The Buddha proceeding to Migadaya And Discourse First Sermon

Tapussa and Bhallika took Double Refuge

The two merchant brothers, Tapussa and Bhallika, were travelling with five hundred carts from their home in Ukkalājanapada to Majjhimadesa for trading. As they were travelling along the main road and approaching near the Rājāyatana tree, their carts stopped suddenly, as if they were stuck in the mud, but the ground was even and free from water. Just while they were asking: “What is the cause?” and were discussing between themselves, a male deity, who happened to have been closely related to them in the past existence, revealed himself, clearly in his physical form, from up the fork of a tree and said: “Young men, not long after attaining Buddhahood, the Buddha, absorbed in the bliss of arahantship, is still staying at the foot of the Rājāyatana tree at present, without having taken any food for the whole duration of forty-nine days. Young men, adore and honour the Buddha with offering of alms food. This will bring you welfare and happiness for a long time.”

On hearing this, they became much delighted and considering that “It will take time to cook rice”, they went to the Buddha taking with them rice-cakes and balls of honey-food which they had brought with them all along. Having approached the Buddha, they respectfully paid obeisance to Him, and stayed at a suitable place. “Blessed One, may the Blessed One accept our rice-cakes and balls of honey-food. Your acceptance will cause welfare and happiness to us for long.”

Thereupon the Buddha wondered: “My brother-like predecessors had never received alms food with their hands. So, with what shall I now receive these rice-cakes and balls of honey-food being offered by these merchant brothers?” (Because the earthen bowl, given by Ghaṭīkāra Brahmā on His renunciation, had disappeared since the day He received Sujātā’s milk-rice). Knowing the thought of the Buddha, the Four Deva Kings of the four directions, namely, Dhataraṭṭa, Viruḷhaka, Virūpakkha and Kuvera, respectfully handed four bowls of blue stone. The Buddha, however, refused to take them. Again, the Four Deva Kings gave the Buddha four bowls of (natural) stones, having the colour of green gram (Phaseolus mungo). These four bowls the Buddha accepted. And out of compassion and goodwill towards the Deva Kings, He placed one bowl upon another and resolved thus: “Let there be only one bowl.” No sooner had the Buddha resolved thus, the four bowls reduced themselves to just one bowl with four rims.

The Buddha then received the rice-cakes and balls of honey-food with that alms-bowl and partook them and then delivered a sermon of appreciation which was suitable to the merchant brothers. Then the two brothers took refuge in the Buddha and the Dhamma (as the treasure of the Sangha had not come into existence yet at that time) and thereby became devotees who had to pronounce only two-word refuge (Devācika-saraṇa) with reference to the Buddha and the Dhamma, saying: “We take refuge, sir, in the Blessed One and the Dhamma—Ete mayaṃ bhante, Bhagavantaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāma dhammañ ca.” (These two were the first devotees in whom the two-word refuge was established.)

Thereafter, the two merchant brothers made a request saying: “Blessed Buddha, give us something, out of compassion to us, for our worship forever.” The Buddha then rubbed His head with the right hand and gave them His hair, conceding to their request. Obtaining the hair, the brothers were very much delighted, as if ambrosial waters were poured on them. After finishing their trading, they returned and arrived back at their native town of Pukkharavatī in the district of Ukkalā where they built a cetiya, enshrining in it the hairrelics kept in a gold casket.

The Great Sahampati Brahmā’s Request for The Teaching of The Dhamma

(The great Sahampati Brahmā was a noble Thera by the name of Sahaka, at the time of Buddha Kassapa’s Dispensation. In that capacity, he attained rūpavacara first jhāna and when he died without having fallen from the jhāna, he was reborn on the first jhāna plane of existence and became the Mahā Brahmā with a life span of sixty-four antara-kappas which is equal to one asaṅkhyeyya-kappa. He was called Sahampati Brahmā by the Brahmās of the said plane of existence.)

