An Exposition of the Dhammacakka Sutta

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An Exposition ofThe Dhammacakka Sutta

byBhikkhu Pesala


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An Exposition ofThe Dhammacakka Sutta

byBhikkhu Pesala

Latest Edition Nov 2012Bhikkhu PesalaAssociation for Insight MeditationYou may print copies of this book for your own use.

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Contents

An Exposition of the Dhammacakka Sutta............................1

Introduction.......................................................................1The Middle Path................................................................2The First Noble Truth........................................................4The Second Noble Truth....................................................5The Third Noble Truth.......................................................5The Fourth Noble Truth.....................................................6The Buddha's Understanding of the Truth.......................7The Buddha's Claim of Enlightenment...........................10Koaa Realises the Truth...........................................11The Devas Rejoice............................................................12The Great Earthquake......................................................15The Buddha Praises Koaa.......................................18A Guide to Pronunciation................................................20


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An Exposition of theDhammacakka Sutta

The full title is the Dhammacakkappavaana Sua,but itis widely known as the Dhammacakka Sua.

Aer aaining Enlightenment, the Buddha was at firstreluctant to teach the Dhamma that he had realised. Heconsidered, This Dhamma is profound and goes against theflow of sensual desire; most people are songly aached toand immersed in sensual pleasures. However, he reasonedthat some were not too songly aached, and were alreadysearching for uth. They would be able to understand it.

First he thought to teach it to ra Klma, who had taughthim meditation to aain the realm of infinite consciousness,but devas told him that ra had passed away only last week;and he realised this was ue by his own direct knowledge.

Next he thought about teaching Uddaka Rmapua, whohad taught him meditation to aain the realm of neitherperception nor non-perception, but devas told him that Uddakahad passed away the previous night; and he realised this wasue by his own direct knowledge.

So he decided to teach the Dhamma first to the five asceticswho accompanied him while he was practising self-mortifica-tion. So he went to the deer park at the Sages Grove nearBenares, where they were staying.

The Buddha was alone aer his enlightenment. There wasno one to tell him where the ascetics were staying, but on the

night of his enlightenment he had aained the divine eye bymeans of which one can see things at a great distance.

Introduction

The Dhammacakka Sua begins as follows:

Eka samaya Bhagav Brasiya viharatiIsipatane Migadye. Taa kho Bhagav pacavaggiye

bhikkh mantesi:


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2 An Exposition of the Dhammacakka Sua

At one time the Blessed One was staying at the deerpark in the Sages Grove near Benares. Then theBlessed One addressed the group of five ascetics:

The Buddha was not yet staying at Isipatana, but had onlyjust arrived aer a journey of ten or eleven days on foot omBodhgya, a distance of about 144 miles. Seeing him coming,the five ascetics agreed not to greet him, or to offer him wateror a seat, because in their view he had reverted to a life ofcomfort, and had abandoned the suggle for enlightenment.Their view was that enlightenment could only be aained by

self-mortification by punishing the body to remove aach-ment. However, when he approached, they could not adhereto their agreement, so they greeted him, fetched water forwashing the feet, and offered him a seat.

The Buddha stated plainly that he had aained enlighten-ment and urged them to listen to him, but they were sceptical.Only when the Buddha reminded them of his total honesduring their long association did their hearts become open tolisten. Then he began by saying:

The Middle Path

Dveme, bhikkhave, ant pabbajitena na sevitabb.Katame dve? Yo cya kmesu kmasukhalliknuyogohno gammo pothujjaniko anariyo anahasahito, yocya aakilamathnuyogo dukkho anariyo anaha-

sahito. Ete kho, bhikkhave, ubho ante anupagammamajjhim paipad Tathgatena abhisambuddh cakkhu-kara akara upasamya abhiya sambodhyanibbnya savaati.

These two exemes, monks, should not be followedby one gone forth. Which two? Sensual indulgence,which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, and unprofita-

ble; and self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble,and unprofitable. Avoiding these two exemes, monks,


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The Middle Path 3

the Tathgata has discovered the Middle Path thatproduces vision and knowledge, and leads to anquil-li, higher knowledge, enlightenment, and nibbna.

