To Commemorate the
First Discourse of the Buddha
THE DHAMMACAKKA PAVATTANA SUTTA
(SETTING IN MOTION THE WHEEL OF TRUTH)
Delivered at
Isipatana, Migadaaya(Deer Park, Saaranath)
On the Full Moon Day of AAsaalha
DHAMMACAKKA PAVATTANA DAY
Will be celebrated on the AAsaalha full moon day
Sunday, the 25th July 2010 at 9:00 AM at
Maha Bodhi Society, Gandhinagar, Bangalore.
We cordially invite you to attend the program
with family and friends
Yours,
Founder President and Members,
Maha Bodhi society
Address for correspondence and donations:
Maha Bodhi Society
14, Kalidasa Road, Gandhinagar, Bangalore-560009, India
Tel:080-22250684, Fax:080-22264438
Email:info@mahabodhi.info
Donate generously and share merits
Thank you very much
PROFRAM
9:00 AM Worship the Sacred Mahaa Bodhi Tree and the Mahaabodhi Maitri Stupa
Buddha Pujaa at Loka Shanti Buddha Vihara
Chanting of
DHAMMACAKKA PAVATTANA SUTTA
Undertaking of Tisarana and 8 and 5 precepts
Discourse by Venerable Acharya
Buddharakkhita, Founder President,
Maha Bodhi Siociety, Bangalore
Release of Publications
11:15 Sanghadaana by devotees - alms offering
to the monks
12:00 NOON Meals for devotees
1:00PM Kannada Dhamma Pravachana program Inauguration
Every Sunday 12:30 to 1:45 Dhamma Pravachana
3:00 to 6:00 Chanting of Paali Tiptaka, Sacred
Buddhist Scripture by monks and devotees
6:00 PM Buddha Puja and Deepa Puja
DHAMMACAKKA PAVATTANA SUTTA
Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta is the first discourse which lord Buddha delivered at the historic Sage’s Landing Retreat (Isipatana), in modern Saaranath, near Varanasi. This Sutta is the quintessence of the Dhamma. Therefore it has been specially venerated down the ages throughout the world. Ancient kingsof India got this sutta inscribed on gold, silver and copper plates and distributed them widely so that people may design their lives on the Truths enunciated by the Master.
The teaching of the Buddha represents His Awaken-ness experience. He reveals and transmitsthe light of HisAwaken-ness through His teachings, so that the others too might become awakened. Since His teachings are “Skillful Means” Upaya Kolalla, for spreading the message of awaken-ness, the Buddha set the motion of the Wheel of Truth (Dhammacakka). Therefore the Buddha is symbolically represented by two terms Wisdom (panna) and Compassion (Karuna).
This sutta enunciate the essence of the Buddh’s fundantamental teachings,comprising:
1. Two Extream Path-Anta
2. The Middle Path - Majjhimaa Patipadaa
3. The Four Noble Truths - Cattaari Ariya Saccaani
4. The Twelve facets of the four-fold Truth - Dvadasakaranam.
The teachings of Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta do not constitute theoretical religious doctorines. They are profound practical instructions for the solution of all problems and for spiritual Liberation.
Please come, learn the sutta, chant it with devotion and gain wisdom and merit.
Dhammachakka Pavattana - Guru Purnima-25th july
DHAMMACHAKKAPAVATTA NA-THE WHEEL OF DHAMMA SET IN MOTION.
The Full Moon, which falls in this month of July, is of great importance as it commemorates the significant event that took place in India. On this very Full moon day Buddha set in motion the wheel of Truth (Dhamma) at Isipatana, Sarnath. This discourse came to be known as Dhammachakkapavatta na Sutta. It was the occasion when Buddha preached his first sermon to his five ascetic friends Kondanya, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama, and Assaji, precisely two months after his enlightenment. This sermon known as Dhammachakkapavatta na sutta comprises the four Noble Truths centered on the universal malady called suffering.
On this memorable day the Buddhaβs Saasana (dispensation) came into existence and then spread not only in India but also through out the world. Thus Buddhism now is not considered as an Indian religion but as a world religion, which was recognized by the United Nation too on Vesak-2000.
Buddhism is the only Indian religion to become world religion and Buddha the only Indian Guru to become Jagat Guru. Thus this Purnima is also known as Guru Purnima.
The importance of the four Noble Truths could be gauged by the fact that Buddha himself had said: βIt was through not understanding, not penetrating the four Noble Truths, that I, as well as you have wandered so long through the countless rounds of birthβ.(DN-16)
The Noble truth of suffering is the fact of every day life in every one’s life. It may be direct or indirect and coarse or subtle. This fact of existence of suffering in every one’s life forms the base for Buddha’s teachings. Having experienced this truth of suffering Buddha taught the four Noble truths of suffering namely
1) There is Suffering i.e. Birth is suffering, old age is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering, association with the unpleasant is suffering, dissociation from the pleasant is suffering, one does not get what is desired that too is suffering, in short the five aggregates affected by clinging is suffering.
2) There is cause for Suffering i.e. Whatever there is greed which causes becoming in the next world, consisting of passionate delight, finding pleasure in this or that, to wit: greed for sensual pleasures, greed for becoming, greed for non-becoming.