     ——Saṃyutta Aṭṭhakathā and Sārattha Ṭikā——

When, thus the mind continuum of the Buddha was such that He was still inclined not to exert himself for teaching the Dhamma, this thought occurred to Sahampati Mahā Brahmā: “Nassati vata bho loko! Vimassati vata bho loko!— O friends, the world is going to perish! O friends, the world is going to perish! The Buddha, who is worthy of special veneration by devas and humans because of His fully and truly penetrating knowledge of all the Dhammas in the world, is inclined not to exert himself for teaching the Dhamma!” Then, as instantly as a man of great physical and mental strength might stretch out his bent arm or bend his outstretched arm, Sahampati Mahā Brahmā vanished from the Brahmā-world along with ten thousand fellow Mahā Brahmās and appeared in front of the Buddha. At that time, Sahampati Mahā Brahmā had a scarf (a Brahmā scarf) placed over his left shoulder and kneeling with his right knee on the ground (sitting in the way of a Brahmā), he made obeisance to the Buddha by raising his clasped hands and addressed Him:

“Exalted Buddha, may the Buddha kindly teach the Dhamma to all sentient beings, devas, humans and Brahmās. Exalted Buddha of good speech, may the Buddha kindly teach the Dhamma to all sentient beings, devas, humans and Brahmās. There are many beings who have just a little dust of defilement in their eyes of knowledge and wisdom. If these beings do not get the chance to listen to the Dhamma of the Buddha, they will suffer a great loss by not acquiring the extraordinary Dhamma of magga-phala which they deserve. Venerable Buddha, there will evidently appear those who can comprehend the Dhamma to be taught by you.”

Then again, having addressed the Buddha in plain prose, Sahampati Mahā Brahmā made the request also in verse:

“Glorious Buddha, in the past, before your appearance, there had existed in Magadha country the impure, false doctrine sponsored by six heretical teachers, such as Purāṇa Kassapa, who were stained by the dirt of defilements And so, kindly open the great doorway of magga for entry into the Deathless Nibbāna (which has remained closed since the disappearance of the Buddha Kassapa’s sāsana). Let all sentient beings listen to the Dhamma of the Four Noble Truths discerned by you, who is free from the dust of kilesa.

“Noble and wise Buddha, the possessor of the eye of wisdom that is capable of seeing all around! As a man of keen eye-sight stands on the top of a rocky hill and surveys all the people in the surroundings, so you, Venerable Buddha, being already free from sorrows, go up to bejewelled tower of paññā and look at all sentient beings, devas, humans and Brahmās, who have fallen into the abyss of sorrows (being oppressed by birth, old age, sickness, death, etc.).

“Venerable Buddha of great, noble and courageous diligence, who knows only victory, but no defeat, in all battles! Arise! Venerable Buddha, free from the debt of sensual desire, who is wont to set free all sentient beings, who are eager to listen and follow the Buddha’s teaching, from such difficult journeys as birth, old age, etc. and, like unto a caravan leader, convey them to the safety of Nibbāna! Kindly wander in the world to proclaim the Dhamma. Glorious Buddha, kindly teach the Four Noble Truths to all sentient beings of devas, humans and Brahmās. Venerable Buddha, there will appear those who can discern and understand the Dhamma to be taught by you.”

(The fact that the Brahmā came and made the request to teach the Dhamma at the time when the Buddha reflected on the profundity of the Dhamma and on the abundance of kilesa in sentient beings and was still mentally inclined not to exert himself to teach the Dhamma is a dhammatā for every Buddha. Exposition on the thirty Dhammatās in the Buddhavaṃsa Aṭṭhakathā.)

The Buddha surveying The World of Sentient Beings

When Sahampati Brahmā thus made the request for teaching the Dhamma; the two conditions for doing so, namely, bāhira-nidāna and ajjihattika-nidāna were fulfilled; and so He surveyed the world of sentient beings with the pair of Buddha’s eyes (Buddha-cakkhus). Knowledge of the latent desire or inclination of beings (āsayānusaya-ñāṇa) and Knowledge of the maturity or otherwise of the sense faculties (indriya-paropariyatta-ñāṇa).