The Buddha was fully conscious of the view that the fiveascetics held. They had been living in the forest practisingausteri much longer than him. They were the asologers whopredicted at his birth that he would become either a Buddhaor a World Turning Monarch (Cakkavai). One of them,Koaa, had predicted certainly that he would become aFully Enlightened Buddha. Believing firmly in their knowledge

of asology, they had renounced the world twen-nine yearsbefore him, thir-five years ago, to await his renunciation.They hoped to be the first to benefit om his teaching, and weredisappointed when they thought he had given up the suggle.Evidently, they had lost confidence in their own asology.

So the Buddha began by denouncing indulgence in sensualpleasures, which they believed was incompatible with higherknowledge. Only then did he denounce self-mortification which they practised as painful, ignoble, and unprofitable. Hethen stated that by avoiding these two exemes he had discoveredthe Middle Path that produces knowledge and vision, and leadsto anquilli, higher knowledge, enlightenment, and nibbna.

Now they were eager to hear his teaching. They hadabandoned sensual pleasures thir-five years ago, and hadpractised self-mortification ever since then without any benefi-cial result worth mentioning. No doubt they had had a hardtime, living in the forest all those years with scan food andshelter, without the company of relatives. All of them werenow over fi years old.

Katam ca s, bhikkhave, majjhim paipad Tath-gatena abhisambuddh cakkhukara akaraupasamya abhiya sambodhya nibbnya

savaati? Ayameva ariyo ahagiko maggo, seyya-thida: sammdihi sammsakappo sammvc


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sammkammanto samm-jvo sammvymo samm-sati sammsamdhi. Aya kho s, bhikkhave, majjhimpaipad Tathgatena abhisambuddh cakkhukara

akara upasamya abhiya sambodhyanibbnya savaati.

And what, monks, is the Middle Path that producesvision and knowledge, and leads to anquilli, higherknowledge, enlightenment, and nibbna? It is this nobleeightfold path itself, namely: right view, right thought,right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort,

right mindfulness, and right concenation. The Tath-gata, monks, has discovered the Middle Path thatproduces vision and knowledge, and leads to anquil-li, higher knowledge, enlightenment, and nibbna.

The Buddha only mentioned the eight path factors in brief,without explaining their meaning in detail. The ascetics musthave already been familiar with basic moral conduct, and the

proper livelihood for a recluse, but it is not said whether theyhad learnt om the bodhisaa how to aain thejhnas. He hadmastered them all under ra and Uddaka. Having realisedthat they did not lead to enlightenment, perhaps he did notteach them to the five ascetics, since they were searching for adifferent path. Without even the enjoyment ofjhnic bliss, theascetics must have had a tough time staying in the forest they could not have been lazy and addicted to sensual pleasures.

Aer simply listing the factors of the eightfold path, theBuddha went on to explain the four noble uths.

The First Noble Truth

Ida kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkha ariyasacca: jtipidukkh, jarpi dukkh, bydhipi dukkho, maraampidukkha, appiyehi sampayogo dukkho, piyehi

vippayogo dukkho, yampiccha na labhati tampidukkha: sakhiena pacupdnakkhandh dukkh.


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The Third Noble Truth 5

This, monks, is the noble uth of suffering: birth issuffering, aging is suffering, disease is suffering,death is suffering, association with the unloved is

suffering, separation om the loved is suffering,not geing what one wants is suffering, in brief thefive aggregates of grasping are suffering.

The Second Noble Truth

Ida kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhasamudaya ariya-sacca: yya tah ponobbhavik, nandirgasahagat

taatabhinandin, seyyathida: kmatah,bhavatah, vibhavatah.

This, monks, is the noble uth of the cause ofsuffering: this craving that leads to repeated becom-ing, taking delight now here, now there, namely:craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence,and craving for non-existence.

Learned monks explain craving for non-existence as thecraving that arises dependent on the belief that this very life isthe only one. It is not the wish to commit suicide, but the wishto enjoy life to the full, without having to worry about theconsequences of ones actions. If one does not believe in a futureexistence aer death, what reason is there not to enjoy oneselfas much as possible? Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow

we may die is a common maxim that many ignorant peoplelive by. Not seeing that rebirth follows death as surely asMonday morning follows the weekend, people y their utmostto enjoy sensual pleasures, regardless of the effect on theirhealth, reputation, and spiritual life.

The Third Noble Truth

Ida kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhanirodha ariya-sacca: yo tassyeva tahya asesavirganirodho cgopainissaggo mui anlayo.


