An Exposition of the Dhammacakka Sutta
The Wheel of the Dhamma
Bhikkhu Pesala
The full title is the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, but it is widely known as the Dhammacakka Sutta. After attaining Enlightenment, the Buddha was at first reluctant to teach the Dhamma that he had realised. He considered, “This Dhamma is profound and goes against the flow of sensual desire; most people are strongly attached to and immersed in sensual pleasures.”
However, he reasoned that some were not too strongly
attached, and were already searching for truth. They would be able to understand it. First he thought to teach it to Alara Kalama, who had taught him meditation to attain the realm of infinite consciousness, but devas told him that Alara Kalama had passed away only last week; and he realised this was true by his own direct knowledge.
Next he thought about teaching Uddaka Ræmaputta, who had taught him meditation to attain the realm of neither perception nor non-perception, but devas told him that Uddaka had passed away the previous night; and he realised this was true by his own direct knowledge. So he decided to teach the Dhamma first to the five ascetics who accompanied him while he was practising self-mortification. So he went to the deer park at the Sages’ Grove near Benares, where they were staying.
An Exposition of the Dhammacakka Sutta