On thus surveying, He saw distinctly different types of beings (comparable to four kinds of lotuses): There are, in the pond, blue, red or white lotuses. Of these four kinds of lotuses, there are: (1) the kind of lotuses which come into being in the water, grow and develop in the water but remain submerged; (2) the kind of lotuses which come into being in the water, grow up in the water and stand level with the surface of the water; (3) the kind of lotuses which come into being in the water, grow up in the water and stand aloft, above the water and without the water wetting and adhering to them. (Of the said three kinds of lotuses, the no. 3 lotuses which stand aloft above the water would bloom forth that very day; the no. 2 lotuses which stood level with the surface of the water would bloom forth the next day; and the no. 1 lotuses which developed but remained submerged would bloom forth on the third day.) Apart from the said three kinds of lotuses, there is the fourth kind of lotuses which will neither appear at all above the water nor bloom forth; the lotuses of this kind are diseased and will eventually become food for fish and tortoises. Like these four kinds of lotuses, there are beings who have little or no dust of kilesa in their eyes of knowledge; beings who have much dust of kilesa in their eyes of knowledge; beings in whom the five faculties of faith, diligence, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom are sharp and mature; beings in whom the said five faculties are dull and immature; beings whose disposition, such as faith, etc., are good or are not good; beings who would easily understand the Dhamma taught and beings who would not, beings who view all mundane matters, such as aggregates, all forms of defilements, wrong deeds, volitional activities and actions that would cause further existences as the dreadful group of dangers just like an enemy wielding a two-edged sword to prepare for an assault; and beings who have no such view.

(When the Buddha surveyed the world of beings with His Buddha-cakkhus, He saw four groups of individuals thus: (1) the individuals who understood the Dhamma of the Four Noble Truths, even if taught in a brief outline (mātikā uddesa), and became converted, just as the lotuses standing aloft above the water would bloom forth that very day with the rising of the sun (ugghāṭitaññū puggala); (2) the individuals who could not yet be converted by just hearing the Dhamma in a brief outline but would understand and become converted only when the Four Noble Truths were taught and explained in detail (vitthāra niddesa padabhājanī), just as the lotuses standing level with the surface of the water would bloom forth the next day (vipañcitaññū-puggala);(3) the individuals who could not yet be converted by listening to the Dhamma both briefly and in detail at one sitting but would understand the Four Noble Truths and become converted after a day or a month or a year with the help of their friends and by persistently applying themselves to the realisation of the Dhamma, just as the lotuses remaining submerged would bloom forth on the third day (neyya-puggala); (4) the individuals who would not realise magga-phala however much they listened to and practised the Dhamma in the present life (padaparama-puggala) but had the benefit of acquiring a bent (vāsanā) for the Dhamma in future existences. They would end their lives by becoming the food for fishes and tortoises of kilesa, just as the lotuses, which were diseased, neither rose from the water nor bloomed forth, would eventually become the food for fishes and tortoises.

(On thus seeing the four kinds of individuals and reflecting on the Dhamma which would be of respective benefit to them, the Buddha developed an ardent desire to teach the Dhamma. Then He proceeded to separate all beings into two categories: individuals fit for higher truths and liberation (bhabba-puggalas) and individuals not fit for higher truths and liberation (abhabba-puggalas). Of these two categories, abhabba-puggalas were set aside and not taken into consideration, He took only bhabba-puggalas into the fold of His sabbaññutā-ñāṇa and divided them into six groups, saying: “The beings full of rāga, are this many. The beings full of dosa, are this many. The beings full of moha, are this many. The beings full of vitakka, are this many. The beings replete with saddhā, are this many. The beings replete with paññā, are this many.” And then He expressed His intention by saying: “I shall indeed teach the Dhamma!”)

After thus reflecting and discerning, the Buddha gave His assent to Sahampati Mahā Brahmā in verse:

Apārutā tessam amatassa dvārā;
ye sotavanto pamuncantu saddham.
Vihimsasaññī pagunam na bhāsim;
Dhammam panītam manujesu Brahme.

“O Sahampati Mahā Brahmā, I do not keep the eight portals of magga, for entering into the Deathless Nibbāna, closed to devas and humans who are fit for emancipation (They are kept permanently open). Let devas and humans with good hearing (sota-pasāda show faith in Me.)”

(What is meant here is, only those with sota-pasāda will be able to listen to the Dhamma taught by the Buddha. Also only if they have faith in Him will they exert themselves to practice the Dhamma with faith, and the door of Nibbāna will be opened. If they have no faith in the Buddha, even though they have sota-pasāda, they will not have faith also in the Dhamma and will not exert themselves and practise it and in that case, the door of Nibbāna will not be opened. So, beings having sota-pasāda should show faith in the Buddha and listen to the Dhamma.

