The Great Discourse on the Wheel of Dhamma

free from wavering, irresolution, having acquired the courage of conviction with respect to the Teaching of the Buddha (not being afraid to face the enquiry why one has changed faith), having the personal knowledge of the dhamma, not dependent on others with regard to the Teaching, made the request to the Buddha for leave to take up the life of sémanera, samana, novice and monk, in the presence of the Buddha.

This record by the Theras of the first Council describing the Venerable Kondanna's request giving details of his qualifications and attamments to establish his eligibility for admission to the Order, develops in the reader intense devotional inspiration. The more one knows of the dhamma, the more intensely one feels this devotional inspiration. When the Venerable Kondanna made the request in the above manner, the Blessed One permitted him to join the Order in these words.

ORDINATION BY EHI BHIKKHU

"Ehi Bhikkhu" ti Bhagava avoca, "svakkhato dhammo

cara brahmacariyam sammG dukkhassa antakiriyaya" ti.

Sava tassa Gyasamato upasampada ahosi' ti.

The Blessed One said first "Come, Bhikkhu, join my order." Then he said, " Well taught is the Dhamma. Come and practise the holy life of sila, samGdhi and pannd for the sake of the complete ending of suffering." This invitation by the Blessed One saying “Come Bhikkhu" constitutes the act of ordination, and accordingly the Kondanna became a Bhikkhu of the Buddha's Order.

The Venerable Kondanna was at that time was already an ascetic, a samana but not of the Buddha's Order. He asked therefore for admission to the Buddha's Order from the Blessed One who permitted him to do so, by saying "Ehi Bhikkhu.” This is’ acknowledgement by the Blessed One of his entry to the Buddha's Order. Thus the Venerable Annasi Kondanna ‘had become.a disciple of the Buddha as a member of the Buddha's Order.

BEINGS WHO ATTAINED A HIGHER KNOWLEDGE

THROUGH HEARING THE FIRST SERMON

At the time of delivery of the Dhammacakka Sutta, there were only five members of the human world, the group of five Bhikkhus, who heard the first sermon. And of them, only one sngle person, the Venerable Konnanna attained to higher knowledge. But it is stated in the Milinda Panna Pali Text that eighteen crores of Brahmas and innumerable kamavacara devas attained to the higher knowledge then.

At that time only the venerable Kondanna had sought entry to the Buddha's Order and become a samana disciple of the Buddha. The remaining four, namely, the Venerable Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama and Assaji had not yet done so. Their hesitation may be accounted for by the fact that they were not fully accomplished yet in personally knowing the dhamma like the venerable Annasi Kondanna. They were still deficient in the courage of conviction with respect to the Buddha's teaching. But by virtue of hearing the Dhammacaka sutta discourse, they had developed saddhd, faith in the teaching. Therefore from the time of hearing the discourse these four were being engaged in the practice of meditation under the guidance of the Blessed One. Vinaya Maha Vagga Pali Canon has given the following account of how they practised meditation and how they came to see and realize the dhamma.

HIGHER KNOWLEDGE ATTAINED ONLY AFTER ACTUAL PRACTICE

"After the Venerable Kondanna had been admitted to the Order, the Blessed One gave guidance and instructions on_ the practice of the dhamma to the remaining four members of the group. Being thus guided and instructed by the Blessed One, the dust-free, stainless eye of dhamma rose to the Venerable Vappa and Bhaddiya, "that every thing that has the nature of arising has the nature of passng away."

When the eye of dhamma opened, and they became sotapanas the Venerables Vappa and Bhaddiya requested the Blessed One for

admission to the Order and the Blessed One accepted them in the Order by saying "Ehi Bhikkhu.”

SYSTEMATIC GUIDANCE AND PRACTICE

IN THE EARLY PERIODS OF THE SASANA

The Maha Vagga Pali text continued:

After the Venerables Vappa and Bhaddiya had been thus admitted to the order by the ‘Ehi Bhikkhu' ordination, the Blessed One gave instructions on dhamma and guidance to the remaining Venerables Mahanama and Assaji, without going on the rounds for alms~food in person. Three Bhikkhus went out for almsfood and all the six, including the Blessed One, sustained themselves on whatever food was brought back by the three. Being thus guided and instructed by the Blessed One on the practice of the dhamma, the dust-free, stainless eye of dhamma rose to the Venerables Mahanama and Assaji that “everything that has. the nature of arising has the nature of passing away." And these Venerable Mahanama and Assaji, having seen the dhamma, having reached, having clearly understood having penetrated through to the dhamma, leaving uncertamty behind, having overcome all doubts, being free from wavering irresolution, having acquired the courage of conviction with respect to the Teaching of the Buddha, having the personal knowledge of the dhama, not. depending on others with regard to the Teaching, made the following requests to the Blessed One:

"Lord, (Bhante) May we have leave to take up the ascetic life as novices in the presence of the Buddha; may we receive (ordination) admission to the Buddha's Order (upasmpadam)." And the Blessed One had replied, "Come Bhikkhus. Well taught is the dhama. Come and practise the holy life fot the sake of complete ending of suffering." This invitation by the Blessed One constitutes the act of ordination and accordingly the Venerables Mahanama and Assaji became Bhikkhus in the Order of the Buddha.”

