Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Bārānasi. Then the Blessed One addressed the group of five monks:
“Monks, these two extremes ought not to be practised by one who has gone forth from the household life. There is addiction to indulgence in sense-pleasures, which is low, coarse, and the way of ordinary people, not practised by noble ones, and is unbeneficial. And there is addiction to self-mortification, which is painful, not practised by noble ones, and unbeneficial.
“Avoiding both these extremes, monks, the Tathāgata has realized the Middle Path which gives vision, gives knowledge; and leads to calm, to insight, to enlightenment, and to Nibbāna.
“And what, monks, is the Middle Path realized by the Tathāgata which gives vision, gives knowledge; and leads to calm, to insight, to enlightenment, and to Nibbāna?
“It is just this Noble Eightfold Path, namely: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
“Monks, this is the Middle Path realized by the Tathāgata which gives vision, gives knowledge; and leads to calm, to insight, to enlightenment, and to Nibbāna.
“Monks, the Noble Truth of Suffering, is this: Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, association with disagreeable people and unpleasant things is suffering, separation from loved ones and pleasant thing is suffering, not receiving what one desires is suffering. In brief, the five aggregates of clinging are suffering.
“Monks, the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering is this: It is the craving which produces re-existence accompanied by passionate lust, and finding delight now here, and now there; namely, craving for sense-pleasures, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence.
“Monks, the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering is this: It is the complete cessation of that very craving, giving it up, relinquishing it, liberating oneself from it, and detaching oneself from it.
“Monks, the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering is this: It is just this Noble Eightfold Path, namely, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
“Monks, this is the Noble Truth of Suffering. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me, concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this Suffering as a Noble Truth should be fully realized. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this Suffering as a Noble Truth has been fully realized by me. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this Origin of Suffering as a Noble Truth should be removed completely. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this Origin of Suffering as a Noble Truth has been removed completely by me. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this Cessation of Suffering as a Noble Truth should be attained. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this Cessation of Suffering as a Noble Truth has been attained by me. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering as a Noble Truth should be developed. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, this Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering as a Noble Truth, has been developed by me. Such was the vision, the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge, the light that arose in me concerning things not heard before.
“Monks, so long as my knowledge and vision of these Four Noble Truths, as they really are, were not perfected in their three phases and twelve aspects, I did not claim to have realized the matchless supreme Enlightenment, in this world with its devās, with its Māras and Brahmas; in this generation with its recluses and brahmins, with its devās and humans.
“Monks, but when my knowledge and vision of these Four Noble Truths, as they really are, were perfected in their three phases and twelve aspects, then I claimed to have realized the matchless supreme Enlightenment, in this world with its devās, with its Māras and Brahmas; in this generation with its recluses and brahmins, with its devās and humans.
“And a vision of insight arose in me thus: Unshakable is the liberation of my mind. This is my last birth. Now there is no more rebirth for me.”
The Blessed One taught this discourse on setting in motion the Wheel of Dhamma. The group of five monks was delighted, and they rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One.
When this discourse was thus expounded, there arose in the Venerable Kondañña the passion-free, stainless eye of Dhamma: “Whatever has the nature of arising, has the nature of ceasing.”
Now when the Blessed One set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma, the earth devās proclaimed thus: “The Matchless Wheel of Dhamma which cannot be stopped by any recluse, brahmin, devā, Māra or Brahma, or anyone in the world, is set in motion by the Blessed One in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Bārānasi.”
Upon hearing the proclamation of the earth devās, all the Cātummahārājika devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Cātummahārājika devās, all the Tāvatiṁsa devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Tāvatiṁsa devās, all the Yāma devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Yāma devās, all the Tusita devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Tusita devās, all the Nimmāṇaratī devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Nimmāṇaratī devās, all the Paranimmitavasavatti devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Paranimmitavasavatti devās, all the Brahmapārisajja devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Brahmapārisajja devās, all the Brahmapurohita devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Brahmapurohita devās, all the Mahābrahma devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Mahābrahma devās, all the Parittābha devās proclaimed thus: …
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Parittābha devās, all the Appamāṇābha devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Appamāṇābha devās, all the Ābhassara devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Ābhassara devās, all the Parittasubha devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Parittasubha devās, all the Appamānasubha devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Appamānasubha devās, all the Subhakiṇha devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Subhakiṇha devās, all the Vehapphala devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Vehapphala devās, all the Aviha devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Aviha devās, all the Atappa devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Atappa devās, all the Sudassa devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Sudassa devās, all the Sudassī devās proclaimed thus…
Upon hearing the proclamation of the Sudassī devās, all the Akaniṭṭha devās proclaimed thus: “The Matchless Wheel of Dhamma which cannot be stopped by any recluse, brahmin, devā, Māra, or Brahma, or anyone in the world, is set in motion by the Blessed One in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Bārānasi.”
Thus at that very moment, at that instant, the proclamation spread as far as the Brahma realm, and the ten thousand world system trembled and quaked and shook. An immeasurable sublime radiance, surpassing the power of devās, appeared in the world.
Then the Blessed One uttered this inspired utterance of joy:
“Indeed Kondañña has realized. Indeed Kondañña has realized.”
Thus it was that the Venerable Kondañña received the name Aññā Kondañña “Kondañña who realized.”
