Dhamma-cakkappavattana Sutta
The Discourse on Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion

[Evam-me sutaṃ,] Ekaṃ samayaṃ Bhagavaa,
Baaraanasiyaṃ viharati isipatane migadaaye
Tatra kho Bhagavaa pañca-vaggiye bhikkhuu aamantesi

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Varanasi
in the Game Refuge at Isipatana There he addressed the group of five monks:

"Dveme bhikkhave antaa pabbajitena na sevitabbaa,

"There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one who has gone forth --

Yo caayaṃ kaamesu kaama-sukhallikaanuyogo,
Hiino gammo pothujjaniko anariyo anattha-sañhito,

That which is devoted to sensual pleasure in sensual objects: base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable;
 

Yo caayaṃ atta-kilamathaanuyogo,
Dukkho anariyo anattha-sañhito

and that which is devoted to self-affliction: painful, ignoble, unprofitable

Ete te bhikkhave ubho ante anupagamma,
Majjhimaa patipadaa tathaagatena abhisambuddhaa,
Cakkhu-karanii ñaana-karanii upasamaaya abhiññaaya sambodhaaya nibbaanaaya saṃvattati

Avoiding both of these extremes, the middle way realized by the Tathagata -- producing vision, producing knowledge -- leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding
 

Katamaa ca saa bhikkhave majjhimaa patipadaa tathaagatena abhisambuddhaa,
Cakkhu-karanii ñaana-karanii upasamaaya abhiññaaya sambodhaaya nibbaanaaya saṃvattati

And what is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that -- producing vision, producing knowledge -- leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbindingñ
 

Ayam-eva ariyo atthaṇgiko maggo,
Seyyathiidaṃ,
Sammaa-ditthi sammaa-saṇkappo,
Sammaa-vaacaa sammaa-kammanto sammaa-aajiivo,
Sammaa-vaayaamo sammaa-sati sammaa-samaadhi

Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration

Ayaṃ kho saa bhikkhave majjhimaa patipadaa tathaagatena abhisambuddhaa,
Cakkhu-karanii ñaana-karanii upasamaaya abhiññaaya sambodhaaya nibbaanaaya saṃvattati

This is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that -- producing vision,producing knowledge -- leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding
 

Idaṃ kho pana bhikkhave dukkhaṃ ariya-saccaṃ,

Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress:

Jaatipi dukkhaa jaraapi dukkhaa maranampi dukkhaṃ,

Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful,
 

Soka-parideva-dukkha-domanassupaayaasaapi dukkhaa,

Sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are stressful,

Appiyehi sampayogo dukkho piyehi vippayogo dukkho yamp'icchaṃ na labhati tampi dukkhaṃ,

Association with things disliked is stressful, separation from things liked is stressful, not getting what one wants is stressful,

Saṇkhittena pañcupaadaanakkhandhaa dukkhaa

In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful

Idaṃ kho pana bhikkhave dukkha-samudayo ariya-saccaṃ,
 

And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress:

Yaayaṃ tanhaa ponobbhavikaa nandi-raaga-sahagataa tatra tatraabhinandinii,
Seyyathiidaṃ,
Kaama-tanhaa bhava-tanhaa vibhava-tanhaa,

the craving that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now here & now there -- ie, craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for no-becoming

Idaṃ kho pana bhikkhave dukkha-nirodho ariya-saccaṃ,

And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress:

Yo tassaa yeva tanhaaya asesa-viraaga-nirodho caago patinissaggo mutti anaalayo,

the remainderless fading & cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release,& letting go of that very craving

Idaṃ kho pana bhikkhave dukkha-nirodha-gaaminii-patipadaa ariya-saccaṃ,

And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress:

Ayam-eva ariyo atthaṇgiko maggo,
Seyyathiidaṃ,
Sammaa-ditthi sammaa-saṇkappo,
Sammaa-vaacaa sammaa-kammanto sammaa-aajiivo,
Sammaa-vaayaamo sammaa-sati sammaa-samaadhi

precisely this Noble Eightfold Path -- right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration

Idaṃ dukkhaṃ ariya-saccanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illuminationarose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of stress'

Taṃ kho pan'idaṃ dukkhaṃ ariya-saccaṃ pariññeyyanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

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'

Taṃ kho pan'idaṃ dukkhaṃ ariya-saccaṃ pariññaatanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

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'

Idaṃ dukkha-samudayo ariya-saccanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

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'

Taṃ kho pan'idaṃ dukkha-samudayo ariya-saccaṃ pahaatabbanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

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'

Taṃ kho pan'idaṃ dukkha-samudayo ariya-saccaṃ pahiinanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

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'

Idaṃ dukkha-nirodho ariya-saccanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi
 

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'

 

Taṃ kho pan'idaṃ dukkha-nirodho ariya-saccaṃ sacchikaatabbanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

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 directly experienced'

Taṃ kho pan'idaṃ dukkha-nirodho ariya-saccaṃ sacchikatanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

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 directly experienced'
 

Idaṃ dukkha-nirodha-gaaminii-patipadaa ariya-saccanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

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'

Taṃ kho pan'idaṃ dukkha-nirodha-gaaminii-patipadaa ariya-saccaṃ bhaavetabbanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

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'
 

Taṃ kho pan'idaṃ dukkha-nirodha-gaaminii-patipadaa ariya-saccaṃ bhaavitanti me bhikkhave,
Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu,
Cakkhuṃ udapaadi ñaanaṃ udapaadi paññaa udapaadi vijjaa udapaadi aaloko udapaadi

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'
 

Yaavakiivañca me bhikkhave imesu catuusu ariya-saccesu,
Evan-ti-parivattaṃ dvaadas'aakaaraṃ yathaabhuutaṃ ñaana-dassanaṃ na suvisuddhaṃ ahosi,
Neva taavaahaṃ bhikkhave sadevake loke samaarake sabrahmake,
Sassamana-braahmaniyaa pajaaya sadeva-manussaaya,
Anuttaraṃ sammaa-sambodhiṃ abhisambuddho paccaññaasiṃ

And, monks, as long as this knowledge & vision of mine -- with its three rounds & twelve permutations concerning these four noble truths as they actually are -- was not pure, I did not claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities, Maras, & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & priests, its royalty & common people
 

Yato ca kho me bhikkhave imesu catuusu ariya-saccesu,
Evan-ti-parivattaṃ dvaadas'aakaaraṃ yathaabhuutaṃ ñaana-dassanaṃ suvisuddhaṃ ahosi,
Athaahaṃ bhikkhave sadevake loke samaarake sabrahmake,
Sassamana-braahmaniyaa pajaaya sadeva-manussaaya,
Anuttaraṃ sammaa-sambodhiṃ abhisambuddho paccaññaasiṃ

But as soon as this knowledge & vision of mine -- with its three rounds & twelve permutations concerning these four noble truths as they actually are -- was truly pure, then I did claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities, Maras, & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & priests, its royalty & commonfolk

ñaanañca pana me dassanaṃ udapaadi,
Akuppaa me vimutti,
Ayam-antimaa jaati,
N'atthidaani punabbhavoti"

The knowledge & vision arose in me: 'My release is unshakable This is the last birth There is now no further becoming'"
 

Idam-avoca Bhagavaa,
Attamanaa pañca-vaggiyaa bhikkhuu Bhagavato bhaasitaṃ abhinanduṃ

That is what the Blessed One said Gratified, the group of five monks delighted at his words

Imasmiñca pana veyyaa-karanasmiṃ bhaññamaane,
AAyasmato Kondaññassa virajaṃ viitamalaṃ dhamma-cakkhuṃ udapaadi,

And while this explanation was being given, there arose to Ven Kondañña the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye:
 

Yaṇkiñci samudaya-dhammaṃ sabban-taṃ nirodha-dhammanti

"Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation"
 

