Turning of the Dharma Wheel / Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
{"WorkMasterId":7481,"WpPageId":288675,"ParentWpPageId":193872,"Slug":"turning-of-the-dharma-wheel-dhammacakkappavattana-sutta","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/siddhartha-gautama/turning-of-the-dharma-wheel-dhammacakkappavattana-sutta/","RelativeUrl":"theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/siddhartha-gautama/turning-of-the-dharma-wheel-dhammacakkappavattana-sutta/","HasFullText":true,"RawHtmlLength":80159,"CleanHtmlLength":22685,"Kicker":"Philosophy Work","Title":"Turning of the Dharma Wheel / Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta","Deck":"The discourse frames the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, the diagnosis of suffering, and the path of practice as the foundational structure of Buddhist liberation.","BackLink":{"Text":"Back to Siddhārtha Gautama","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/siddhartha-gautama/"},"AuthorCard":{"Label":"Author","Title":"Siddhārtha Gautama","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/siddhartha-gautama/","MediaHref":"","ImageSrc":"https://chrisdeasy.com/wp-content/uploads/siddhartha-gautama-01-sculpture-of-the-buddha-preaching-his-first.jpg","ImageAlt":"Buddha preaching the first sermon at Sarnath","FilterTerra":"India and Central Asia","ClickText":"Siddhārtha Gautama","ClickHref":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/siddhartha-gautama/","Copies":["563 BCE – 483 BCE","Lumbinī","Founder of Buddhism whose transmitted early discourses frame suffering, liberation, dependent arising, not-self, mindfulness, ethics, and the Middle Way."]},"ContextCards":[{"Label":"Period","Key":"Period:1","Title":"Ancient History","DateText":"3000 BCE – 499 CE","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/eras-of-thought/philosophers-of-ancient-history/"},{"Label":"Era","Key":"Era:2","Title":"Iron Age","DateText":"1200 BCE – 501 BCE","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/eras-of-thought/philosophers-of-ancient-history/philosophers-of-the-iron-age/"},{"Label":"Composition","Title":"528 BCE","Url":"","DateText":""}],"DateNote":"528 BCE is a cautious teaching-sequence display and sorting proxy within Siddhartha Gautama\u0027s life chronology; it is not an autographed composition date or manuscript date.","GeoCards":[{"Label":"Region","Key":"Region:2"},{"Label":"Terra Avita","Key":"TerraAvita:9"},{"Label":"Terra Avita Region","Key":"TerraAvitaRegion:37"},{"Label":"Modern Country","Key":"Country:NPL:9"}],"OriginalTitle":"Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta","Language":"Pāli","DisciplineCards":[{"Label":"Primary Discipline","Key":"Discipline:ethics"},{"Label":"Secondary Discipline","Key":"Discipline:metaphysics"}],"Tradition":"Early Buddhism, Nikaya/Agama transmission, śramaṇa debate, Middle Way teaching, dependent arising, not-self, awakening, liberation, monastic discipline, meditation, ethics, and Buddhist philosophical reception","FullText":{"Title":"Full Text","Copy":"Full text from SuttaCentral: SN 56.11 Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta .","Url":"","Label":"","Kicker":"","Cards":[]},"CoreThesis":["The discourse frames the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, the diagnosis of suffering, and the path of practice as the foundational structure of Buddhist liberation."],"Classification":{"AlternateTitles":"SN 56.11; Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma; First Sermon at Sarnath","KeyConcepts":"SN 56.11; Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma; First Sermon at Sarnath","Methodology":"Early Buddhist oral-discourse transmission, canonical sutta framing, dialogue, simile, causal explanation, ethical testing, meditative instruction, and liberation-oriented argument.","Structure":"Early Buddhist discourse page keyed to a teaching-sequence proxy year; no autographed treatise is asserted."},"Arguments":["The discourse frames the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, the diagnosis of suffering, and the path of practice as the foundational structure of Buddhist liberation."],"Influence":{"InfluencedBy":"","InfluenceOn":""},"Significance":["Accepted as a transmitted early Buddhist discourse page because it is the standard canonical record of the first turning of the Dharma wheel.","Remains central to ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, meditation studies, and comparative accounts of self, suffering, action, and liberation."],"EvidenceNote":["Accepted as a transmitted early Buddhist discourse page because it is the standard canonical record of the first turning of the Dharma wheel."],"MainSections":[{"Kind":"RawSection","Title":"Full Versions","BodyHtml":"\u003cdiv class=\"dz-philo__full-version-grid\"\u003e\n \u003carticle class=\"dz-philo__full-version-card\"\u003e\n \u003cp class=\"dz-philo__full-version-provider\"\u003eSuttaCentral\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003ch3 class=\"dz-philo__full-version-title\"\u003eSN 56.11 Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta\u003c/h3\u003e\n \u003cp class=\"dz-philo__full-version-meta\"\u003eHtmlText · LinkOnlyReady\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003ca class=\"dz-philo__full-version-link\" href=\"https://suttacentral.net/sn56.11/en/sujato\"\u003eOpen full version\u003c/a\u003e\n \u003c/article\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e"},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Core Thesis","Paragraphs":["The discourse frames the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, the diagnosis of suffering, and the path of practice as the foundational structure of Buddhist liberation."]},{"Kind":"FieldSection","Title":"Classification","Fields":[{"Label":"Alternate Titles","Value":"SN 56.11; Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma; First Sermon at Sarnath"},{"Label":"Key Concepts","Value":"SN 56.11; Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma; First Sermon at Sarnath"},{"Label":"Methodology","Value":"Early Buddhist oral-discourse transmission, canonical sutta framing, dialogue, simile, causal explanation, ethical testing, meditative instruction, and liberation-oriented argument."},{"Label":"Structure","Value":"Early Buddhist discourse page keyed to a teaching-sequence proxy year; no autographed treatise is asserted."}]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Arguments","Paragraphs":["The discourse frames the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, the diagnosis of suffering, and the path of practice as the foundational structure of Buddhist liberation."]},{"Kind":"FieldSection","Title":"Influence","Fields":[{"Label":"Influenced By","Value":""},{"Label":"Influence On","Value":""}]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Significance","Paragraphs":["Accepted as a transmitted early Buddhist discourse page because it is the standard canonical record of the first turning of the Dharma wheel.","Remains central to ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, meditation studies, and comparative accounts of self, suffering, action, and liberation."]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Evidence Note","Paragraphs":["Accepted as a transmitted early Buddhist discourse page because it is the standard canonical record of the first turning of the Dharma wheel."]