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This, monks, is the noble uth of the cessation ofsuffering: the cessation of craving without anyremainder, giving it up, renouncing it, and complete

eedom om it.We can all resain our desires for a while, if we know that

we can indulge in them as much as we like later. However, thisis not renunciation at all, but only resaint. To renouncesomething means we must fully understand the disadvantagesof aachment to it, and then give it up.

Every smoker knows very well that cigarees cause lung

cancer, heart disease, etc., yet they are not able to give up smoking.When they rightly understand the suffering involved in smokingthey will certainly give it up. It is the same with sensual pleasures.We remain aached to them as long as we do not realise theirdisadvantages. Aachment to views also causes suffering, butpeople relinquish their views with great difficul.

The Fourth Noble Truth

Ida kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhanirodhagminpaipad ariyasacca: ayameva ariyo ahagiko maggo,seyyathida: sammdihi sammsakappo sammvcsammkammanto samm-jvo sammvymo samm-sati sammsamdhi.

This, monks, is the noble uth of the way leading

the cessation of suffering: this noble eightfold pathitself, namely: right view, right thought, right speech,right action, right livelihood, right effort, rightmindfulness, and right concenation.

The noble eightfold path is oen taught in the order:morali, concenation, and wisdom, beginning with rightaction, speech, and livelihood, since morali is the foundation

of spiritual development. However, here the Buddha beganwith right view because the five ascetics were already wellestablished in morali, but did not have right view. Because


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The Buddha's Understanding of the Truth 7

their view was wrong, everything else was wrong too, so theycould aain no benefit om their wrong efforts.

All Buddhists should sive to establish right view. There are

two conditions for the arising of right view: the uerance of another,and systematic aention. The uerance of another may also befound by reading books. Systematic aention, or wise aentionis essential. If we are not open-minded when reading or listeningto others, we will not understand anything, because our wisdomis obscured by aachment to our own opinions. Due to notunderstanding the uth of suffering we are reborn repeatedly.

If we are intelligent and open-minded, we will be able toreason wisely and accept whatever is right, while rejectinganything that is false. Then our view will gradually besaightened out until it is completely in conformi with theBuddhas teaching. When we have acquired mundane rightview, or gained confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma, andSagha, we will surely sive to aain nibbna, the end ofsuffering. Those who do not practise meditation, have not yetacquired even mundane right view. Supramundane right viewcan be gained only by aaining the path of a Seam-winner.

The Buddha then went on to explain the three aspects ofeach of the four uths, regarding which the vision, knowledge,wisdom, insight, and light arose that had never arisen before.The same phrase is used repeatedly regarding each of the twelveaspects, so I have summarised the anslation. For each of the

four uths, the second and third aspects are different.The Buddha's Understanding of the Truth

Ida dukkha ariyasaccanti me, bhikkhave, pubbeananussutesu dhammesu cakkhu udapdi, audapdi, pa udapdi, vijj udapdi, loko udapdi.

Ta kho panida dukkha ariyasacca parieyyanti

me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuudapdi, a udapdi, pa udapdi, vijj udapdi,loko udapdi. Ta kho panida dukkha ariyasacca


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The Buddha's Understanding of the Truth 9

Ida dukkhanirodha ariyasaccanti me, bhikkhave,pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhu udapdi,a udapdi, pa udapdi, vijj udapdi, loko

udapdi. Ta kho panida dukkhanirodha ariya-sacca sacchiktabbanti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananus-sutesu dhammesu cakkhu udapdi, a udapdi,pa udapdi, vijj udapdi, loko udapdi. Ta khopanida dukkhanirodha ariyasacca sacchikatantime, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuudapdi, a udapdi, pa udapdi, vijj udapdi,loko udapdi.

Vision, knowledge, wisdom, insight, light aroseregarding things not seen before that This is thenoble uth of the cessation of suffering. Thisnoble uth of the cessation of suffering should berealised. This noble uth of the cessation ofsuffering has been realised.

Ida dukkhanirodhagmin paipad ariyasaccanti me,bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuudapdi, a udapdi, pa udapdi, vijj udapdi,loko udapdi. Ta kho panida dukkhanirodhagminpaipad ariyasacca bhvetabbanti me, bhikkhave,pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhu udapdi,a udapdi, pa udapdi, vijj udapdi, loko

udapdi. Ta kho panida dukkhanirodhagminpaipad ariyasacca bhvitanti me, bhikkhave, pubbeananussutesu dhammesu cakkhu udapdi, audapdi, pa udapdi, vijj udapdi, loko udapdi.

