie in the womb.
(All suttas translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu — www.dhammatalks.org)