1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Baraṇasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana. sn.v.421 There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus of the group of five thus: [n.380] What follows is the Buddha’s first sermon, recorded in the narration of his ministry at Vin I 10–12. The sutta is analysed at MN No. 141 and Vibh 99–105, and commented upon at Vism 498–510 (Ppn 16:32–83) and Vibh-a 93–122. For a detailed explanation according to the method of the commentaries, see Rewata Dhamma, The First Discourse of the Buddha.

2"Bhikkhus, these two extremes should not be followed by one who has gone forth into homelessness. What two?

The pursuit of sensual happiness in sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, the way of worldlings, ignoble, unbeneficial;

and the pursuit of self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial.

Without veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathāgata has awakened to the middle way, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.

3"And what, bhikkhus, is that middle way awakened to by the Tathāgata, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna?

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It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

This, bhikkhus, is that middle way awakened to by the Tathāgata, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.

4"Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; [n.381] I follow Be and Se here. Ee includes sokaparidevadukkhadomanass’ upāyāsā, which is found elsewhere in formal definitions of the first truth but lacking in most versions of the first sermon. union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering.

"Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination.

"Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, nonreliance on it.

"Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: sn.v.422 it is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

5"‘This is the noble truth of suffering’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

"‘This noble truth of suffering is to be fully understood’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

"‘This noble truth of suffering has been fully understood’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

6"‘This is the noble truth of the origin of suffering’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

"‘This noble truth of the origin of suffering is to be abandoned’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

"‘This noble truth of the origin of suffering has been abandoned’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

7"‘This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

"‘This noble truth of the cessation of suffering is to be realized’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

"‘This noble truth of the cessation of suffering has been realized’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

8"‘This is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

"‘This noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering is to be developed’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

"‘This noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering has been developed’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

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9"So long, bhikkhus, as my knowledge and vision of these Four Noble Truths as they really are in their three phases and twelve aspects was not thoroughly purified in this way, [n.382] The three phases (tiparivaṭṭa) are: (i) the knowledge of each truth (saccañāṇa), e.g., "This is the noble truth of suffering"; (ii) the knowledge of the task to be accomplished regarding each truth (kiccañāṇa), e.g., "This noble truth of suffering is to be fully understood"; and (iii) the knowledge of accomplishment regarding each truth (katañāṇa), e.g., "This noble truth of suffering has been fully understood." The twelve modes (dvādasākāra) are obtained by applying the three phases to the four truths. sn.v.423 I did not claim to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans.

10But when my knowledge and vision of these Four Noble Truths as they really are in their three phases and twelve aspects was thoroughly purified in this way, then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans.

The knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘Unshakable is the liberation of my mind. This is my last birth. Now there is no more renewed existence.’"

This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, the bhikkhus of the group of five delighted in the Blessed One's statement.

11And while this discourse was being spoken, there arose in the Venerable Kondañña the dust-free, stainless vision of the Dhamma: "Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation."

12And when the Wheel of the Dhamma had been set in motion by the Blessed One, [n.383] Spk explains dhammacakka by way of the knowledge of penetration (paṭivedhañāṇa) and the knowledge of teaching (desanañāṇa). Until Koṇḍañña and the eighteen koṭis of brahmās were established in the fruit of stream-entry the Blessed One was still setting in motion (pavatteti nāma) the Wheel of the Dhamma; but when they were established in the fruit, then the Wheel had been set in motion (pavattitaṁ nāma). the earth-dwelling devas raised a cry:

"At Baraṇasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, this unsurpassed Wheel of the Dhamma has been set in motion by the Blessed One, which cannot be stopped by any ascetic or brahmin or deva or Māra or Brahma or by anyone in the world."

Having heard the cry of the earth-dwelling devas, the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings raised a cry:

"At Baraṇasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, this unsurpassed Wheel of the Dhamma has been set in motion by the Blessed One, which cannot be stopped by any ascetic or brahmin or deva or Māra or Brahma or by anyone in the world."

Having heard the cry of the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings, the Tāvatiṁsa devas …
the Yama devas …
the Tusita devas …
the Nimmanarati devas …
the Paranimmitavāsavātti devas …
the devas of Brahma's company raised a cry:

"At Baraṇasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, this unsurpassed Wheel of the Dhamma has been set in motion by the Blessed One, sn.v.424 which cannot be stopped by any ascetic or brahmin or deva or Māra or Brahma or by anyone in the world."