Vision, knowledge, wisdom, insight, light aroseregarding things not seen before that This is thenoble uth of the path to the end of suffering.

This noble uth of the path to the end of sufferingshould be developed. This noble uth of thepath to the end of suffering has been developed.


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So suffering should be thoroughly understood, cravingshould be abandoned, nibbna should be realised, and the pathshould be developed. The Buddha had done this fully and

completely, so he could boldly claim to be fully enlightened. Wemust develop the path until we also realise the end of suffering.There is huge difference between understanding theoreti-

cally and realising practically. No one needs to be told that pain,disease, old age, not geing what one wants, etc., are suffering

it is obvious. However, our understanding is not rightunderstanding, nor clear understanding. If it was right under-standing we would already be Arahants, without any mentaldefilements such as greed, anger, envy, conceit, pride, delusion.

Just by hearing about the four noble uths and thinking overthem a bit, do we become enlightened? Not at all. Therefore,morali has to be perfected, concenation has to be deepened,mindfulness has to be firmly established, effort has to be rousedup and made vigorous, thoughts have to be turned away omworldly desires. Only then can we gain the right view that can

peneate suffering properly. When the suffering of conditionedexistence is clearly understood, we will definitely want to beliberated om it. No one wants to be liberated om happiness

they want to enjoy it as much as possible, but sensualenjoyment is just suffering concealed by delusion.

The Buddha's Claim of Enlightenment

The Buddha continued by explaining that as long as he hadnot fully understood, abandoned, realised, and developed thesefour uths, he did not claim to be enlightened.

Yvakvaca me, bhikkhave, imesu catsu ariyasaccesueva tiparivaa dvdaskra yathbhta a-dassana na suvisuddha ahosi, neva tvha,bhikkhave, sadevake loke samrake sabrahmake

sassamaabrhmaiy pajya sadevamanussyaAnuara sammsambodhi abhisambuddhotipaccasi.


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Koaa Realises the Truth 11

As long, monks, as my knowledge of these fournoble uths in three aspects and twelve ways wasnot completely pure, I did not, monks, claim

incomparable full enlightenment in the world withits mras, brahms, recluses and brahmins, with itsgods and men.

Yato ca kho me, bhikkhave, imesu catsu ariyasaccesueva tiparivaa dvdaskra yathbhta a-dassana suvisuddha ahosi, athha, bhikkhave,sadevake loke samrake sabrahmake sassamaa-

brhmaiy pajya sadevamanussya Anuarasammsambodhi abhisambuddhoti paccasi.

But when, monks, my knowledge of these four nobleuths in three aspects and twelve ways was com-pletely pure, I did claim, monks, the incomparable fullenlightenment in the world with its mras, brahms,recluses and brahmins, with its gods and men.

aca pana me dassana udapdi: Akupp mevimui, ayamantim jti, nahidni punabbhavoti.

Then knowledge and discernment arose in me:Irreversible is my liberation, this is my final birth,there will be no more further existence.

This is the end of what the Buddha taught to the five monks.

The rest of the Dhammacakka Sua was appended later whenthe discourse was related to record what happened aer theBlessed One had finished teaching.

Koaa Realises the Truth

Idamavoca Bhagav. Aaman pacavaggiy bhikkhBhagavato bhsita abhinandunti.

This is what the Blessed One said. The group of fivemonks rejoiced exceedingly in what the BlessedOne had said.


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Imasmica pana veyykaraasmi bhaamneyasmato Koaassa viraja vtamala dhamma-cakkhu udapdi: Ya kici samudayadhamma,

sabba ta nirodhadhammanti.When this discourse had been given, the spotless,stainless eye of Dhamma arose in the VenerableKoaa: Whatever arises, all that passes away.