In this Pali Text of the Vinaya Mahavagga, it is mentioned that the four Bhikkhus attained higher knowledge in two groups of

two each, whereas its commentary states as follows, that they attained .higher knowledge one by one:

"It should be understood that the eye of dhamma rose to the Venerable Vappa on the first waning day of Waso, to the Venerable Bhaddiya on the second waning day, to the Venerable Mahanama on the third waning day and to the Venerable Assaji on the fourth waning day respectively.

Further more, it should be specially noted that all this while the Blessed One had remained in the monastery without going out for alms-food, ready to render assistance to the four Bhikkhus in removing the impurities (obstacles) and complications (difficulties) that may arise to them in the course of practising meditation. Every time impurities (obstacles) arose in the Bhikkhus, the Blessed One went to their aid travelling through space and removed them. On the fifth waning day of Waso the Blessed One gathered all the five Bhikkhus together and instructed them by giving the discourse on the Anatta Lakkhana Sutta."

In this account in the commentary, the statement about the Buddha's travelling through space to remove the impurities (obstacles) reveals the urgent nature of assistance needed by the meditating Bhikkhus. At present time too, it would be beneficial if the mediation teachers could constantly attend on the yogis and give guidance. The Pésarasi sutta of the Mula Pannnasa gives the following account on the subject: "Bhikkhus, when I gave instructions to the two Bhikkhus, the three Bhikkhus went round for alms-food. The group of six of us lived om the food bronght back by the three Bhikkhus. When I gave instructions to the three Bhikkhus, the two Bhikkhus went round for alms-food. The group of six of us lived on the food ‘brought back by the two Bhikkhus. Then, being thus instructed and guided by me, the group of five Bhikkhus, having in themselves the nature of arising in new existence, and seeing danger and wretchedness in fresh rebirths, searched and endeavoured for the noblest, Supreme Nibbana, free from fresh rebirth and accordingly had attained the Supreme Nibbana which is free from rebirth,

free from yaga, attachment to rebirth." In this way, the Blessed One stated that the five Bhikkhus had attained the arahata phala.

The commentary on this Suttas has this ta say: "The Blessed One remained in the monastery ready to go and assist the Venerable Vappa etc in removing the impurities that arose in the course of their meditation. Whenever impurities and complications arose in them, the Bhikkhus came to the Blessed One and asked of him (informed him of their difficulties). The Blessed One himself also went to where the Bhikkhus were sitting in meditation and removed these impurities. Thus without going out on alms-round, living on the alms—food brought to them and following the mstructions given by the Blessed One, the Bhikkhus went on meditating. Of these Bhikkhus, the Venerable Vappa became sofdpanna on the first waning day of Waso, the Venerable Bhaddiya on the second, the Venerable Mahanama on the third and the Venerable Assaji on the fourth waning day of Waso respectively. On the fifth waning day of Waso, the five Bhikkhus were assembled to one group and the Anatta Lakkhana Sutta was taught to them by the Blessed One. At the end of the discourse on the Suttas, all the five Bhikkhus attained Arahatship."

MERE LISTENING TO THE DISCOURSE IS NOT

SUFFICIENT ACTUAL PRACTICE IS NEEDED

According to the Vinaya and Sutta Pali texts, the attainment was described to be achieved in two groups of two Bhikkhus each, whereas the commentary gave a detailed description of how individual Bhikkhus attained softdpanna stage on separate days. That was the only difference’ between the Pali texts version and the commentary version. It was not by just listening to the discourse, but only after actual practices that they attained sot@panna. They did not go out for alms-round but worked cqptinuously day and night. The Buddha himself stayed all the time in the monastery ready to go to their assistance and give guidance. On these points there is aggrement in all versions.

It is very plain therefore that the Venerable Vappa begar

working in the eveing of the fullmoon day of Waso and attained sofapanna on the first waning day for having striven as instructed and guided by the Blessed One, not just by listening to the discourse. The Venerable Bhaddiya had to strive for about two days and attained so‘@panna on the second waning day; the Venerable Mahanama for about three days and attained sofaépanna on the third waning day; Venerable Assaji had to strive for about four days to attain sot@panna on the fourth waning day of Waso. All of them had to put in great efforts for their attamments; they achieved sotdpanna not by listening to the discourse but by working for it strenuously under the close supervision and guidance of the Blessed One himself. This fact is very plain.

