1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Benares in the Deer Park at Isipatana. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus." — "Venerable sir," they replied. The Blessed One said this:

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati isipatane migadāye. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti. "Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: 

2"At Benares, bhikkhus, in the Deer Park at Isipatana the Tathāgata, accomplished and fully enlightened, set rolling the matchless Wheel of the Dhamma,[n.1288] This refers to the Buddha’s first sermon, delivered to the five bhikkhus in the Deer Park at Isipatana. which cannot be stopped by any recluse or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or anyone in the world — that is, the announcing, teaching, describing, establishing, revealing, expounding, and exhibiting of the Four Noble Truths. Of what four?

2"Tathāgatena, bhikkhave, arahatā sammāsambuddhena bārāṇasiyaṁ isipatane migadāye anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ, yadidaṁ — catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

"The announcing, teaching, describing, establishing, revealing, expounding, and exhibiting of the noble truth of suffering. The announcing, teaching, describing, establishing, revealing, expounding, and exhibiting of the noble truth of the origin of suffering … of the noble truth of the cessation of suffering … of the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ, dukkhasamudayassa ariyasaccassa ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ, dukkhanirodhassa ariyasaccassa ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ.

"At Benares, bhikkhus, in the Deer Park at Isipatana the Tathāgata, accomplished and fully enlightened, set rolling the matchless Wheel of the Dhamma, which cannot be stopped by any recluse or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or anyone in the world — that is, the announcing, teaching, describing, establishing, revealing, expounding, and exhibiting of these Four Noble Truths.

Tathāgatena, bhikkhave, arahatā sammāsambuddhena bārāṇasiyaṁ isipatane migadāye anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ, yadidaṁ — imesaṁ catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ.

3"Cultivate the friendship of Sāriputta and Moggallāna, bhikkhus; associate with Sāriputta and Moggallāna. They are wise and helpful to their companions in the holy life. Sāriputta is like a mother; Moggallāna is like a nurse. Sāriputta trains others for the fruit of stream-entry, Moggallāna for the supreme goal.[n.1289] MA: Ven. Sāriputta trains them until he knows they have attained the fruit of stream-entry, then he lets them develop the higher paths on their own and he takes on a new batch of pupils. But Ven. Moggallāna continues to train his pupils until they have attained arahantship. Sāriputta, bhikkhus, is able to announce, teach, describe, establish, reveal, expound, and exhibit the Four Noble Truths."

3Sevatha, bhikkhave, sāriputtamoggallāne; bhajatha, bhikkhave, sāriputtamoggallāne. Paṇḍitā bhikkhū anuggāhakā sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, janetā, evaṁ sāriputto; seyyathāpi jātassa āpādetā, evaṁ moggallāno. Sāriputto, bhikkhave, sotāpattiphale vineti, moggallāno uttamatthe. Sāriputto, bhikkhave, pahoti cattāri ariyasaccāni vitthārena ācikkhituṁ desetuṁ paññāpetuṁ paṭṭhapetuṁ vivarituṁ vibhajituṁ uttānīkātun"ti.

So the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Sublime One rose from his seat and went into his dwelling.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.

4Then, soon after the Blessed One had gone, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Friends, bhikkhus." — "Friend," the bhikkhus replied to the venerable Sāriputta. The venerable Sāriputta said this:

4Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto acirapakkantassa bhagavato bhikkhū āmantesi: "āvuso bhikkhave"ti. "Āvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca: 

5"At Benares, friends, in the Deer Park at Isipatana the Tathāgata, accomplished and fully enlightened, set rolling the matchless Wheel of the Dhamma … and exhibiting of the Four Noble Truths. Of what four?

5"Tathāgatena, āvuso, arahatā sammāsambuddhena bārāṇasiyaṁ isipatane migadāye anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ, yadidaṁ — catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

"The announcing … and exhibiting of the noble truth of suffering … of the noble truth of the origin of suffering … of the noble truth of the cessation of suffering … of the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ, dukkhasamudayassa ariyasaccassa ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ, dukkhanirodhassa ariyasaccassa ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ.

6"And what, friends, is the noble truth of suffering? Birth is suffering; ageing is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering; not to obtain what one wants is suffering; in short, the five aggregates affected by clinging are suffering.

6Katamañcāvuso, dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ? Jātipi dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, maraṇampi dukkhaṁ, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsāpi dukkhā, yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ; saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā.

7"And what, friends, is birth?[n.1290] The definitions of birth, ageing, and death are also found at MN 9.22, 26. This entire detailed analysis of the Four Noble Truths is included in the Mahāsatịhāna Sutta, with an even more elaborate exposition of the second and third truths. See DN 22.18–21/ii.305–13. The birth of beings into the various orders of beings, their coming to birth, precipitation in a womb, generation, the manifestation of the aggregates, obtaining the bases for contact — this is called birth.