13Thus at that moment, at that instant, at that second, the cry spread as far as the brahma world, and this ten thousandfold world system shook, quaked, and trembled, and an immeasurable glorious radiance appeared in the world surpassing the divine majesty of the devas.

14Then the Blessed One uttered this inspired utterance: "Koṇḍañña has indeed understood! Koṇḍañña has indeed understood!" In this way the Venerable Koṇḍañña acquired the name "Aññā Koṇḍañña—Koṇḍañña Who Has Understood."

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ vihārati isipatane migadāye. Tatra kho bhagavā pañcavaggiye bhikkhū āmantesi:

2"Dveme, bhikkhave, antā pabbajitena na sevitabbā. Katame dve?

Yo cāyaṁ kāmesu kāmasukhallikānuyogo hīno gammo pothujjaniko anariyo anatthasaṁhito,

yo cāyaṁ attakilamathānuyogo dukkho anariyo anatthasaṁhito.

Ete kho, bhikkhave, ubho ante anupāgamma majjhimā paṭipadā tathāgatena abhisambuddhā cakkhukaraṇī ñāṇākārāṇī upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati.

3Katamā ca sā, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā tathāgatena abhisambuddhā cakkhukaraṇī ñāṇākārāṇī upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati?

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Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ – sammādiṭṭhi sammāsaṅkappo sammāvācā sammākammanto sammāājīvo sammāvāyāmo sammāsati sammāsamādhi.

Ayaṁ kho sā, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā tathāgatena abhisambuddhā cakkhukaraṇī ñāṇākārāṇī upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati.

4Idaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ – jātipi dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, byādhipi dukkho, maraṇampi dukkhaṁ, appiyehi sampayogo dukkho, piyehi vippayogo dukkho, yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ – saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā.

Idaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ – yāyaṁ taṇhā ponobbhavikā nandirāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, seyyathidaṁ – kāmataṇhā, bhavataṇhā, vibhavataṇhā.

Idaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ – yo tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo.

Idaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ – ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ – sammādiṭṭhi … pe … sammāsamādhi.

5‘Idaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.

‘Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ pariññeyyan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe … pe … udapādi.

‘Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ pariññātan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.

6‘Idaṁ dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.

‘Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ pahātabban’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe … pe … udapādi.

‘Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ pahīnan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.

7‘Idaṁ dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.

‘Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ sacchikātabban’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe … pe … udapādi.

‘Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ sacchikatan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.

8‘Idaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.

‘Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ bhāvetabban’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe … pe … udapādi.

‘Taṁ kho panidaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ bhāvitan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.

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9Yāvakīvañca me, bhikkhave, imesu catūsu ariyasaccesu evaṁ tiparivaṭṭaṁ dvādasākāraṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ na suvisuddhaṁ ahosi, neva tāvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya ‘anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṁ.

10Yato ca kho me, bhikkhave, imesu catūsu ariyasaccesu evaṁ tiparivaṭṭaṁ dvādasākāraṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ ahosi, athāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya ‘anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṁ.

Ñāṇañca pana me dassanaṁ udapādi: ‘akuppā me vimutti, ayamantimā jāti, natthi dāni punabbhavo’"ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

11Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne āyasmato koṇḍaññassa virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi: "yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman"ti.

12Pavattite ca pana bhagavatā dhammacakke bhummā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ:

"etaṁ bhagavatā bārāṇasiyaṁ isipatane migadāye anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmin"ti.

Bhummānaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā cātumahārājikā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ:

"etaṁ bhagavatā bārāṇasiyaṁ isipatane migadāye anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ, appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmin"ti.

Cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā tāvatiṁsā devā … pe …
yāmā devā … pe …
tusitā devā … pe …
nimmānaratī devā … pe …
paranimmitavāsavāttī devā … pe …
brahmakāyikā devā saddamanussāvesuṁ:

"etaṁ bhagavatā bārāṇasiyaṁ isipatane migadāye anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmin"ti.

13Itiha tena khaṇena tena layena tena muhuttena yāva brahmalokā saddo abbhuggacchi. Ayañca dasasahassilokadhātu saṅkampi sampakampi sampavedhi, appamāṇo ca uḷāro obhāso loke pāturahosi atikkamma devānaṁ devānubhāvanti.

14Atha kho bhagavā imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: "aññāsi vata bho, koṇḍañño, aññāsi vata bho, koṇḍañño"ti. Iti hidaṁ āyasmato koṇḍaññassa "aññāsikoṇḍañño" tveva nāmaṁ ahosīti.

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Paṭhamaṁ.