Alternatively: Since the time of the disappearance of the sāsana of Buddha Kassapa up to the present time, a genuine Buddha and His genuine Dhamma could not be found and so there had not been genuine faith in the mind continuum of beings, the Gem of Faith which should be packed and clutched in their fists. Devotion to heretical teachers in the meantime was not genuine faith. It was only an arising of unwholesome consciousness (akusala-citt'uppāda) which mistook what was wrong as right (micchādhimokkha). Now that a genuine Buddha had appeared, let devas and humans who had sotapasāda open their fists and unpack the Gem packets which had been kept close-fisted, as it were, since the time of the disappearance of the sāsana of Buddha Kassapa.)

“O Sahampati Mahā Brahmā, to devas, humans and Brahmās I have not in days past taught the noble Dhamma which I have acquired. It was because at that time the two nidānas for teaching the Dhamma had not yet been fulfilled and as such I knew well that, even though the Dhamma was taught, it would be of no benefit to them but merely an exhaustion for Me.”

Thereupon, Sahampati Mahā Brahmā felt jubilant and exclaimed: “The Buddha has given me the word of assent for teaching the Dhamma!” Then, after making obeisance to the Buddha and circumambulating Him, he vanished from that very place (and reappeared at the Brahmā World).

The Buddha proceeding to Migadaya to deliver The Sermon of Dhammacakka (The Wheel of The Dhamma).

After Sahampati Mahā Brahmā had left, the Buddha reflected: “To whom should I first teach the Dhamma? Who will quickly understand the Dhamma to be taught by Me?” Then it occurred to him: “The Sect-Leader, Āḷāra of Kālāma clan, is one endowed with the three paññās, namely, knowledge of birth (jāti-paññā), knowledge of meditation (bhāvanāpaññā), and knowledge of perservation (pārihārika-paññā). He is also an individual whose eye of wisdom has been free from the dust of kilesa (apparajakkha-punggala) for a very long time. It would be good if I were to teach him the Dhamma first. He will quickly discern the Dhamma to be taught by Me.”

Thereupon, one deva, without making himself visible, addressed the Buddha: “Glorious Buddha, it has now been seven days since the Sect-Leader Āḷāra of Kālāma clan died.” The Buddha, however, without readily accepting the mere words of the deva, looked through His sabbaññutā-ñāṇa and confirmed that Āḷāra had indeed died seven days ago as informed by the deva and that he had been reborn since in ākiñcaññāyatana, the third of the four planes of the Arūpa Brahmā World.

After musing, “It was indeed a great loss for the Sect-Leader Āḷāra of Kālāma clan to miss the opportunity of realising magga-phala which he deserved: if he could have listened to the Dhamma to be taught by Me, he would have quickly discerned the Four Noble Truths.” The Buddha again reflected further: “To whom should I then teach the Dhamma? Who will quickly understand the Dhamma to be taught by Me?” Then it occurred again to him: “The Sect-Leader Udaka, son of Rāma, is one endowed, like Āḷāra, with the three paññās. He is also an apparajakkha-puggata, his eye of wisdom having been free from the dust of kilesa for a very long time. It would be good if I were to teach the Dhamma first to him, he will quickly discern the Dhamma to be taught by Me.”

Thereupon, another deva, without making himself visible, addressed the Buddha: “Glorious Buddha, the Sect-Leader Udaka, son of Rāma, had already died at about midnight yesterday.” The Buddha, however, without readily accepting the mere words of the deva, looked by means of His sabbaññutā-ñāṇa and confirmed that the Sect-Leader Udaka had died in the middle of the previous night, as informed by the deva, and that he had been reborn since in Nevasaññā-nāsaññāyatana which is the fourth (called Bhavagga) of the four planes of the Arūpa Brahmā World.

Thereupon, (musing): “It was indeed a great loss for the Sect-Leader Udaka, son of Rāma, to miss the opportunity of realising magga-phala which he deserved. If the Sect-Leader Udaka could have listened to the Dhamma taught by Me, he would have quickly discerned the Four Noble Truths.” He again reflected further: “To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who will quickly understand the Dhamma to be taught by Me?”

Then the Buddha thought: “The Group of Five Ascetics (Pañcavaggī), had been very helpful to Me. They stayed with Me and attended to My needs when I was practising dukkaracariya for six long years in Uruvelā Forest. So, it would be good if I were to teach the Dhamma first to the Group of Five.” On reflecting, “Where are the five Ascetics living at present?” and with His dibbacakkhu-abhiññā, He saw them dwelling in Migadāya, a huge Deer Park also called lsipatana, near Bārāṇasī City.