7Katamā cāvuso, jāti? Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi sattanikāye jāti sañjāti okkanti abhinibbatti khandhānaṁ pātubhāvo āyatanānaṁ paṭilābho, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘jāti’.

8"And what, friends, is ageing? The ageing of beings in the various orders of beings, their old age, brokenness of teeth, greyness of hair, wrinkling of skin, decline of life, weakness of faculties — this is called ageing.

8Katamā cāvuso, jarā? Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi sattanikāye jarā jīraṇatā khaṇḍiccaṁ pāliccaṁ valittacatā āyuno saṁhāni indriyānaṁ paripāko, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘jarā’.

9"And what, friends, is death? The passing of beings out of the various orders of beings, their passing away, dissolution, disappearance, dying, completion of time, dissolution of aggregates, laying down of the body — this is called death.

9Katamañcāvuso, maraṇaṁ? Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhā tamhā sattanikāyā cuti cavanatā bhedo antaradhānaṁ maccu maraṇaṁ kālaṅkiriyā khandhānaṁ bhedo kaḷevarassa nikkhepo jīvitindriyassupacchedo, idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘maraṇaṁ’.

10"And what, friends, is sorrow? The sorrow, sorrowing, sorrowfulness, inner sorrow, inner sorriness, of one who has encountered some misfortune or is affected by some painful state — this is called sorrow.

10Katamo cāvuso, soko? Yo kho, āvuso, aññataraññatarena byasanena samannāgatassa aññataraññatarena dukkhadhammena phuṭṭhassa soko socanā socitattaṁ antosoko antoparisoko, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘soko’.

11"And what, friends, is lamentation? The wail and lament, wailing and lamenting, bewailing and lamentation, of one who has encountered some misfortune or is affected by some painful state — this is called lamentation.

11Katamo cāvuso, paridevo? Yo kho, āvuso, aññataraññatarena byasanena samannāgatassa aññataraññatarena dukkhadhammena phuṭṭhassa ādevo paridevo ādevanā paridevanā ādevitattaṁ paridevitattaṁ, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘paridevo’.

12"And what, friends, is pain? Bodily pain, bodily discomfort, painful, uncomfortable feeling born of bodily is called pain.

12Katamañcāvuso, dukkhaṁ? Yaṁ kho, āvuso, kāyikaṁ dukkhaṁ kāyikaṁ asātaṁ kāyasamphassajaṁ dukkhaṁ asātaṁ vedayitaṁ, idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhaṁ’.

13"And what, friends, is grief? Mental pain, mental discomfort, painful, uncomfortable feeling born of mental contact — this is called grief.

13Katamañcāvuso, domanassaṁ? Yaṁ kho, āvuso, cetasikaṁ dukkhaṁ cetasikaṁ asātaṁ manosamphassajaṁ dukkhaṁ asātaṁ vedayitaṁ, idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘domanassaṁ’.

14"And what, friends, is despair? The trouble and despair, the tribulation and desperation, of one who has encountered some misfortune or is affected by some painful state — this is called despair.

14Katamo cāvuso, upāyāso? Yo kho, āvuso, aññataraññatarena byasanena samannāgatassa aññataraññatarena dukkhadhammena phuṭṭhassa āyāso upāyāso āyāsitattaṁ upāyāsitattaṁ, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘upāyāso’.

15"And what, friends, is ‘not to obtain what one wants is suffering’? To beings subject to birth there comes the wish: ‘Oh, that we were not subject to birth! That birth would not come to us!’ But this is not to be obtained by wishing, and not to obtain what one wants is suffering. To beings subject to ageing … subject to sickness … subject to death … subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, there comes the wish: ‘Oh, that we were not subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair! That sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair would not come to us!’ But this is not to be obtained by wishing, and not to obtain what one wants is suffering.

15Katamañcāvuso, yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ? Jātidhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ evaṁ icchā uppajjati: ‘aho vata mayaṁ na jātidhammā assāma; na ca vata no jāti āgaccheyyā’ti. Na kho panetaṁ icchāya pattabbaṁ. Idampi: ‘yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ’. Jarādhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ … pe … byādhidhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ … maraṇadhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ … sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ evaṁ icchā uppajjati: ‘aho vata mayaṁ na sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā assāma; na ca vata no sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā āgaccheyyun’ti. Na kho panetaṁ icchāya pattabbaṁ. Idampi: ‘yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ’.

16"And what, friends, are the five aggregates affected by clinging that, in short, are suffering? They are: the material form aggregate affected by clinging, the feeling aggregate affected by clinging, the perception aggregate affected by clinging, the formations aggregate affected by clinging, and the consciousness aggregate affected by clinging. These are the five aggregates affected by clinging that, in short, are suffering. This is called the noble truth of suffering.