},{"Kind":"RawSection","Title":"Full Text","BodyHtml":"\u003cp class=\"dz-philo__section-copy dz-philo__full-text-source\"\u003eFull text from \u003ca href=\"https://suttacentral.net/sn56.11/en/sujato\"\u003eSuttaCentral: SN 56.11 Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003carticle class=\"dz-philo__full-text-body\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt one time the Buddha was staying near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana. \r\nThere the Buddha addressed the group of five mendicants: \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e“Mendicants, these two extremes should not be cultivated by one gone forth. \r\nWhat two? \r\nIndulgence in sensual pleasures, which is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. And indulgence in self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, and pointless. \r\nAvoiding these two extremes, the Realized One understood the middle way of practice, which gives vision and knowledge, and leads to peace, direct knowledge, awakening, and extinguishment. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnd what is that middle way of practice? \r\nIt is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: \r\nright view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. \r\nThis is that middle way of practice, which gives vision and knowledge, and leads to peace, direct knowledge, awakening, and extinguishment. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eNow this is the noble truth of suffering. \r\nRebirth is suffering; old age is suffering; illness is suffering; death is suffering; being coupled with the disliked is suffering; separation from the liked is suffering; not getting what you wish for is suffering. In brief, the five grasping aggregates are suffering. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eNow this is the noble truth of the origin of suffering. \r\nIt’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure there wherever it alights. That is, \r\ncraving for sensual pleasures, craving to continue existence, and craving for nonexistence. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eNow this is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering. \r\nIt’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving with nothing left over; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not clinging to it. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eNow this is the noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. \r\nIt is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: \r\nright view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e‘This is the noble truth of suffering.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another. \r\n‘This noble truth of suffering should be completely understood.’ Such was the vision that arose in me … \r\n‘This noble truth of suffering has been completely understood.’ Such was the vision that arose in me … \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e‘This is the noble truth of the origin of suffering.’ Such was the vision that arose in me … \r\n‘This noble truth of the origin of suffering should be given up.’ Such was the vision that arose in me … \r\n‘This noble truth of the origin of suffering has been given up.’ Such was the vision that arose in me … \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e‘This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering.’ Such was the vision that arose in me … \r\n‘This noble truth of the cessation of suffering should be realized.’ Such was the vision that arose in me … \r\n‘This noble truth of the cessation of suffering has been realized.’ Such was the vision that arose in me … \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e‘This is the noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.’ Such was the vision that arose in me … \r\n‘This noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering should be developed.’ Such was the vision that arose in me … \r\n‘This noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering has been developed.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAs long as my true knowledge and vision about these four noble truths was not fully purified in these three rounds and twelve aspects, I didn’t announce my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eBut when my true knowledge and vision about these four noble truths was fully purified in these three rounds and twelve aspects, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eKnowledge and vision arose in me: \r\n‘My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there’ll be no more future lives.’” \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThat is what the Buddha said. \r\nSatisfied, the group of five mendicants approved what the Buddha said. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnd while this discourse was being spoken, the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in Venerable Koṇḍa\u0026#241;\u0026#241;a: \r\n“Everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.” \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnd when the Buddha rolled forth the Wheel of Dhamma, the earth gods raised the cry: \r\n“Near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana, the Buddha has rolled forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma. And that wheel cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world.” \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eHearing the cry of the earth gods, the gods of the four great kings … \r\n\r\nthe gods of the thirty-three … \r\nthe gods of Yama … \r\nthe joyful gods … \r\nthe gods who love to create … \r\nthe gods who control what is created by others … \r\nthe gods of the Divinity’s host raised the cry: \r\n“Near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana, the Buddha has rolled forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma. And that wheel cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world.” \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnd so at that moment, that second, that hour, the cry soared up to the realm of divinity. \r\nAnd this ten-thousandfold galaxy shook and rocked and trembled. And an immeasurable, magnificent light appeared in the world, surpassing the glory of the gods. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThen the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: \r\n“Koṇḍa\u0026#241;\u0026#241;a has really understood! Koṇḍa\u0026#241;\u0026#241;a has really understood!” \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnd that’s how Venerable Koṇḍa\u0026#241;\u0026#241;a came to be known as “Koṇḍa\u0026#241;\u0026#241;a Who Understood”. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/article\u003e"}],"SectionSequence":["Back Link","Work Title","Deck","Author","Period","Era","Composition","Date Note","Region","Terra Avita","Terra Avita Region","Modern Country","Original Title","Language","Primary Discipline","Secondary Discipline","Tradition","Full Versions","Core Thesis","Classification","Arguments","Influence","Significance","Evidence Note","Full Text"],"Counts":{"ContextCards":3,"GeoCards":4,"DisciplineCards":2,"Links":11,"Sections":25,"Styles":3,"Scripts":1}}