This means that Venerable Koaa realised nibbna andaained the path of Seam-winning. His insight presumablydeveloped gradually as he listened to the discourse, culminat-

ing in enlightenment just as the Blessed One finished speaking.None of the other four ascetics gained enlightenment at thattime, but they must have gained firm faith in the Blessed Onefor they took up the rains reeat with him the following dayand all began to practise meditation diligently. By the fourthday, all five monks had gained Seam-winning, and on thefih day they all gained Arahantship on listening to the

discourse on not-self the Anaalakkhaa Sua.The Devas Rejoice

Pavaite ca pana Bhagavat Dhammacakke, Bhummdev saddamanussvesu: Eta Bhagavat Brasi-ya Isipatane Migadye anuara Dhammacakkapavaita appaivaiya samaena v brhmaena

v devena v mrena v brahmun v kenaci vlokasminti.

When the Wheel of the Dhamma had been setrolling by the Blessed One, the earthbound devasdeclared in one voice: The Incomparable Wheel ofDhamma has been set rolling by the Blessed Onein the deer park, at the Sages resort near Benares,

and it cannot be turned back by any recluse,brahmin, deva, mra, brahm, or by anyone in theworld.


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The Devas Rejoice 13

Bhummna devna sadda sutv, Ctumahrjikdev saddamanussvesu: Eta BhagavatBrasiya Isipatane Migadye anuara Dhamma-

cakka pavaita, appaivaiya samaena vbrhmaena v devena v mrena v brahmun vkenaci v lokasminti.

Having heard the earthbound devas, the devas ofthe Four Great Kings declared in one voice: TheIncomparable Wheel of Dhamma has been setrolling by the Blessed One in the deer park, at the

Sages resort near Benares, and it cannot be turnedback by any recluse, brahmin, deva, mra, brahm,or by anyone in the world.

Ctumahrjikna devna sadda sutv, Tvatisdev saddamanussvesu: Eta BhagavatBrasiya Isipatane Migadye anuara Dhamma-cakka pavaita, appaivaiya samaena v

brhmaena v devena v mrena v brahmun vkenaci v lokasminti.

Having heard the devas of the Four Great Kings,the devas of the Thir-three declared in one voice:

The Incomparable Wheel of Dhamma has been setrolling by the Blessed One in the deer park, at theSages resort near Benares, and it cannot be turned

back by any recluse, brahmin, deva, mra, brahm,or by anyone in the world.

Tvatisna devna sadda sutv, Ym devsaddamanussvesu: Eta Bhagavat BrasiyaIsipatane Migadye anuara Dhammacakkapavaita, appaivaiya samaena v brhmaena vdevena v mrena v brahmun v kenaci v lokasminti.

Having heard the devas of the Thir-three, theYm devas declared in one voice ...


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Ymna devna sadda sutv, Tusit devsaddamanussvesu: Eta Bhagavat BrasiyaIsipatane Migadye anuara Dhammacakka

pavaita, appaivaiya samaena v brhmaenav devena v mrena v brahmun v kenaci vlokasminti.

Having heard the Ym devas, the Tusita devasdeclared in one voice ...

Tusitna devna sadda sutv, Nimmnarat devsaddamanussvesu: Eta Bhagavat Brasiya

Isipatane Migadye anuara Dhammacakkapavaita, appaivaiya samaena v brhmaenav devena v mrena v brahmun v kenaci vlokasminti.

Having heard the Tusita devas, the devas whodelight in creating declared in one voice ...

Nimmnaratna devna sadda sutv, Para-nimmitavasava dev saddamanussvesu: EtaBhagavat Brasiya Isipatane Migadye anuaraDhammacakka pavaita, appaivaiya samaenav brhmaena v devena v mrena v brahmun vkenaci v lokasminti.

Having heard the devas who delight in creating,

the devas who delight in creations declared in onevoice ...

Paranimmitavasavana devna sadda sutv,Brahmakyik dev saddamanussvesu: Etabhagavat brasiya isipatane migadye anuaraDhammacakka pavaita appaivaiya samaenav brhmaena v devena v mrena v brahmun v

kenaci v lokasminti.Having heard the devas who delight in creations,the Brahms declared in one voice ...


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The Great Earthquake 15

The Great Earthquake

Itiha tena khaena (tena layena) tena muhuena yvabrahmalok saddo abbhuggacchi. Ayaca dasasahassi-lokadhtu sakampi sampakampi sampavedhi,appamo ca uro obhso loke pturahosi atikkammadevna devnubhvanti.

Thus, at that very moment, at that very instant, thesound reached up to the brahm realms, and thisten-thousandfold world system embled, andheaved, and shook, and an incomparable radiancearose in the world, even surpassing the radiance ofall the deities.

