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"Now this, O bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning the destruction of suffering: 28
"Verily, it is the destruction, in which no passion remains, of this very thirst; it is the laying aside of, the being free from, the dwelling no longer upon this thirst. 29
"This, then, O bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning the destruction of suffering. 30
"Now this, O bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning the way which leads to the destruction of sorrow. Verily! it is this noble eightfold path; that is to say: 31
"Right views; right aspirations; right speech; right behavior; right livelihood; right effort; right thoughts; and right contemplation. 32
"This, then, O bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning the destruction of sorrow. 33
[Pg 55] "By the practice of lovingkindness I have attained liberation of heart, and thus I am assured that I shall never return in renewed births. I have even now attained Nirvna. 34
And when the Blessed One had thus set the royal chariot-wheel of truth rolling onward, a rapture thrilled through all the universes. 35
The devas left their heavenly abodes to listen to the sweetness of the truth; the saints that had parted from life crowded around the great teacher to receive the glad tidings; even the animals of the earth felt the bliss that rested upon the words of the Tathgata: and all the creatures of the host of sentient beings, gods, men, and beasts, hearing the message of deliverance, received and understood it in their own language. 36
And when the doctrine was propounded, the venerable Kondaa, the oldest one among the five bhikkhus, discerned the truth with his mental eye, and he said: "Truly, O Buddha, our Lord, thou hast found the truth!" Then the other bhikkhus too, joined him and exclaimed: "Truly, thou art the Buddha, thou hast found the truth." 37
And the devas and saints and all the good spirits of the departed generations that had listened to the sermon of the Tathgata, joyfully received the doctrine and shouted: "Truly, the Blessed One has founded the kingdom of righteousness. The Blessed One has moved the earth; he has set the wheel of Truth rolling, which by no one in the universe, be he god or man, can ever be turned back. The kingdom of Truth will be preached upon earth; it will spread; and righteousness, good-will, and peace will reign among mankind." 38
Having pointed out to the five bhikkhus the truth, the Buddha said: 1
"A man that stands alone, having decided to obey the truth, may be weak and slip back into his old ways. Therefore, stand ye together, assist one another, and strengthen one another's efforts. 2
"Be like unto brothers; one in love, one in holiness, and one in your zeal for the truth. 3
"Spread the truth and preach the doctrine in all quarters of the world, so that in the end all living creatures will be citizens of the kingdom of righteousness. 4
"This is the holy brotherhood; this is the church, the congregation of the saints of the Buddha; this is the Sangha that establishes a communion among all those who have taken their refuge in the Buddha." 5
And Kondaa was the first disciple of the Buddha who had thoroughly grasped the doctrine of the Holy One, and the Tathgata looking into his heart said: "Truly, Kondaa has understood the truth." Hence the venerable Kondaa received the name "Aata-Kondaa," that is, "Kondaa who has understood the doctrine." 6
Then the venerable Kondaa spoke to the Buddha and said: "Lord, let us receive the ordination from the Blessed One." 7
And the Buddha said: "Come, O bhikkhus! Well taught is the doctrine. Lead a holy life for the extinction of suffering." 8
Then Kondaa and the other bhikkhus uttered three times these solemn vows: 9
"To the Buddha will I look in faith: He, the Perfect One, is holy and supreme. The Buddha conveys to us instruction, wisdom, and salvation; he is the Blessed One,[Pg 57] who knows the law of being; he is the Lord of the world, who yoketh men like oxen, the Teacher of gods and men, the Exalted Buddha. Therefore, to the Buddha will I look in faith. 10
"To the doctrine will I look in faith: well-preached is the doctrine by the Exalted One. The doctrine has been revealed so as to become visible; the doctrine is above time and space. The doctrine is not based upon hearsay, it means 'Come and see'; the doctrine leads to welfare; the doctrine is recognized by the wise in their own hearts. Therefore to the doctrine will I look in faith. 11
"To the community will I look in faith; the community of the Buddha's disciples instructs us how to lead a life of righteousness; the community of the Buddha's disciples teaches us how to exercise honesty and justice; the community of the Buddha's disciples shows us how to practise the truth. They form a brotherhood in kindness and charity, and their saints are worthy of reverence. The community of the Buddha's disciples is founded as a holy brotherhood in which men bind themselves together to teach the behests of rectitude and to do good. Therefore, to the community will I look in faith." 12
And the gospel of the Blessed One increased from day to day, and many people came to hear him and to accept the ordination to lead thenceforth a holy life for the sake of the extinction of suffering. 13
And the Blessed One seeing that it was impossible to attend to all who wanted to hear the truth and receive the ordination, sent out from the number of his disciples such as were to preach the Dharma and said unto them: 14
"The Dharma and the Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathgata shine forth when they are displayed, and not when they are concealed. But let not this doctrine, so full of truth and so excellent, fall into the hands of those unworthy[Pg 58] of it, where it would be despised and contemned, treated shamefully, ridiculed and censured. 15
"I now grant you, O bhikkhus, this permission. Confer henceforth in the different countries the ordination upon those who are eager to receive it, when you find them worthy. 16