Venerable Bhikkhus of the group of five such as_ the Venerable Vappa etc were no ordinary persons. It was said that they were the royal astrologers who had foretold the future of the Bodhisatta at the time of his birth. Some commentaries, however, said that they were the sons of these court astrologers. They were singular individuals who had given up house-hold life and become reculses while the Bodhisatta was still in his teens. They were also endowed with remarkable intelligence, able to grasp easily the teaching of the Buddha. Were sofadpanna attainable by mere listening to the dhamma, they were the persons who would have realized it without having to strive strenuously for it for one day, two dyas, etc. The Blessed One would not have to urge them to endeavour eamiestly; he would merely have taught them once to become sotdpannas and if necessary would have repeated the teaching twice or thrice etc. Instead, he required them not to just listen to the dhamma but to practise meditation strenuously. His reason for doing so was quite obvious: on reflection, he knew them to belong to the neyya class of individuals, who need to practise under guidance.

Assertions are being made nowadays that "no concentration meditation nor vipassana meditation is necessary to reach the mere stage of sofdpanna; appreciating and understanding what is taught by the teacher is enough to gain this stage." These assertions only

serve to discourage and dissuade the practice of samatha and vipassan@ meditation. It must be first noted that these views. are groundless and are causing great disservice and. harm to the spread of Patipatti Sasana. It must be firmly noted too that believers and followers of such views will find the path to Nibbana closed to them.

HOW THE VENERABLE VAPPA ETC STROVE FOR ATTAINMENTS

The Venerable Vappa etc of the group of five Bhikkhus strove hard for attainments by development within themselves of the Eightfold Path as taught in the Dhammacakka sutta. And the Eightfold Path was developed, as described in detail earlier, by taking note of the phenomenon of seeing, hearing, etc which is constantly occurring in one's person, so as to completely and rightly comprehend the truth of suffering, the updddnakkhandha.

The yogi, who first begins noting incessantly on the arising of nama rupa as it happens, may find himself troubled with wandering thoughts and imaginations. Especialy for the leamed and instructed, scepticism and doubts are liable to arise. For some, unbearable pains will develop intensely in their bodies. Objects of strange vision and signs may distract them, giving them high opinions of themselves (with wrong conclusions as to their achievement). Some may hear whispering noises in their ears or get demoralised through sloth and torpor. Progress may also be retarded through imbalance between saddhd and panna faith and knowledge, or between samadhi and viriya, concentration and effort. In the absence of concentrated effort, samadhi ndna, one-pointedness. of mind may not be evoleved.

At the stage of udayabhaya ndna when strange phenomena such as light, piti, sukha and peculiarly mtense mindfulness appear, it is generally noted that the yogi may become self-opinionated as to his own attainments. When such distractions, defilements, difficulties arise in the course of meditation, it becomes necessary for the teacher of mediation to give guidance and help to remove them. In

the absence of a teacher to guide and help him, the yogi's efforts at meditation may prove futile. That was the reason why the Blessed One waited in readiness without going out on the alms round to give guidance while the Venerable Vappa etc were engaged in meditation.

With such guidance and assistance, the Venerable Vappa gained sotdpatti magga phala after about a day's effort. When he gained further realisation of the four truths, he became established in dittha dhamma virtues and qualifications etc. Knowing the truth personally, all doubts about the Teaching vanished. There came the courage of conviction, ready to face any questioning concerning the Teaching. Having established his eligibility thus, he requested of the Blessed One admission to the Order. And the Buddha acceded to his request by the welcoming words of “Ehi Bhikkhu.”

The Venerable Bhaddiya, Mahanaéma and Assaji also attained sotGpatti magga phala and having left uncertamty behind, gaining the courage of conviction in the dhammas, requested on the second, third and fourth waning days of Waso respectively - for admission to the Order. And the Buddha ordained them by saying, "Ehi Bhikkhu."”

On the fifth waning day of Waso, the Blessed One Assembled all the five Bhikkhus together and taught them the Anatta Lakhana sutta. At that time, while listenmg to the discourse, all the five Bhikkhus contemplated on the upddanakkhandhd and developed the vipassana maggas by virtue of which they all attained Arahatship.

SIX ARAHATS INCLUDING THE BLESSED ONE

"Tena kho pana samayena cha loke arahanto hon'ti.” Thus recorded the compilers of the First Great Council in the Vinaya Mahavagga Pali Canon. "At the time, after the Anatta Lakkhana sutta had been delivered, there were six arahats including the Buddha in this world, a really wonderful, unprecedented event."

Let us now bring to a close this series of discourses on the Dhammacakka Sutta by having our minds on these Vererable accomplished Ones, the six Arahats and giving them our reverential