Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi— “kassa nu kho ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ? Ko imaṁ dhammaṁ khippameva ājānissatī”ti? Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi— “ayaṁ kho āḷāro kālāmo paṇḍito byatto medhāvī dīgharattaṁ apparajakkhajātiko; yannūnāhaṁ āḷārassa kālāmassa paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, so imaṁ dhammaṁ khippameva ājānissatī”ti.
Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “To whom should I first teach the Dhamma? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma?” Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “Āḷāra Kālāma is wise, learned, intelligent, and has for a long time had little dust in his eyes. Suppose I were to teach the Dhamma first to Āḷāra Kālāma. He would quickly understand this Dhamma.”
Atha kho antarahitā devatā bhagavato ārocesi—“sattāhakālaṅkato, bhante, āḷāro kālāmo”ti. Bhagavatopi kho ñāṇaṁ udapādi—“sattāhakālaṅkato āḷāro kālāmo”ti. Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi— “mahājāniyo kho āḷāro kālāmo; sace hi so imaṁ dhammaṁ suṇeyya, khippameva ājāneyyā”ti.
Then an invisible deity informed the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, Āḷāra Kālāma passed away seven days ago.” And knowledge and vision arose in the Blessed One too: “Āḷāra Kālāma passed away seven days ago.” Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “Āḷāra Kālāma has incurred a great loss. If he had heard this Dhamma, he would have understood it quickly.”
Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi— “kassa nu kho ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ? Ko imaṁ dhammaṁ khippameva ājānissatī”ti? Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi— “ayaṁ kho udako rāmaputto paṇḍito byatto medhāvī dīgharattaṁ apparajakkhajātiko; yannūnāhaṁ udakassa rāmaputtassa paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, so imaṁ dhammaṁ khippameva ājānissatī”ti.
Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “To whom should I first teach the Dhamma? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma?” Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “Uddaka Rāmaputta is wise, learned, intelligent, and has for a long time had little dust in his eyes. Suppose I were to teach the Dhamma first to Uddaka Rāmaputta. He would quickly understand this Dhamma.”
Atha kho antarahitā devatā bhagavato ārocesi—“abhidosakālaṅkato, bhante, udako rāmaputto”ti. Bhagavatopi kho ñāṇaṁ udapādi—“abhidosakālaṅkato udako rāmaputto”ti. Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi— “mahājāniyo kho udako rāmaputto; sace hi so imaṁ dhammaṁ suṇeyya, khippameva ājāneyyā”ti.
Then an invisible deity informed the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, Uddaka Rāmaputta passed away yesterday evening.” And knowledge and vision arose in the Blessed One too: “Uddaka Rāmaputta passed away yesterday evening.” Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “Uddaka Rāmaputta has incurred a great loss. If he had heard this Dhamma, he would have understood it quickly.”
Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi— “kassa nu kho ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ? Ko imaṁ dhammaṁ khippameva ājānissatī”ti? Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi— “bahukārā kho me pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū, ye maṁ padhānapahitattaṁ upaṭṭhahiṁsu;
Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “To whom should I first teach the Dhamma? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma?” Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “The group of five bhikkhus who attended upon me when I was resolutely striving.
yannūnāhaṁ pañcavaggiyānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭhamaṁ dhammaṁ deseyyan”ti. Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi— “kahaṁ nu kho etarahi pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū viharantī”ti? Addasā kho bhagavā dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena pañcavaggiye bhikkhū bārāṇasiyaṁ viharante isipatane migadāye. Atha kho bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ yathābhirantaṁ viharitvā yena bārāṇasī tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi.
Suppose I were to teach the Dhamma first to the group of five bhikkhus.” Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “Where are the group of five bhikkhus living now?” Then, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing human vision, the Blessed One saw the group of five bhikkhus living in Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then, after dwelling at Uruvelā as long as he wished, the Blessed One set out on a journey to Varanasi.
Addasā kho upako ājīvako bhagavantaṁ antarā ca gayaṁ antarā ca bodhiṁ addhānamaggappaṭipannaṁ, disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavoca— “vippasannāni kho te, āvuso, indriyāni, parisuddho chavivaṇṇo pariyodāto. Kaṁsi tvaṁ, āvuso, uddissa pabbajito? Ko vā te satthā? Kassa vā tvaṁ dhammaṁ rocesī”ti?
Upaka the Ājīvaka saw the Blessed One walking along the road between Gayā and the Bodhi Tree. Seeing him, he said: “Friend, your faculties are clear, your complexion is pure and bright. Who is your teacher, friend? For whom have you gone forth? Whose Dhamma do you follow?”