(In this connection, the Buddha took into consideration and reflected on the services rendered by the Group of Five Ascetics because He was especially mindful of the gratitude He owed to them. It was not that He did not want to teach the Dhamma to those who had not rendered service to Him.)

After intending: “I will proceed to the Deer Park and deliver the Sermon of Dhammacakka,” He went round for alms near Bodhimaṇḍala mound and stayed there till the fourteenth waxing moon of the month of Āsāḷha. And then on the full moon day of the month, quite early in the morning, arranging and carrying His robes and alms-bowl and thinking: “I will proceed to Bārāṇasī City”, He began the journey of eighteen yojanas on foot.

(The distance between Mahābodhi and Gayā (Buddhagaya) was three gāvutas. The distance between Mahābodhi and Bārāṇasī City was eighteen yojanas. The Buddhas of the past travelled to Migadaya, by their jhāna power, to deliver the Sermon of Dhammacakka. As for our Buddha, He went eighteen yojanas on foot, as He foresaw that an ascetic, Upaka, was soon to become an anāgāmin by virtue of his past deeds of merit. He knew thus: “Upaka is now travelling the same route. That Upaka will meet Me, converse with Me and go his way. Later on, being weary of the world, he will come back to my presence to listen to the Dhamma and become an anāgāmī-ariya in the present life and also become an arahatta in his second existence after reaching Avihā bhūmī, the twelfth. Brahmā plane.”)

The Buddha meeting Ascetic Upaka

When the Buddha thus went from Mahābodhi to Bārāṇasī on foot, the ascetic Upaka, who was travelling between Mahābodhi and Buddhagayā, approached the Buddha on seeing Him and asked: “My friend, your organs of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind are so clear; your complexion is also clean and radiant. My friend, under which teacher have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Whose teaching do you like?” The Buddha thereupon gave the reply to the ascetic Upaka in verse:

Sabbābhibhū sabbāvidū'ham asmi;
sabbesu dhantmesu anupalitto.
Sabbañ'jaho taṇhā’khaye vimutto;
sayaṃ abhiññāya kam uddiseyyaṃ.

Upaka, I, the Buddha, have mastered all the Dhammas in the three worlds and possessed perfect and complete knowledge of them all; I am one also free from the stain of kilesa, such as greed, wrongdoing, delusion, etc., with regard to the three forms of existence (tebhūmaka-dhammas). I have abandoned all the tebhūmaka-dhammas. I am also one established securely in Nibbāna where taṇhā is extinct. Being one who has penetrated all the Dhammas by myself, without being taught by others, whom should I point out saying, ‘This is my teacher?’ In fact, there is none.

Na me ācariyo atthi;
sadiso me na vijjati.
Sadevakasmiṃ lokasmiṃ;
n'atthi me paṭipuggalo.

Upaka, for Me, there is no teacher. (Not to speak of a teacher superior to Me), there is even no one who is My peer. There is no one in the world of sentient beings, including devas, who can represent Me in respect of such qualities as Sīla, etc.

Ahaṃ hi Arahā loke;
ahaṃ satthā anutttaro.
Eko'mhi Sammāsambuddho;
sītibhūto'smi nibbuto.

Upaka, I am indeed the arahat in the world, one deserving of special veneration: I am also the incomparable and most excellent Teacher of the devas and humans in the world. Since I can discern with sayambhu-ñāṇa all the Dhammas without perversion, I am the Supremely Self-Enlightened One. I am also one who has extinguished the fire of kilesa.

Dhammacakkaṃ pavattetuṃ;
gacchāmi kāsiṇaṃ puraṃ.
Andhībhūtasmim lokasmiṃ;
āhancham amatadundubiṃ.

Upaka, I will go to Isipatana Deer Park, near Bārāṇasī, in Kāsi Country, to set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma. I will beat the large Deathless Drum for all devas and humans who, without the eye of wisdom, are groping like the blind.

Thereupon, the ascetic Upaka said: “My friend, if what you claim is true, you must be one who possesses infinite wisdom (ananta-ñāṇa) and who has conquered the five Evils (māras).”