In the Mahparinibbna Sua, a discourse om theDghanikya that relates the events during the last six monthsor so of the Buddhas life, another great earthquake is men-tioned. It occurred when the Buddha renounced the possibiliof extending his life-span by using his psychic powers, and

told Mra that he would die in three months time. In thatdiscourse, the Venerable nanda asked the Buddha the reasonfor the great earthquake, and the Buddha told him the eightcauses of earthquakes, of which the seing in motion of thewheel of the Dhamma is the sixth cause.

1. This earth is supported by water, the water by air, the airby space. At times great winds blow songly and the

water is shaken. When the water is shaken, the earth isshaken. (N.B. Water is the element of cohesion or fluidi,air the element of motion. These elements are presenteven in molten rock).

2. A recluse or dei of great power causes the earth to shakeby the power of concenation.

3. When the Bodhisaa passes away om the Tusita heaven,

mindfully and deliberately, and is conceived in hismothers womb the great earth shakes.


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4. When the Bodhisaa issues forth om his mothers womb,mindfully and deliberately, the great earth shakes.

5. When the Tathgata aains the supreme and perfect

enlightenment the great earth shakes.6. When the Tathgata sets in motion the wheel of the

Dhamma the great earth shakes.7. When the Tathgata, mindfully and deliberately, gives

up the life-sustaining mental process the great earthshakes. (He could prolong his life by supernormal power

but not being asked, he gives up the possibili andannounces the time of his death.)

8. When a Buddha passes away and aains parinibbna thegreat earth shakes.

Many people doubt the existence ofdevas and brahms, andfew people claim to have seen them, but it is hard to rule outtheir existence given the overwhelming evidence in such impor-tant discourses as the Dhammacakka Sua, Sakkapaha Sua,Magala Sua, Brahmjala Sua, Tevijja Sua, and many others.

The Tevijja Sua explains the way to reach the Brahm realm.In this discourse the Buddha ridicules the brahmins who cannoteven point out the way to reach the sun and moon, which theycan see, let alone the way to reach Brahm, whom they cannotsee. He goes on to show the way to meet Brahm through thepractice of the four Brahmvihras. It is therefore obvious thatthe Buddha did know the way to the Brahm realm and could

go there whenever he wished to.There are so many discourses about things beyond common

human knowledge, that it becomes quite irrational to dismissthem all. If one rejects all the discourses that make any mentionof psychic powers, devas, brahms, heavenly realms, spirits,and hell, there will be very few discourses le.

One could dismiss many of the magical events in the

commentaries as mere embellishment, but the Pi textsthemselves contain copious evidence for the existence of devasand brahms. The Brahmin Sagrava, a student of the three


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An Exposition of the Dhammacakka Sua 17

Vedas, who spoke contemptuously of the Buddha as Abald-headed recluse, asks the Buddha directly in theSagrava Sua (Majjhima, Sua 100), Are there gods?

The Buddha replied, It is known to me to be the case thatthere are gods. When Sagrava ies to cast doubt on theBuddhas answer, the Buddha said, Bhradvja, when one isasked, Are there gods? whether one answers, There are gods,or It is known to me to be the case [that there are gods], a wiseman can draw the definite conclusion that there are gods.

The Buddha knew by his own direct knowledge that therewere gods. He had given countless discourses to them, so hewas known as Sahadevmanussna teacher of gods andmen. He was not simply repeating a widely held belief, that iswhy he replied to Sagrava in the way that he did. Had hesimply stated, Yes, there are gods Sagrava would havethought that he was simply repeating the conventional belief.

Whenever we read a Sua, we should bear in mind thecircumstances under which it was given, and to whom it was

given. We should read the inoduction to a discourse carefully;it is recorded because it is relevant to the answer that theBuddha gives. We should also remember that the Buddha hadthe power to read the minds of others, so he knew the realmotive behind their question, and whether they would be ableto understand his answer.

Because I have no such powers, when people ask me a

question I tend to take it at face value. It is only later that I mayrealise the questioner really meant to ask something else. Forexample, one person asked me how to deal with anger, so I toldher how to contemplate anger (in oneself) using the insightmethod of bare awareness.

However, what she really meant to ask was, How do I dealwith aggression (in others)? This is quite a different question. One

should practise loving-kindness to deal with hostili and aggres-sion. If one uses the method of bare awareness, the situation mayget worse because the aggressive person is not geing any aention.