3)There is cessation of Suffering i.e. Of that very greed itself, that extinction, which comes through complete detachment, giving up, complete abandonment, release, non-attachment.
4) There is path leading to the cessation of suffering i.e. The noble eight-fold path to wit: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.
In Majjima Nikaya Buddha categorically states that he teaches one thing only, namely Suffering and the path to cessation of Suffering and is not interested in any philosophical or intellectual quest.
Though Suffering is pain, it is used as a wet stone to sharpen one’s wisdom and to face the reality accordingly. It is a wise man’s saying that:-
It is easy enough to be pleasant,
when life flows like a sweet song.
But the man worthwhile,
Is the one who can smile;
when things go dead wrong.
Hence in order to over come suffering one has to work patiently and persistently on the Eight-fold path, which forms the fourth Noble truth, and through gradual progress one would ultimately make end of suffering as taught by the Buddha. This Noble eight-fold path is divided into three sections as Sila, Samadhi and Panya. The malady of suffering is not confined to any one particular caste, color, region, religion and nation. It is a universal malady and hence the remedy too must be universal. Thus the path of Sila, Samadhi and Panya, which has no trace of any sectarianism, is the universal remedy for the ills of the world called suffering.
In order to get established in Sila(morality) , it is necessary to have complete control over oneβs own mind. The mind should be fully restrained and disciplined. For this it is necessary to practice Samadhi(concentrati on).
Practicing only Sila without Samadhi is like standing on only one leg and straining one’s self. On the other hand Samadhi without Sila is like one leg hanging in air with out support.
Again it is not enough to just concentrate one’s mind. It is also necessary to develop Panya(wisdom) . By this Panya it is possible to eradicate the ingrained habit pattern of the mind that generates, multiplies and accumulates Sankharas(reactions ) of Raga (greed)and Dosa(hatred) out of Moha(ignorance) . So if Sila and Samadhi are two legs on which one stands, balances and walks then Panya is like the eye which enables us to see things as they are, thereby avoiding the dangers and leading us through the safe Noble Eight-fold path, which forms the fourth Noble truth of Suffering.
The teaching based on Suffering seems to be pessimistic and definitely people would like to have an optimistic teaching. But, the question is not of pessimism or optimism; it is the question of realism on which the Buddha stresses. His teachings are not CUSTOMER ORIENTED to please individuals or masses but just TRUTH ORIENTED.
In Alagaddupama sutta(MN-22 BPS) Buddha says: “Both formerly & now what I teach is suffering & the Cessation of suffering. If others abuse, revile, scold, and harass the Tathagata for that, the Tathagata on that account feels no annoyance, bitterness, or dejection of the heart. And if others honor, respect, revere, and venerate the Tathagata on that account feels no delight, joy, or elation of the heart. If others honour, respect, revere, and venerate the Tathagata for that, the Tathagata on that account thinks thus: They perform such services as these for the sake of what had earlier come to be fully understood”. Thus this Noble Truth of suffering may seem to be pessimistic or bitter because of our wrong perception and conditioning but if one compares it with the verifiable facts of day to day life one will find the profound Truth of it. In the same sutta Buddha further says: “The Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus, which is clear… free of patchwork, those who are Dhamma followers are all headed for Enlightenment & those who have sufficient faith in me, sufficient love and regards for me, are all headed for heaven”.
Thus July full moon is festival of Truth
On this day Buddha taught the Noble Truth
He preached the Dhamma as Noble Truth
And came to be known as embodiment of Truth.
Noble truth of Suffering is no secret,
It is a truth we refuse to acknowledge.
Truth undermines the Selfness of I, My, Mine
to which we cling so desperately
and shows the impermanence of all phenomena.
Truth is not hidden from us
We are hiding from it.
To develop Buddhist cultural identity every Buddhist must visit nearest Buddha Vihara on Sundays and Full Moon of every month and not just once in a Blue Moon.
WISH YOU ALL A PIOUS, PEACEFUL & PROSPEROUS GURU PURNIMA.
Bhanteji
BSP to go it alone in Bihar assembly polls
PATNA - The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) would contest the Bihar assembly polls from all seats without any alliance, party chief Mayawati said Tuesday.
βThe BSP will contest from all seats (243) without any alliance in the Bihar assembly polls,β Mayawati said at a rally to kickstart the partyβs campaign for the polls later this year.
She asked her party leaders and workers to work hard to expand the partyβs base in Bihar and other states.
Mayawati attacked the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their wrong policies. She said the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was responsible for price rise in the country.
The rally was attended by party workers from Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand.
BSP to raise issue of hike in petroleum prices in Parliament
The Bahujan Samaj Party will raise the issue of hiking prices of petroleum products during the coming monsoon session of Parliament.
A meeting of party MPs was held at Lucknow on Tuesday to discuss the party strategy during the session.
Addressing the meeting party supremo Mayawati alleged that the UPA government has indulged in an anti-people act. She said MPs should strongly oppose wrong economic policies of the UPA government, which is resulting in price rise.
She said after being third political force in the parliament responsibilities of party MPs have increased and they try their level best to prove themselves in the eyes of common men.
Ms. Mayawati reiterated her allegation for UPA governmentβs attitude towards BSP government in UP is step-motherly and unjust and it is hampering the development of the state.