Buddha's Turning the First Dharma Wheel

玉蓮Beatrice 2014-04-27

展開全文

Origin: The Middle Book of Origin Sutra, Chapter 1

When Buddha was enlightened under the bodhi tree, he remembered what Buddha Unwavering Light in the past had predicted about him. He said, " In 91 aeons, you shall become Buddha named Sakyamuni, also known as

1. Tathagata ("thus-gone")
2. Arhat ("worthy")
3. Samyaksambuddha ("fully and completely awakened")
4. Vidyacaranasampanna ("accomplished in knowledge and virtuous conduct")
5. Sugata (" well-gone")
6. Lokavid ("knower of worlds")
7. Anuttarah purusadamyasarathih ("unsurpassed guide for those who need restraint")
8. Sasta devamanusyanam ("teacher of gods and humans")
9. Buddha ("awakened")
10. Bhagavat ("blessed")

You will ferry others to Nirvana just like I do. "

So Buddha thought to himself, " I remember my original aspiration was to bring Dharma to the Human and Deity Realms. Therefore I should pour the nectar of Dharma now, but who will be the first one to receive it ? When I first left home, I met Allen and Garland on my way to seek liberation. They had treated me with respect. I think I shall benefit them first. "

Buddha made up his mind. Just when he was ready to set off , he heard a voice from the sky, saying " Those two passed away but seven days ago. " Buddha exclaimed, " Oh no ! Just when I was about to start pouring the nectar, I learn they are but one week short of blessing. " Buddha contemplated ," Who is the next one in line to receive the nectar? It must be Rainford! He's next." Buddha was ready to get up again when he heard the voice resound, " This man died last night. ". Buddha couldn't help commenting, " What bad luck it was for this man. He had been only one night away. Thinking how rare and difficult it is to come across the chance in one lifetime to receive nectar from me. It is so sad and yet so helpless that there is nothing I now can do. ".

Buddha meditated again, " In this changing world, who is the one lucky enough to hear the drums of Dharma and drink its nectar? I remember my father sent me five caterers. They unfailingly provided me with food. They must be the ones who deserve to hear Dharma."

The five men Buddha was thinking of were in Varanasi at that time. When Buddha was on his way to Varanasi, he met a gentleman named Yuri. Yuri was amazed at the 32 characteristics and 80 good features of Buddha. He was overwhelmed by joy and surprise, uttering in delight, " What a powerful pure spirit! What elegance and uniqueness! May I know who your teacher is to endow you with today's appearance? "

Buddha composed a poem in reply to Yuri :

Eight noble paths realised by myself,
No detaching, no attaching;
End of love, break thy web
Is what it is, not taking from another
My path has no guarantee by anybody,
My will has no company in solidarity.
With one mind, carry on being Buddha
Follow that path, where all Saints go

Yuri asked Buddha where he was heading. Buddha told him,
" Doing what I should do starting by going to Varanasi to pour the barrel of nectar and to turn the wheel of dharma which has never been turned in all three realms doing what I do now to ferry others to Nirvana."

When Buddha got to the tree in Varanasi, the five men started panicking when they saw him approaching. They speculated, " it took everything of ours to serve him, including leaving our children and wives behind. We had to settle here because he was challenged by evils. Now he returns. If he should come back to us, how are we going to continue providing food for him? What if we pretend not to see him? When he realises he's ignored he may leave us alone."

Despite their intention to ignore Buddha, they found themselves compelled to involuntarily prostrate themselves to Buddha by Buddha's Grace. Buddha spoke to them, " Would you please stop having those random thoughts? Why don't you look at yourselves and think how it is you prostrated to me?"

The five replied, " We have sworn loyalty to Siddhartha, and all this time what wehave been doing is seeking to please the King who has lost his kindness and became cold hearted after your ordination."

Buddha told them, " Never judge the Omnipresent Realizer by worldly standards, and by mentioning my father's name you have committed trespassing. Please take a good look at me! Do I resemble the one who was sitting under the tree?"

The five people said, " No. You looked very scruffy and thin at that time but now you are full of flesh and blood. If you couldn't achieve anything when you were practising in asceticism back then, how can you reach enlightenment now when you accept food from others? "

Buddha told them, " There are two things in the world which are practically self harm. What are they?
(1) committing killing and adulterous conduct, unstoppable greed that results in taking advantage of the weaker ones.
(2) pursuing spirituality through physical hardship and yet inside there is no sign of true modification of one's own mind. Whoever can refrain from those two errors are called true practitioners. One should never antagonise oneself in seeking knowledge of all sects, nor should he distance himself from learning at all, such a search is called The Middle Way. Once you are awoken, when being guided by wisdom and staying away from general intelligence, gaining the clairvoyances in six categories, following the eight noble paths, such is called The Middle Way because you then can rest in nirvana".

After Buddha's discourse, it seemed no one understood a word. Moreover, only two of the five decided to continue offering to Buddha. The other three wanted to protect themselves. So Buddha told them about the suffering of suffering, " All the problems and mistakes arise from desires. You must understand that there are no flowers never withers and that nobody can live for ever. Life is like the art of magician who plays magnificent tricks. The Fool loves the tricks and wants to witness more because they truly believe everything is real."

Buddha composed a poem for these two people:

Should one set his mind to float with desires
The fruits planted with the seeds of desires are nothing but sufferings
The bigger the desire is
The mounting suffering it grows
To eliminate sufferings, one needs to renounce desires.

At this point, another one of the The Five joined presenting offering. So there remained only two for self protection.

Thus Buddha continued his further teaching on the sufferings of attachments, " Greed and attachment are the reasons why one indulges in seeking fame and wealth and sacrificing virtues. Because of attachment, one becomes moody. There is no end to desires and yet the return one gets is but fleeting. When one gets old , one gets sick. When one gets sick , death is closing in. It is like the dream at night. Where can one find the dream when one is awake? Wise men abandon desires and greed attachment. Only by forsaking these can one reach peace in life."

Buddha set a poem for those three,

"Attachment and desire, mind is required;
Endless greed, mind grows the tree.
Cut-off greed, confined cage freed,
Life is forever never breed! "

Buddha explained Dharma to them in detail until it was fully understood. Eventually all five chosen people requested to become ordained. They were the first five disciples of Buddha.