16Katame cāvuso, saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā? Seyyathidaṁ — rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Ime vuccantāvuso: ‘saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā’. Idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ’.

17"And what, friends, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering? It is craving, which brings renewal of being, is accompanied by delight and lust, and delights in this and that; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for being, and craving for non-being. This is called the noble truth of the origin of suffering.

17Katamañcāvuso, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ? Yāyaṁ taṇhā ponobbhavikā nandīrāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, seyyathidaṁ — kāmataṇhā bhavataṇhā vibhavataṇhā, idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ’.

18"And what, friends, is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering? It is the remainderless fading away and ceasing, the giving up, relinquishing, letting go, and rejecting of that same craving. This is called the noble truth of the cessation of suffering.

18Katamañcāvuso, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ? Yo tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo, idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ’.

19"And what, friends, is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering? It is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

19Katamañcāvuso, dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ? Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ — sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo, sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammāājīvo, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati, sammāsamādhi.

20"And what, friends, is right view? Knowledge of suffering, knowledge of the origin of suffering, knowledge of the cessation of suffering, and knowledge of the way leading to the cessation of suffering — this is called right view.

20Katamā cāvuso, sammādiṭṭhi? Yaṁ kho, āvuso, dukkhe ñāṇaṁ, dukkhasamudaye ñāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhe ñāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammādiṭṭhi’.

21"And what, friends, is right intention? Intention of renunciation, intention of non-ill will, and intention of non-cruelty — this is called right intention.

21Katamo cāvuso, sammāsaṅkappo? Nekkhammasaṅkappo, abyāpādasaṅkappo, avihiṁsāsaṅkappo, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāsaṅkappo’.

22"And what, friends, is right speech? Abstaining from false speech, abstaining from malicious speech, abstaining from harsh speech, and abstaining from idle chatter — this is called right speech.

22Katamā cāvuso, sammāvācā? Musāvādā veramaṇī, pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī, pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī, samphappalāpā veramaṇī, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāvācā’.

23"And what, friends, is right action? Abstaining from killing living beings, abstaining from taking what is not given, and abstaining from misconduct in sensual pleasures — this is called right action.

23Katamo cāvuso, sammākammanto? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī, adinnādānā veramaṇī, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇī, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammākammanto’.

24"And what, friends, is right livelihood? Here a noble disciple, having abandoned wrong livelihood, earns his living by right livelihood — this is called right livelihood.

24Katamo cāvuso, sammāājīvo? Idhāvuso, ariyasāvako micchāājīvaṁ pahāya sammāājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāājīvo’.

25"And what, friends, is right effort? Here a bhikkhu awakens zeal for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. He awakens zeal for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. He awakens zeal for the arising of unarisen wholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. He awakens zeal for the continuance, non-disappearance, strengthening, increase, and fulfilment by development of arisen wholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. This is called right effort.

25Katamo cāvuso, sammāvāyāmo? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati, uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati, anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati, uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāvāyāmo’.

26"And what, friends, is right mindfulness? Here a bhikkhu abides contemplating the body as a body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. He abides contemplating feelings as feelings, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. He abides contemplating mind as mind, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. He abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. This is called right mindfulness.

26Katamā cāvuso, sammāsati? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati … pe … citte cittānupassī viharati … dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāsati’.

27"And what, friends, is right concentration? Here, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, he enters upon and abides in the second jhāna, which has self-confidence and singleness of mind without applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration. With the fading away as well of rapture, he abides in equanimity, and mindful and fully aware, still feeling pleasure with the body, he enters upon and abides in the third jhāna, on account of which noble ones announce: ‘He has a pleasant abiding who has equanimity and is mindful.’ With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, he enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. This is called right concentration.

27Katamo cāvuso, sammāsamādhi? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati … pe … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ … pe … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāsamādhi’.

"This is called the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

Idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ’.

28"At Benares, friends, in the Deer Park at Isipatana the Tathāgata, accomplished and fully enlightened, set rolling the matchless Wheel of the Dhamma, which cannot be stopped by any recluse or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or anyone in the world — that is, the announcing, teaching, describing, establishing, revealing, expounding, and exhibiting of these Four Noble Truths."

28Tathāgatenāvuso, arahatā sammāsambuddhena bārāṇasiyaṁ isipatane migadāye anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ, yadidaṁ — imesaṁ catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkamman"ti.

29That is what the venerable Sāriputta said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the venerable Sāriputta's words.

29Idamavoca āyasmā sāriputto. Attamanā te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Saccavibhaṅgasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ ekādasamaṁ.