Dharma Wheel Sutra (轉法輪經)

Turning the Wheel of Dharma Sutra

Translation by Xiulu in the Republic of China

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was in the land of Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, the dwelling place of the sages.

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the five bhikkhus, saying: "O bhikkhus, those who seek to transcend the world should abandon the two extremes. What are these two extremes?"

It is precisely that indulgence through the senses—coarse, base, harmful, and unbeneficial—which belongs to the side of worldly pleasure, and that forced suppression—harmful, unbeneficial, and merely self-mortifying—which belongs to the side of pointless suffering.

Monks, the Tathagata has now ceased the two extremes and realized the Middle Way. With incomparable wisdom, he has revealed the cessation, purity, peace, and perfect enlightenment of Nirvana.

Monks, why does the Tathagata abandon the two extremes and realize the Middle Way? It is through incomparable wisdom that he awakens to the tranquil, pure, peaceful, and perfect enlightenment of Nirvana. This is known as the Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. For this reason, the Tathagata abandons the two extremes and realizes the Middle Way, attaining through incomparable wisdom the tranquil, pure, peaceful, and perfect enlightenment of Nirvana.

Monks, this is the Noble Truth of Suffering: the suffering of birth, the suffering of aging, the suffering of sickness, the suffering of death, the suffering of being joined with what is disliked, the suffering of being separated from what is loved, the suffering of not getting what one seeks, and in short, the suffering of clinging to the five aggregates which are impermanent.

Monks, this is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering: It is the craving that leads to rebirth, bound up with delight and passion, finding fresh delight now here, now there. That is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence.

Monks, this is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering. It is the complete abandoning, letting go, cessation, and liberation from that craving, from that desire and clinging.

Monks, this is the Noble Truth of the Path that leads to the cessation of suffering: it is precisely that eightfold noble path, namely: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

Monks, regarding this Noble Truth of Suffering: before this, I had never heard such a teaching. But when I contemplated it rightly, within me arose vision, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

Furthermore, a monk should understand: when this Noble Truth of Suffering, a teaching never heard before, is properly contemplated, it gives rise in me to insight, wisdom, clarity, and awakening.

Furthermore, monks, having known this Noble Truth of Suffering—a teaching unheard before—when you contemplate it rightly, then in me arises vision, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

Monks, regarding this Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering, when I correctly contemplated what had not been heard before, vision, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arose in me.

Furthermore, O monks, you should abandon this. When rightly contemplating the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering, a teaching unheard before, there arises in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, and insight.

Furthermore, monks, when you rightly contemplate this Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering—this teaching you had never heard before—then in me arises vision, knowledge, wisdom, insight, and awakening.

Monks, when I first truly contemplated this Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering—a truth never heard before—there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, insight, and awakening.

Furthermore, O monks, you should realize this Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering. When you rightly reflect on this teaching, which you have never heard before, in me arises vision, knowledge, wisdom, insight, and awakening.

Furthermore, monks, when you have realized this truth of the cessation of suffering—this teaching you had never heard before—and you contemplate it rightly, then vision, knowledge, insight, and awakening arise in me.

Monks, regarding this Noble Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of suffering—a teaching unheard before—when I rightly contemplated it, vision, knowledge, wisdom, and realization arose in me.

Furthermore, bhikkhus, when you cultivate this Noble Truth of the Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering—a teaching never heard before—and rightly contemplate it, then vision, knowledge, wisdom, insight, and awakening arise in me.

Furthermore, when a monk, having cultivated this Noble Truth of the Path that leads to the cessation of suffering—a teaching never heard before—rightly contemplates it, then vision, knowledge, wisdom, and insight arise within me.

Monks, if these Four Noble Truths, with their three turnings and twelve aspects, had not become clear to me—had not given rise to vision, knowledge, wisdom, insight, and awakening—then I would never have attained liberation, release, and freedom among the devas, Māras, Brahmās, ascetics, brahmins, gods, and humans in this world of hearing the Dharma. Nor would I have realized for myself the supreme, perfect enlightenment.

Monks, regarding these Four Noble Truths, I have now turned the wheel of Dharma three times and revealed them in twelve aspects, giving rise to clarity, wisdom, insight, and realization. Therefore, among all beings—gods, demons, Brahmā, ascetics, brahmins, devas, humans, and the entire assembly—I have emerged, I have been liberated, I have realized it for myself, and I have attained supreme, perfect enlightenment.

The reason is this: I have truly understood and realized the way of liberation through the Dharma, attained liberation of the mind, and achieved irreversible progress. For future states of existence, I will no longer be reborn.

When the Buddha finished speaking this sutra, the five bhikkhus, having heard the Buddha’s teaching, were all greatly delighted. They praised, saying: “Excellent! We have never heard such a teaching before.” Among them, the Venerable Kaundinya, having cleared away the dust and defilements, attained the pure Dharma-eye. In regard to the Dharma of Dependent Origination, he awakened to the patience of non-arising.

At that moment, the Earth Deity, having heard the Buddha speak this Sutra of Turning the Dharma Wheel, raised his voice and proclaimed: "Today, the World-Honored One, in the Deer Park at Sarnath, the dwelling place of sages in the land of Varanasi, has turned this subtle Dharma Wheel of three turnings and twelve aspects—a Dharma Wheel never before turned by any ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, or Brahma. It brings benefit and peace to gods and humans."

When the Earth Goddess sang, her voice was heard in the heavens of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three Gods, the Yama Heaven, the Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Enjoying Others’ Creations, and the Heaven of Freely Enjoying Others’ Transformations. In an instant, it reached the Brahma Heaven, and each of these heavens also proclaimed, “Now, the World-Honored One, in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Varanasi, has turned the unsurpassed Wheel of Dharma—the three turnings and twelve aspects of the teaching—which has never been turned by any ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, or Brahma. It brings benefit and peace to gods and humans.” In that very moment, without interruption, the sound spread throughout the Brahma worlds, shaking and thundering through a thousand realms. The radiant bodies of the gods shone upon one another, illuminating this world and others, filling all with great light.

Then the World-Honored One asked Venerable Kaundinya, “Do you understand the Dharma?” Kaundinya replied to the Buddha, “I have understood.” The World-Honored One asked again, “Venerable Kaundinya, do you understand the Dharma?” Kaundinya replied to the Buddha, “I have understood.” Because Venerable Kaundinya had understood the Dharma, he was thus named Ajñāta-Kauṇḍinya.