Pavattite ca Bhagavataa dhamma-cakke,
Bhummaa devaa saddamanussaavesuṃ,

Now when the Blessed One had set the Wheel of Dhamma in motion, the earth deities cried out:
 

"Etam-Bhagavataa Baaraanasiyaṃ isipatane migadaaye anuttaraṃ dhamma-cakkaṃ pavattitaṃ,
Appativattiyaṃ samanena vaa braahmanena vaa devena vaa maarena vaa brahmunaa vaa kenaci vaa lokasminti"
 

"At Varanasi, in the Game Refuge at Isipatana, the Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by priest or contemplative, deity, Maara, Brahma, or anyone at all in the cosmos"

 

Bhummaanaṃ devaanaṃ saddaṃ sutvaa,
Caatummahaaraajikaa devaa saddamanussaavesuṃ
 

On hearing the earth deities' cry, the deities of the Heaven of the Four Kings took up the cry
 

Caatummahaaraajikaanaṃ devaanaṃ saddaṃ sutvaa,
Taavatiṃsaa devaa saddamanussaavesuṃ
 

On hearing the cry of the deities of the Heaven of the Four Kings, the deities of the Heaven of the Thirty-three took up the cry
 

Taavatiṃsaanaṃ devaanaṃ saddaṃ sutvaa,
Yaamaa devaa saddamanussaavesuṃ
 

On hearing the cry of the deities of the Heaven of the Thirty-three, the Yama deities took up the cry
 

Yaamaanaṃ devaanaṃ saddaṃ sutvaa,
Tusitaa devaa saddamanussaavesuṃ
 

On hearing the cry of the Yama deities, the Tusita deities took up the cry
 

Tusitaanaṃ devaanaṃ saddaṃ sutvaa,
Nimmaanaratii devaa saddamanussaavesuṃ

On hearing the cry of the Tusita deities, the Nimmanarati deities took up the cry

Nimmaanaratiinaṃ devaanaṃ saddaṃ sutvaa,
Paranimmita-vasavattii devaa saddamanussaavesuṃ

On hearing the cry of the Nimmanarati deities, the Paranimmita-vasavatti deities took up the cry

Paranimmita-vasavattiinaṃ devaanaṃ saddaṃ sutvaa,
Brahma-kaayikaa devaa saddamanussaavesuṃ,

On hearing the cry of the Paranimmita-vasavatti deities, the deities of Brahma's retinue took up the cry:
 

"Etam-Bhagavataa Baaraanasiyaṃ isipatane migadaaye
anuttaraṃ dhamma-cakkaṃ pavattitaṃ,
Appativattiyaṃ samanena vaa braahmanena vaa devena vaa maarena vaa brahmunaa vaa kenaci vaa lokasminti"
 

"At Varanasi, in the Game Refuge at Isipatana, the Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by priest or contemplative, deity, Maara, Brahma, or anyone at all in the cosmos"
 

Itiha tena khanena tena muhuttena,
Yaava brahma-lokaa saddo abbhuggacchi

So in that moment, that instant, the cry shot right up to the Brahma world
 

Ayañca dasa-sahassii loka-dhaatu,
Saṇkampi sampakampi sampavedhi,

And this ten-thousandfold cosmos shivered & quivered & quaked,

Appamaano ca olaaro obhaaso loke paaturahosi,
Atikkammeva devaanaṃ devaanubhaavaṃ

while a great, measureless radiance appeared in the cosmos, surpassing the effulgence of the deities
 

Atha kho Bhagavaa udaanaṃ udaanesi,
"Aññaasi vata bho Kondañño,
Aññaasi vata bho Kondaññoti"

Then the Blessed One exclaimed: "So you really know, Kondaññañ So you really knowñ"

Itihidaṃ aayasmato Kondaññassa,
Añña-kondañño'tveva naamaṃ, ahosiiti

And that is how Ven Kondañña acquired the name Añña-Kondañña -- Kondañña who knows