Chronicle of the Buddha
The First Turning Of The Wheel Of Dharma
Chokhor Duchen is one of the four most important Buddhist festivals, which falls on the fourth day of the sixth lunar month of Tibetan calendar. On this day, buddhists celebrate the very first teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha to his human disciples 2600 years ago, at the Deer Park in Sarnath near Varanasi, India.
To his first five disciples, Shakyamuni Buddha revealed the four truths of the noble beings which are: 1. suffering; 2. the origin of suffering; 3. the cessation of suffering; 4. the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
An account of this teaching is preserved in the Dharmacakra Sutra - The Sutra Of The Turning Of The Wheel of Dharma. The following is the concise text of the Dharmacakra Sutra:
In Sanskrit: Dharmacakra Sutra
In Tibetan: Chö Kyi Khorlö Do
Homage to the Omniscient One!
Thus have I heard:
At one time, the Blessed One was residing in the Deer Park at Rishivadana outside of Varanasi. He spoke to a group of five monks.
“Monks, when I reflect thoroughly on subjects I have not heard before, the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation manifested: ‘This is suffering, the truth as recognised by the noble beings.’
“Monks, when I reflect thoroughly on subjects I have not heard before, the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation manifested: ‘This is the origin of suffering, this is the cessation of sufferings, and this is the path leading to the cessation of sufferings.’
“Monks, when I reflect thoroughly on subjects I have not heard before, the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation manifested: ‘With supreme discernment, I should apprehend suffering, the truth as recognised by the noble beings.’
“Monks, when I reflect thoroughly on subjects I have not heard before, the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation manifested: ‘With supreme discernment, I should relinquish suffering, the truth as recognised by the noble beings.’
“Monks, when I reflect thoroughly on subjects I have not heard before, the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation manifested: ‘With supreme discernment, I should actualise the cessation of suffering, the truth as recognised by the noble beings.’
“Monks, when I reflect thoroughly on subjects I have not heard before, the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation manifested: ‘With supreme discernment, I should cultivate the path leading to the cessation of suffering, the truth as recognised by the noble beings.’
“Monks, when I reflect thoroughly on subjects I have not heard before, the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation manifested: ‘With supreme discernment, I have apprehended suffering, the truth as recognised by the noble beings.’
“Monks, when I reflect thoroughly on subjects I have not heard before, the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation manifested: ‘With supreme discernment, I have relinquished suffering, the truth as recognised by the noble beings.’
“Monks, when I reflect thoroughly on subjects I have not heard before, the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation manifested: ‘With supreme discernment, I have actualised the cessation of suffering, the truth as recognised by the noble beings.’
“Monks, when I reflect thoroughly on subjects I have not heard before, the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation manifested: ‘With supreme discernment, I have cultivated the path leading to the cessation of suffering, the truth as recognised by the noble beings.’
“Monks, before I have attained the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation of these four truths as recognised by the noble beings that are turned in three stages comprising recognise the four truths; know how to relate to each of the four truths; aware of the objectives of each of the four truths; and the twelve facets to which these three stages are apply, I had not attained liberation from this world with its devas, maras, brahmas, ascetics, brahmins and humans. I had not attained my freedom from it nor had I disconnected my attachment to it. I had not been able to abide consistently in a stainless state of mind. Monks, I did not have the supreme discernment that I had when fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect Buddhahood.”
“Monks, from the moment I have attained the vision of insight, knowledge, comprehension and realisation of turning these four truths as recognised by the noble beings in three stages, with twelve facets, I was liberated from this world with its devas, maras, brahmas, ascetics, brahmins and humans. I have attained my freedom from it. I have disconnected my attachment to it. I have been abiding consistently in a stainless state of mind. Monks, I now have the supreme discernment that I had when fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect Buddhahood.
“Once the Blessed One had proclaimed this discourse, venerable Kaundinya, together with eighty thousands gods attained the dust-free, stainless dharma eyes in perceiving phenomena.”
The Blessed One then asked Kaundinya, “Kaundinya, did you understand the Dharma?”
Kaundinya replied, “Blessed One, I understood the Dharma.”
The Blessed One then asked again, “Kaundinya, did you understand? did you understand?”
Kaundinya replied, “Blessed One, I understood. I understood.”
“Since venerable Kaundinya has understood the Dharma, he shall now be known as Ajnatakaundinya - the Kaundinya who understood.”
“Right there and then, the terrestrial yaksas hollered aloud, “Venerable Kaundinya has understood the Dharma! Everyone, the Blessed One has turned the wheel of Dharma in three stages and twelve facets in the Deer Park at Rishivadana. He has turned the wheel of Dharma in a manner that no ascetics, brahmin, devas, maras or brahmas in the world could ever bring about while remain compliant with the Dharma. He has turned the wheel of Dharma for the sake of all beings, for the happiness of all beings, out of loving-kindness for the world, and for the benefit and happiness of gods and humans. Henceforth, the gods will thrive and the demi-gods will decline.”
With the yaksas hollered aloud at every direction, the news instantly reached the celestial yaksas and passed on to the gods of the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, right through to the Heaven Free from Strife, the Heaven of Joy, the Heaven of Delighting in Emanation, the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations and the Heaven of the Brahma. Likewise, the gods of Brahma realm also proclaimed, “Everyone, the Blessed One has turned the wheel of Dharma in three stages and twelve facets in the Deer Park at Rishivadana. He has turned the wheel of Dharma in a manner that no ascetics, brahmin, devas, maras or brahmas in the world could ever bring about while remain compliant with the Dharma. He has turned the wheel of Dharma for the sake of all beings, for the happiness of all beings, out of loving-kindness for the world, and for the benefit and happiness of gods and humans. Henceforth, the gods will thrive and the demi-gods will decline.”
Since the Blessed One had turned the wheel of Dharma in three stages and twelve facets in the Deer Park at Rishivadana, this discourse is thereby known as The Sutra of Turning The Wheel Of Dharma.
This conclude The Sutra of Turning The Wheel Of Dharma.
This teaching entitled ‘The First Turning Of The Wheel Of Dharma’ is presented here by Tenzin Gyalpo Drakpa Gyaltsen Dondrup Dorje as his homage to all the Buddhas of the three times in ten directions.