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā upakaṁ ājīvakaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi—
“Sabbābhibhū sabbavidūhamasmi,
Sabbesu dhammesu anūpalitto;
Sabbañjaho taṇhākkhaye vimutto,
Sayaṁ abhiññāya kamuddiseyyaṁ.
Na me ācariyo atthi,
sadiso me na vijjati;
Sadevakasmiṁ lokasmiṁ,
natthi me paṭipuggalo.
Ahañhi arahā loke,
ahaṁ satthā anuttaro;
Ekomhi sammāsambuddho,
sītibhūtosmi nibbuto.
Dhammacakkaṁ pavattetuṁ,
Gacchāmi kāsinaṁ puraṁ;
Andhībhūtasmiṁ lokasmiṁ,
Āhañchaṁ amatadundubhin”ti.
When this was said, the Blessed One addressed Upaka the Ājīvaka in verse:
“Victorious over everything, all I have known,
yet I remain untainted by all things conquered and known.
Having abandoned all, liberated through the complete ending of craving,
thus directly knowing by myself—whom should I call as my teacher?
I have no teacher,
and one like me does not exist;
in the world with its deities,
there is none equal to me.
I am the Arahant in the world;
I am the unsurpassed teacher;
I alone am the perfectly Awakened One;
I am cooled and quenched.
To set the wheel of Dhamma in motion,
I go to the city of Kāsī.
In a world that has become blind,
I will beat the drum of the deathless.”
“Yathā kho tvaṁ, āvuso, paṭijānāsi, arahasi anantajino”ti.
“Mādisā ve jinā honti,
ye pattā āsavakkhayaṁ;
Jitā me pāpakā dhammā,
tasmāhamupaka jino”ti.
Evaṁ vutte, upako ājīvako hupeyyapāvusoti vatvā sīsaṁ okampetvā ummaggaṁ gahetvā pakkāmi.
“As you claim, friend, you are the worthy universal conqueror.”
“Conquerors like me,
are those who have reached the end of defilements;
harmful qualities have been vanquished by me,
and so, Upaka, I am a conqueror.”
When this was said, Upaka the Ājīvaka replied, “Perhaps so, friend,” shook his head, took a side road, and departed.
Atha kho bhagavā anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena bārāṇasī isipatanaṁ migadāyo, yena pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami. Addasaṁsu kho pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ; disvāna aññamaññaṁ katikaṁ saṇṭhapesuṁ— “ayaṁ, āvuso, samaṇo gotamo āgacchati, bāhulliko padhānavibbhanto āvatto bāhullāya. So neva abhivādetabbo, na paccuṭṭhātabbo, nāssa pattacīvaraṁ paṭiggahetabbaṁ; api ca kho āsanaṁ ṭhapetabbaṁ, sace so ākaṅkhissati nisīdissatī”ti.
Then, wandering by stages, the Blessed One arrived at Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, where the group of five bhikkhus were staying. The group of five bhikkhus saw the Blessed One coming from afar. Seeing him, they agreed among themselves: “Friends, here comes the ascetic Gotama, who lives excessively, who has strayed from his striving, and reverted to excess. He should not be greeted, nor stood up for, nor should his bowl and robe be taken. However, a seat should be set out. If he wishes, he may sit.”
Yathā yathā kho bhagavā pañcavaggiye bhikkhū upasaṅkamati tathā tathā pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū nāsakkhiṁsu sakāya katikāya saṇṭhātuṁ. Asaṇṭhahantā bhagavantaṁ paccuggantvā eko bhagavato pattacīvaraṁ paṭiggahesi, eko āsanaṁ paññapesi, eko pādodakaṁ, eko pādapīṭhaṁ, eko pādakaṭhalikaṁ upanikkhipi. Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane; nisajja kho bhagavā pāde pakkhālesi. Apissu bhagavantaṁ nāmena ca āvusovādena ca samudācaranti.
But as the Blessed One approached, the group of five bhikkhus were unable to stand by their agreement. One received his bowl and robe, one prepared a seat, one set out water for the feet, one set out a footstool, and one set out a foot-scraping stone. The Blessed One sat on the prepared seat and washed his feet. However, they still addressed him by name and as “friend.”