The Buddha replied thus:

Mādisā ve jinā honti;
ye pattā āsavakkhayaṃ.
Jitā me pāpakā dhammā;
tasmā 'ham Upaka Jino.

Upaka, the Buddhas who are of the same nature like myself are named Conqueror (jina) since they have attained the arahatta-magga-ñāṇa, the extinction of the four āsavas, and got rid of unwholesome factors (akusaladhammas). I am also known by the name of jina, for, like these Buddhas, I have attained the Knowledge of the extinction of āsavas, āsavakkhaya (arahatta-magga) ñāṇa, and abandoned the akusala-dhammas.

Thereupon, the ascetic Upaka saying, “My friend, what you have said may be true!” nodded his head and took another route to go to Vaṅkahāra county. The opportunity of having such a dialogue and discussion with the Buddha proved to be a helpful factor in his renouncing the world later on. True! Upaka was in fact one who possessed extraordinary merit (adhikāra). For this very reason, the Buddha had taken the journey on foot to meet him on the way.

(Those who listened to the Buddha’s words of the Dhamma before He delivered the Sermon of Dhammacakka did not attain magga-phala. They just acquired a tendency (vāsanā) for applying themselves to the realisation of the Dhamma. It is a dammatā; and so Upaka did not attain magga-phala although he had listened to such profound words of the Dhamma relating to the qualities of the Buddha. He just enjoyed the benefit of having an inclination to become a bhikkhu afterwards.)

The Buddha Arriving at Migadaya Forest

The Buddha proceeded on His journey by successive stages until He came upon the group of Five Ascetics in Isipatana, Migadāya Forest of Bārāṇasī in the cool evening of the fullmoon day of Āsāḷha, in the year 103 Great Era. Seeing the Buddha approaching from a distance, the Five Ascetics made an agreement among themselves:-

“Friends, the monk Gotama is approaching. The monk Gotama is one who has given up meditation practices. He has become one who strives for the acquisition of the Four Requisites. He is one who has reverted to the acquisition of the Four Requisites. Let us not make obeisance to the monk Gotama. Let us not greet Him. Let us not take the alms-bowl from His hands. However, we will prepare a seat for Him to sit on if He wants to.”

Being aware of the mood of the Five Ascetics, the Buddha developed loving-kindness specially directed towards them, (Odhissaka Mettā). As the Buddha came nearer and nearer and touched with the splendour and might of the Buddha (Buddhatejo Ānubhāva) as well as the splendour and might of His loving-kindness (Mettātejo Ānubhāva), they found themselves unable to keep the agreement they had made and all the five went to welcome the Buddha; one took the alms-bowl from His hands, another prepared a seat for Him, another set out water, another placed a plank and another kept a broken piece of pot for washing His feet.

The Buddha took His seat and washed His feet as arranged by the ascetics. (Although they showed due respect with physical actions regardless of their agreement,) they spoke to Him as their equal by addressing Him by the name Gotama and by calling Him, Āvuso (friend). They entered into a friendly talk with the Buddha, addressing Him by the name 'Gotama' and as friend as their equal: “Friend Gotama, at the time when you were engaged in meditation practices in Uruveḷā Forest, we carried your alms-bowl and robe and went round (for alms). We offered you water and tooth cleaner. We swept the precincts of the monastery. Who looked after you by attending to such duties, big and small, after we five had left? Were you not in a state of confusion when we left you?”

Thereupon, the Buddha said: “O Pañcavaggīs! do not address Me by My name Gotama and by the term ‘friend’ as your equal. O Pañcavaggīs! I have become a truly Enlightened One who, being possessed of complete true, penetrating and clear knowledge of all cognizable Truths (Saccañeyya Dhamma), is deserving of special veneration. Ascetics, listen attentively, I have realised the Deathless Nibbāna (Amata Nibbāna). I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dhamma. If you follow and practise in accordance with the instruction given by Me, you, yourself, will realise soon, even in this present life and, through direct knowledge, the happiness of arahatta-phala which is aspired to by these two kinds of noble men, namely, men noble by birth (jāti-kulaputta) and men noble by virtue of good conduct though of lowly birth (ācārā-kulaputta) who renounce the world, abandoning family life, and become recluses in the service of the sāsana.” But the group of Five Ascetics (being sceptical) replied (in good faith): “Friend Gotama! Even though you practised and attained apānaka-jhāna, etc.. which is difficult to achieve by ordinary individuals at the time you practised dukkarācariya for six long years, you could not realise arahatta-magga-ñāṇa and sabbaññutā-ñāṇa which could make you an ariya. At that time, you were striving for the acquisition of the Four Requisites, and you had given up the meditation practices, now that you have reverted to the acquisition of the Four Requisites, how could you have attained and realised arahatta-magga-ñāṇa and sabbaññutā-ñāṇa which can make one an ariya, and which is superior to the ten modes of virtuous action (kusalā-kammapathas) of ordinary individuals?”

