1"Bhikkhus, even a wheel-turning monarch, a righteous king who rules by the Dhamma, does not turn the wheel without a king above him."

When this was said, a certain bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "But, Bhante, who could be the king above a wheel-turning monarch, a righteous king who rules by the Dhamma?"

2"It is the Dhamma, bhikkhu," the Blessed One said. "Here, a wheel-turning monarch, a righteous king who rules by the Dhamma, relying just on the Dhamma, honoring, respecting, and venerating the Dhamma, taking the Dhamma as his standard, banner, and authority, provides righteous protection, shelter, and guard for the people in his court.

3Again, a wheel-turning monarch, a righteous king who rules by the Dhamma … provides righteous protection, shelter, and guard for his khattiya vassals; for his army; for brahmins and householders; for the people of town and countryside; for ascetics and brahmins; for the animals and birds. Having provided such righteous protection, shelter, and guard, that wheel-turning monarch, a righteous king who rules by the Dhamma, turns the wheel solely through the Dhamma, a wheel that cannot be turned back by any hostile creature in human form.

4"So too, bhikkhu, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the righteous king of the Dhamma, relying just on the Dhamma, honoring, respecting, and venerating the Dhamma, taking the Dhamma as his standard, banner, and authority, provides righteous protection, shelter, and guard for the bhikkhus, saying: (1) ‘Such bodily action should be cultivated; such bodily action should not be cultivated. (2) Such verbal action should be cultivated; such verbal action should not be cultivated. (3) Such mental action should be cultivated; such mental action should not be cultivated. (4) Such livelihood should be cultivated; such livelihood should not be cultivated. (5) Such a village or town should be resorted to; such a village or town should not be resorted to.’

5"Again, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the righteous king of the Dhamma, relying just on the Dhamma, honoring, respecting, and venerating the Dhamma, taking the Dhamma as his standard, banner, and authority, provides righteous protection, shelter, and guard for the bhikkhunīs … for the male lay followers … for the female lay followers, saying: ‘Such bodily action should be cultivated …. Such verbal action should be cultivated …. Such mental action should be cultivated …. Such livelihood should be cultivated; such livelihood should not be cultivated. Such a village or town should be resorted to; such a village or town should not be resorted to.’

6"Having provided such righteous protection, shelter, and guard, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the righteous king of the Dhamma, sets in motion the unsurpassed wheel of the Dhamma solely through the Dhamma, a wheel that cannot be turned back by any ascetic, brahmin, deva, Māra, or Brahmā, or by anyone in the world."

1"Yopi so, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā, sopi na arājakaṁ cakkaṁ vattetī"ti.

Evaṁ vutte aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "ko pana, bhante, rañño cakkavattissa dhammikassa dhammarañño rājā"ti? "Dhammo, bhikkhū"ti bhagavā avoca.

2"Idha, bhikkhu, rājā cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaññeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahati antojanasmiṁ.

3Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, rājā cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaññeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahati khattiyesu anuyantesu … pe … balakāyasmiṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikesu negamajānapadesu samaṇabrāhmaṇesu migapakkhīsu. Sa kho so, bhikkhu, rājā cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaññeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā antojanasmiṁ dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā khattiyesu anuyantesu balakāyasmiṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikesu negamajānapadesu samaṇabrāhmaṇesu migapakkhīsu dhammeneva cakkaṁ pavatteti; taṁ hoti cakkaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ kenaci manussabhūtena paccatthikena pāṇinā.

4Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhu, tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaññeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahati bhikkhūsu: ‘evarūpaṁ kāyakammaṁ sevitabbaṁ, evarūpaṁ kāyakammaṁ na sevitabbaṁ; evarūpaṁ vacīkammaṁ sevitabbaṁ, evarūpaṁ vacīkammaṁ na sevitabbaṁ; evarūpaṁ manokammaṁ sevitabbaṁ, evarūpaṁ manokammaṁ na sevitabbaṁ; evarūpo ājīvo sevitabbo, evarūpo ājīvo na sevitabbo; evarūpo gāmanigamo sevitabbo, evarūpo gāmanigamo na sevitabbo’ti.

5Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaññeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahati bhikkhunīsu … pe … upāsakesu … pe … upāsikāsu: ‘evarūpaṁ kāyakammaṁ sevitabbaṁ, evarūpaṁ kāyakammaṁ na sevitabbaṁ; evarūpaṁ vacīkammaṁ sevitabbaṁ, evarūpaṁ vacīkammaṁ na sevitabbaṁ; evarūpaṁ manokammaṁ sevitabbaṁ, evarūpaṁ manokammaṁ na sevitabbaṁ; evarūpo ājīvo sevitabbo, evarūpo ājīvo na sevitabbo; evarūpo gāmanigamo sevitabbo, evarūpo gāmanigamo na sevitabbo’ti.

6Sa kho so, bhikkhu, tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaññeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā bhikkhūsu, dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā bhikkhunīsu, dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā upāsakesu, dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā upāsikāsu dhammeneva anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavatteti; taṁ hoti cakkaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmin"ti.

Tatiyaṁ.