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā pañcavaggiye bhikkhū etadavoca— “mā, bhikkhave, tathāgataṁ nāmena ca āvusovādena ca samudācaratha. Arahaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato sammāsambuddho, odahatha, bhikkhave, sotaṁ, amatamadhigataṁ, ahamanusāsāmi, ahaṁ dhammaṁ desemi. Yathānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamānā nacirasseva— yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ— brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissathā”ti.
When this was said, the Blessed One said this to the group of five bhikkhus: “Do not address the Tathāgata by name and as ‘friend.’ The Tathāgata is an Arahant, a perfectly Awakened One. Listen carefully, bhikkhus, the deathless has been attained. I shall instruct you. I shall teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you will before long enter and abide in that unsurpassed goal of the spiritual life, realizing it for yourselves with direct knowledge here and now, the very goal for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness.”
Evaṁ vutte, pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ— “tāyapi kho tvaṁ, āvuso gotama, iriyāya, tāya paṭipadāya, tāya dukkarakārikāya nevajjhagā uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ, kiṁ pana tvaṁ etarahi, bāhulliko padhānavibbhanto āvatto bāhullāya, adhigamissasi uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesan”ti?
When this was said, the group of five bhikkhus said this to the Blessed One: “By that conduct, friend Gotama, by that practice, by that performance of difficult tasks, you did not achieve any superhuman state, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of a noble person. So how will you now, living excessively, having strayed from striving, and having reverted to excess, achieve any superhuman state, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of a noble person?”
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā pañcavaggiye bhikkhū etadavoca— “na, bhikkhave, tathāgato bāhulliko, na padhānavibbhanto, na āvatto bāhullāya; arahaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato sammāsambuddho. Odahatha, bhikkhave, sotaṁ, amatamadhigataṁ ahamanusāsāmi, ahaṁ dhammaṁ desemi. Yathānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamānā nacirasseva— yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ— brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissathā”ti.
When this was said, the Blessed One said this to the group of five bhikkhus: “The Tathāgata does not live excessively, has not strayed from striving, and has not reverted to excess. The Tathāgata is an Arahant, a perfectly Awakened One. Listen carefully, bhikkhus, the deathless has been attained. I shall instruct you. I shall teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you will before long enter and abide in that unsurpassed goal of the spiritual life, realizing it for yourselves with direct knowledge here and now, the very goal for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness.”
Dutiyampi kho pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ …pe…. Dutiyampi kho bhagavā pañcavaggiye bhikkhū etadavoca …pe…. Tatiyampi kho pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ— “tāyapi kho tvaṁ, āvuso gotama, iriyāya, tāya paṭipadāya, tāya dukkarakārikāya nevajjhagā uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ, kiṁ pana tvaṁ etarahi, bāhulliko padhānavibbhanto āvatto bāhullāya, adhigamissasi uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesan”ti?
A second time the group of five bhikkhus said the same thing, and a second time the Blessed One replied in the same way. A third time the group of five bhikkhus said this to the Blessed One: “By that conduct, friend Gotama, by that practice, by that performance of difficult tasks, you did not achieve any superhuman state, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of a noble person. So how will you now, living excessively, having strayed from striving, and having reverted to excess, achieve any superhuman state, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of a noble person?”
Evaṁ vutte bhagavā pañcavaggiye bhikkhū etadavoca— “abhijānātha me no tumhe, bhikkhave, ito pubbe evarūpaṁ pabhāvitametan”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”. “Arahaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato sammāsambuddho, odahatha, bhikkhave, sotaṁ, amatamadhigataṁ ahamanusāsāmi, ahaṁ dhammaṁ desemi. Yathānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamānā nacirasseva— yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ— brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissathā”ti. Asakkhi kho bhagavā pañcavaggiye bhikkhū saññāpetuṁ. Atha kho pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ sussūsiṁsu, sotaṁ odahiṁsu, aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpesuṁ.
When this was said, the Blessed One asked the group of five bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, have you ever known me to speak like this before?” “No, venerable sir.” “The Tathāgata is an Arahant, a perfectly Awakened One. Listen carefully, bhikkhus, the deathless has been attained. I shall instruct you. I shall teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you will before long enter and abide in that unsurpassed goal of the spiritual life, realizing it for yourselves with direct knowledge here and now, the very goal for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness.” The Blessed One was able to convince the group of five bhikkhus. Then the group of five bhikkhus listened to the Blessed One, gave ear, and set their minds on understanding.
The discourse spoken here is SN 56.11 — Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dhamma, ending with the cry of the deities and the name Aññā Koṇḍañña.