On being thus told, the Buddha addressed the Pañcavaggīs: “Ascetics, I am not one who strives for the acquisition of the Four Requisites. I am also not one who has given up the practice of meditation. I am also not one who has reverted to the acquisition of the Four Requisites. Ascetics, I have become a truly Enlightened One who, being possessed of complete, genuine, penetrating and clear knowledge of all the cognizable Truths, (Saccañeyya Dhamma) and deserving of special veneration, ascetics! Listen attentively. I have realised the Deathless Nibbāna. I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dhamma. If you follow and practise in accordance with the instruction given by Me, you, yourself, will realise soon, even in this present life and, through direct knowledge, the happiness of arahatta-phala, which is aspired by these two kinds of noble men, namely, Jātī-kulaputta and Ācārā-kulaputta, who renounce the world, abandoning family life, and become recluses in the service of the sāsana.” But the Five Ascetics (still remaining sceptical) replied as before for the second time.

Although the Buddha told them for the second time as before, “I am not one who strives for the acquisition of the ‘Four Requisites’, etc.”, the Five Ascetics (still remaining persistently sceptical) replied as before for the third time.

Thereupon, the Buddha (changing His tactics) addressed them thus: “Ascetics, do you recollect whether, when I was previously engaged in meditation practices in Uruvelā Forest, I ever came and spoke to you, by way of giving encouragement and to keep you from being bored and also in order to make you form a high opinion of myself, thus: ‘My friends, do not get yourselves confused and think of leaving for another place. I have begun to see lights and signs in meditation (Kammaṭṭhāna nimitta).’” The Five Ascetics then reflected: “At the time when this monk Gotama was practising meditation, we would have readily believed Him if He had said, ‘I have become an arahat!’ But, this Monk Gotama did not brag nor deceive us thus at that time. At present, however, He is only speaking of the quality (guṇa) truly possessed by Him.” With this one single utterance of the Buddha, they were reassured and they regain faith and held Him in high esteem. And, fully convinced that “this Monk Gotama has really become an Enlightened One,” they replied in acknowledgement: “No hetaṃ Bhante— Venerable Buddha, we cannot recollect that you have spoken such words (you have not spoken such words).”

The Buddha was able to make the Five Ascetics know perfectly that He had become an Enlightened One. Thereupon, the Five Ascetics listened to the words of the Buddha with respect. They gave rapt attention to Him. They directed their minds towards achievement of arahatta-phala. Having made the Pañcavaggīs know perfectly well that He had no doubt become genuinely Enlightened, the Buddha, for the first time, delivered the Discourse of Dhammacakka-pavattana, beginning with the words “Dve'me bhikkhave ante”, etc., on the cool evening of Saturday, the full-moon day of Āsāḷha in the year 103 Great Era. At that time, the sun was just setting in the west after dispelling darkness with its light and the moon, in conjunction with the constellation of Uttarasatha, was just rising in the east and vanquishing darkness with its rays.

(No sooner had the Buddha uttered this sentence of “Dve'me bhikkhave ante”, than the sound that had appeared spread all over the ten thousand world-systems, reaching Bhavagga, the highest of the arūpa worlds above and Avīci, the lowest of the hells below. Even at that time, eighteen crores of Brahmās who were of mature meritorious roots and who had performed deeds of extraordinary merit (adhikārakusala) to comprehend the Four Truths had already assembled in unison.)

When the Buddha thus delivered the Discourse of Dhammacakka-pavattana, the Venerable Koṇḍañña followed the teaching, concentrating his mind on the sermon through its course and developed his ñāṇa, so that he became established in sotāpatti-phala along with the eighteen crores of Brahmās by the time the delivery of the discourse came to an end.

