The Quest for Buddhism (73)
The Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma (Skt. Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta)
The Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, also known as the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma, is a Buddhist scripture that Buddhists regard as a record of the first teachings given by the Buddha after he attained full enlightenment.
The subject matter of this sutra is the Four Noble Truths, which are the basic directions of Buddhism, stated in formal terms. The sutra also contains references to concepts in Buddhism such as the Middle Way, impermanence and karma.
[Background]
It is said that the Buddha, shortly after his attainment of Buddhahood, initially hesitated to preach his teachings, as it was extremely difficult to explain the Buddha Dharma and even if he taught them to sentient beings, they would not understand them and it would be a waste of time and effort.
Persuaded by Brahma, the protector of Buddhism, deciding to teach, the Buddha initially intended to visit his former teachers, Ajara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta, to teach them his insights, but they had already died and reborn in a place where it is not apt to preach or they were deaf, so he decided to visit his five former companions.
The Buddha then journeyed from Bodhgaya to Sarnath, there he met his five former companions, the ascetics with whom he had shared six years of hardship. His former companions were at first suspicious of the Buddha, but upon seeing the radiance of the Buddha, they requested him to teach what he had learned.
Thereupon the Buddha gave the teaching that was later recorded as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, which introduces fundamental concepts of Buddhist thought, such as the Middle Way and the Four Noble Truths.
The sutra contains the following topics:
The two extremes to be avoided (sensual indulgence and self-mortification)
The Middle Way: The Noble Eightfold Path
The Four Noble Truths
The Twelve Insights of the Four Noble Truths
Proclamation of release from the cycle of rebirth (commonly referred to as nibbana)
The Opening of the Dhamma Eye (the attainment of right view)
Proclamation of the devas upon the setting of the Wheel of Dhamma in motion by the Buddha
Response of the Buddha to Aññā Kondañña's comprehension of his teachings
[Photo above: Dhamek Stupa is a massive stupa located at Sarnath, 13 km away from Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It marked the spot where the Buddha gave the first sermon to his first five disciples, after attaining enlightenment, "revealing his Eightfold Path leading to nirvana".]
仏教の探求 (73)
ダンマの輪の回転 (転法輪経: てんぽうりんぎょう)
転法輪経 (てんぽうりんぎょう、梵: ダンマチャッカパヴァッタナ・スートラ)は、ダンマの輪の回転と呼ばれる仏典で、仏教徒は、正覚(しょうがく: 悟りのこと)を得たブッダが最初におこなった教えを記録したもので『サルナートの鹿野苑(ろくやおん)での説法』を記録したものと考えられている。
この経の主題は、仏教の基本的な方向性を示す四諦 (したい、梵: チャトゥル・アーリヤ・サティヤ)であり、それを形式的な表現で述べている。この経には、仏教における概念である、中道、無常、縁起などについても言及がある。
[経緯]
ブッダは成道して間もない頃、当初は仏法を説明するのは非常に難しく、衆生に教えても理解されず、時間と労力の無駄になるとして、教えを説くことを躊躇したと言われている。
仏法の守護神、梵天(ぼんてん、梵:ブラフマー)に説得され、教化を決意した釈尊は、まず、修行時代のかつての師匠であるアーラーラ・カーラーマとウッダカ・ラーマプッタを訪ねて見識を教えようとしたが、彼らはすでに亡くなり説法に適さない場所に生まれ変わり、あるいは耳が聞こえなくなっていたので、元仲間の5人を訪ねることにしたという。
その後、ブッダはボッダガヤからサルナートまで旅をし、そこで6年間の苦楽を共にした5人の元仲間、修行者たちに会った。かつての仲間たちは、最初は不審に思ったが、ブッダの輝きを見て、ブッダが学んだことを教えてほしいと頼んだ。
そこでブッダは、中道や四諦といった仏教思想の基本概念、後に『ダンマチャッカパヴァッタナ・スートラ』として記録される教えを彼らに伝授したのである。
この経典には、以下の内容が含まれている:
退けるべき二つの極端な道 (官能的な耽溺と自虐的な行為)
中道：八正道
四諦
十二行相
輪廻転生の解脱の宣言 (一般に涅槃と呼ばれるもの)
ダンマの眼の開放（正しい見解の獲得）
仏陀が法輪を回すことについての天部の宣言
ｱﾆｬｰ･ｺﾝﾀﾞﾝﾆｬの問いへのブッダの応答