Atha kho āyasmā aññāsikoṇḍañño diṭṭhadhammo pattadhammo viditadhammo pariyogāḷhadhammo tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṅkatho vesārajjappatto aparappaccayo satthusāsane bhagavantaṁ etadavoca— “labheyyāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti. “Ehi bhikkhū”ti bhagavā avoca— “svākkhāto dhammo, cara brahmacariyaṁ sammā dukkhassa antakiriyāyā”ti. Sāva tassa āyasmato upasampadā ahosi.
Then the venerable Aññā Koṇḍañña, having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, deeply penetrated the Dhamma, having crossed beyond doubt, with no more uncertainty, confident and self-assured, and become independent of others in the Teacher’s instruction, said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, may I receive the going forth in the Blessed One’s presence? May I receive full ordination?” The Blessed One said: “Come, bhikkhu. The Dhamma is well proclaimed. Live the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering.” That was that venerable one’s full ordination.
Atha kho bhagavā tadavasese bhikkhū dhammiyā kathāya ovadi anusāsi. Atha kho āyasmato ca vappassa āyasmato ca bhaddiyassa bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya ovadiyamānānaṁ anusāsiyamānānaṁ virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi— “yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti.
Then the Blessed One instructed and advised the remaining bhikkhus with a talk on the Dhamma. And while they were being instructed and advised by the Blessed One with a talk on the Dhamma, the stainless, immaculate Dhamma eye arose in the venerable Vappa and the venerable Bhaddiya: “Whatever is subject to arising is all subject to cessation.”
Te diṭṭhadhammā pattadhammā viditadhammā pariyogāḷhadhammā tiṇṇavicikicchā vigatakathaṅkathā vesārajjappattā aparappaccayā satthusāsane bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ— “labheyyāma mayaṁ, bhante, bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyāma upasampadan”ti. “Etha bhikkhavo”ti bhagavā avoca— “svākkhāto dhammo, caratha brahmacariyaṁ sammā dukkhassa antakiriyāyā”ti. Sāva tesaṁ āyasmantānaṁ upasampadā ahosi.
They, having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, deeply penetrated the Dhamma, having crossed beyond doubt, with no more uncertainty, confident and self-assured, and become independent of others in the Teacher’s instruction, said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, may we receive the going forth in the Blessed One’s presence? May we receive full ordination?” The Blessed One said: “Come, bhikkhus. The Dhamma is well proclaimed. Live the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering.” That was the full ordination of those venerable ones.
Atha kho bhagavā tadavasese bhikkhū nīhārabhatto dhammiyā kathāya ovadi anusāsi. Yaṁ tayo bhikkhū piṇḍāya caritvā āharanti, tena chabbaggo yāpeti.
Then the Blessed One, living on the meal that was brought, instructed and advised the remaining bhikkhus with a talk on the Dhamma. Whatever the three bhikkhus brought back from their alms round, the group of six lived on that.
Atha kho āyasmato ca mahānāmassa āyasmato ca assajissa bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya ovadiyamānānaṁ anusāsiyamānānaṁ virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi— “yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti.
Then, while they were being instructed and advised by the Blessed One with a talk on the Dhamma, the stainless, immaculate Dhamma eye arose in the venerable Mahānāma and the venerable Assaji: “Whatever is subject to arising is all subject to cessation.”
Te diṭṭhadhammā pattadhammā viditadhammā pariyogāḷhadhammā tiṇṇavicikicchā vigatakathaṅkathā vesārajjappattā aparappaccayā satthusāsane bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ— “labheyyāma mayaṁ, bhante, bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyāma upasampadan”ti. “Etha bhikkhavo”ti bhagavā avoca— “svākkhāto dhammo, caratha brahmacariyaṁ sammā dukkhassa antakiriyāyā”ti. Sāva tesaṁ āyasmantānaṁ upasampadā ahosi.
They, having seen the Dhamma and become independent of others in the Teacher’s instruction, said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, may we receive the going forth in the Blessed One’s presence? May we receive full ordination?” The Blessed One said: “Come, bhikkhus. The Dhamma is well proclaimed. Live the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering.” That was the full ordination of those venerable ones.
The discourse spoken here is SN 22.59 — The Characteristic of Not-Self. While it was being spoken, the minds of the group of five bhikkhus were liberated from the taints through non-clinging.
Tena kho pana samayena cha loke arahanto honti.
At that time there were six arahants in the world.