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The Buddha was the perfect diplomat. He knew exactlywhat to say to arouse faith in others if it was at all possible.Once he was described as a magician who used his magic to

convert the followers of others.

The Buddha Praises Koaa

The Dhammacakka Sua ends as follows:

Atha kho Bhagav ima udna udnesi: Asi vatabho Koao, asi vata bho Koaoti. Iti hidayasmato Koaassa Asikoao tveva

nma ahosti.Then the Blessed One made this joyful uerance:

Venerable Koaa has understood. VenerableKoaa has understood. Thus VenerableKoaa became known as Koaa the Wise.

The full name of the Dhammacakkappavaana Sua meansThe Seing in Motion of the Wheel of the Dhamma. That is

its delivery marks the beginning of the ansmission of theBuddhas understanding to others. The commentary adds thatmillions of brahms and countless devas also realised nibbnawhile listening to the Dhammacakka Sua.

The discourse was given at sunset, when both the sun andmoon were visible in the sky. Hemavata, one of the devas whowas present, did not gain realisation of the Dhamma because

his thoughts wandered to his iend, Stagiri, who was absent.Therefore, when listening to or reading a religious discourseone should give it ones undivided aention. The Dhamma isvery profound, if it could be understood easily we would all

be enlightened by now. The bodhisaa had to sit for the wholenight in meditation (about twelve hours) without moving omhis seat, to gain enlightenment, aer six years of experimenting

with wrong methods. Of the five ascetics, who had all beenliving far om sensual indulgence for thir-five years, onlyone gained realisation immediately on listening to the discourse.


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The Buddha Praises Koaa 19

The other four had to practise meditation for om one to fourdays before gaining the first path and its uition.

Hemavata told his iend about the discourse and brought

him to see the Buddha. The Buddha taught them the HemavataSua later the same night. That was the second discourse ofthe Buddha. Overhearing the conversation of the two devas, ayoung lady who was expecting a baby, gained faith in theBuddha and aained nibbna. Thus, she become the firstenlightened lay disciple of the Buddha before even meetinghim. The Hemavata Sua can be found in the Uragavagga, thefirst chapter of the Suanipta.

All over Burma there are Dhammacakka Sua RecitingSocieties whose sole purpose is to memorise and recite thisdiscourse just for the joy of doing so. Learning the original Pi

by heart is very useful. Though one does not understand themeaning at first, gradually the meaning of each word becomescrystal clear.

To listen with reverence to the recitation of Suas, evenwithout comprehending the meaning, is of spiritual value.When ones knowledge becomes mature, one can speak withauthori on the Suas that one has memorised by heart. AllBuddhist lay people should commit to memory at least one ortwo important discourses such as the Me Sua, on loving-kindness, and the Magala Sua, on blessings. The MagalaSua is especially valuable for lay people. Wishing to know

about auspicious signs that tell of future happiness, a certaindei approached the Buddha and sought his advice. TheBuddha enumerated thir-eight moral virtues that givehappiness in the future. The Sigla Sua om the Dghanikyashould also be studied, though it is too long to memorise,

because it contains very useful advice for lay people on howto live a successful and happy life in accordance with Dhamma.

Though the Dhammacakka Sua is quite long, it is not atall difficult to learn by heart as it contains many repetitivephrases. Recitation of texts that one has learnt by heart is


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recommended by the Buddha as a method to overcome slothand brighten the mind. Recitation is an easy way to focus themind on the Dhamma, though one should, of course, know the

meaning too. So learn this Dhammacakka Sua by heart andstudy the meaning in detail. The entire Pi text is includedabove, and each paragraph is followed by its anslation.

A Guide to Pronunciation

Vowels with a macron accent , , and are doublethe length of normal vowels.

The consonant va is pronounced like wa.The with a dot, which comes at the end of a word or

prefix is pronounced as ng in sing. There is no dot under mwhen it precedes p in yampicchaor tampi.

The n tilde is pronounced as ny in canyon or as inthe Spanish word maana.

Ph is pronounced like the first p in topography, never as flike the ph.

Both halves of double consonants should be pronounced:e.g. kka in cakka should be pronounced as ck-ca in black-cat,not as ck in backache.

C is always pronounced as ch, never as k or s.

Documents

An Exposition of the Dhammacakka Sutta