Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, SN 56:11, V 420-424
Herein abridge and wherein the Blessed One, after his enlightenment, gives his first discourse…
Thus was heard [on the occasion when]
The Blessed One dwelling at Bārānasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana addressed the five monks present at his first discourse.
“ … These two extremes should not be followed… the pursuit of sensual happiness in sensual pleasures… and the pursuit of self-mortification… Without veering toward either of these extremes, the Tathāgta awakened to the middle way, which gives rise to knowledge, leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.”
The Noble Eightfold Path
“That middle way… is this Noble Eightfold Path that is; right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration… That middle way… gives rise to knowledge, leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.”
The Four Noble Truths
“This then is the noble truth…
- …Of suffering: birth is suffering, as are illness, death, union with what is displeasing, separation from what is pleasing, not getting what one wants… in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering
- …Of the origin of suffering… [in brief] craving… craving for sensual pleasure, for existence, for extermination
- …To the cessation of suffering… the cessation of that craving… freedom from it, nonattachment
- …Of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: it is the Noble Eightfold Path”
Three Phases, Twelve Modes
“[This is the noble truth of suffering]: thus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, penetration, and light.”
[This noble truth of suffering is to be fully understood ]
[This noble truth of suffering has been fully understood ]
[This is the noble truth of the origin of suffering]
[This noble truth of the origin of suffering is to be fully abandoned]
[This noble truth of the origin of suffering has been fully abandoned]
[This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering]
[This noble truth of the cessation of suffering is to be fully realized]
[This noble truth of the cessation of suffering has been fully realized]
[This is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering]
[This noble truth of the the way leading to the cessation of suffering is to be fully developed ]
[This noble truth of the the way leading to the cessation of suffering has been fully developed]
“…[Only] when my knowledge and vision of the 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… ‘Unshakable is the liberation of my mind. This is my last birth. Now there is no more renewed existence.’”
The Wheel of the Dhamma
…There arose in the Venerable Kondañña the dust-free, stainless vision of the Dhamma: “Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.”
[The many devas] raised a cry, “At Bārānasī 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.”
Then the Blessed One said, “Kondañña has indeed understood! Kondañña has indeed understood!”
The Dalai Lama
In “A Profound Mind…” on “The Four Noble Truths”
This is the truth of suffering;
These are the true origins (of suffering);
This is true cessation (of suffering);
This is the true path of cessation.
Suffering is to be recognized,
Its origins eliminated;
Cessation must be actualized,
And the path cultivated.
Although suffering is to be recognized, there is no suffering to recognize;
Although its origin is to be overcome, there is no origin to overcome;
Although cessation must be actualized, there is no cessation to actualize;
Although the path must be cultivated, there is no path to cultivate.