Thirty-two awesome and extraordinary great omens appeared when the Buddha delivered the sermon, as on the occasions of His conception, birth and attainment of Buddhahood.

When the Venerable Koṇḍañña was thus established in sotāpatti-phala, the Buddha exclaimed with joy:

“Aññāsi vata bho Koṇḍañño! Aññāsi vata bho Koṇḍañño!

—Ah! Koñḍanna has penetratingly discerned the Four Noble Truths indeed! Ah! Koñḍañña has penetratingly discerned the Four Noble Truths indeed!”

so that devas and humans of the ten thousand world-systems might hear. Because the Buddha had thus made His joyous utterance beginning with “Aññāsi vata”, etc., the Venerable Koñḍañña Thera became renowned by the name of “Aññasi Koñḍañña Thera”.

On thus becoming a sotāpanna, the Venerable Aññāsi Koñḍañña Thera asked the Buddha for the state of being a bhikkhu: “Glorious Buddha, may I, in your presence, have the state of being a novice (sāmaṇera) and then the state of being a bhikkhu.” Thereupon, the Buddha stretched out His golden right hand from beneath the robe and addressed him in a voice like that of a Brahmā: “(1) Ehi Bhikkhu; (2) Svākkhāto Dhammo;(3) Cara brahmacariyaṃ sammā dukkhassa antakiriyāya–(1) Come, Bhikkhu, receive the status of bhikkhu you had prayed for; (2) the Dhamma has been well-taught by Me. (3) Strive for the accomplishment of the noble Practice constituting the three upper maggas in order to put an end to the round of suffering.” The ordination of the Venerable Aññāsi Koṇḍañña as bhikkhu came to a successful completion just as the first of the three sentences uttered by the Buddha ended.

(Even as the Buddha pronounced the Venerable Koṇḍañña “Ehi Bhikkhu”, immediately his original appearance vanished and he was transformed into a bhikkhu, with the head already shaved and the body already donned in the robes. He became already equipped with the eight requisites each in its proper place, one robe at the waist, another robe of single layer (ekacci) covering the body, another robe (the bigger one), resting on the shoulder and the alms-bowl hung over the tip of the left shoulder. The deportment (iriyapatha) he carried was worthy of devotion and was like that of a senior Thera with 60 years of monkhood (being 80 years of age); and his posture was that of making obeisance to the Buddha, who was his preceptor (upajjhāya).

(The requisites received by these ehi-bhikkhu monks are known as requisites created by supernatural powers (iddhimaya parikkhāras). If a certain person gave away in charity the eight requisites, such as robe, etc., (or an alms-bowl or robe, if he could not afford all) to a noble individual (ariya-puggala), such as a sotāpanna, etc., or to an ordinary but virtuous (puthujjana-sīlavanta) bhikkhu and aspired earnestly saying: “Let this gift of requisites be the supporting cause (paccaya) for becoming an ehi-bhikkhu in the future,” the said gift, provided it is of Adhikāra merit, could be of help to that person to acquire iddhimaya-parikkhāra (to become an ehi-bhikkhu) in the presence of the Buddhas.... Sāratha Ti.)

The Buddha took up residence in that Migadāya Forest for the rainy season; and, on the following day (the 1st waning moon of the month of Āsāḷha) He remained in the monastery (without going round for alms) and spent the time giving instruction to Vappa Thera. The remaining four bhikkhus went on alms-round. Vappa Thera became a sotāpanna in the morning of that very day. Similarly, the Buddha remained only in the monastery without going round for alms and spent the time giving instruction to Bhaddiya Thera on the following day (the 2nd waning moon of the month of Āsāḷha), to Mahānāmā Thera on the next following day (the 3rd waning moon of the month of Āsāḷha) and to Assaji Thera on the day following after (the 4th waning moon of the month of Āsāḷha). These theras also attained sotāpatti-phala each, on the day concerned and all became ehi-bhikkhus in the presence of the Buddha.

On Thursday, the 5th waning moon of the month of Āsāḷha, the Buddha delivered the sermon of Anatta-lakkhaṇa Sutta in order that the Five Bhikkhus might become arahat with the āsavas extinguished. When the Anatta-lakkhaṇa Sutta came to an end, the group of Five Bhikkhus became arahat with the āsavas extinguished.