In preaching the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta, the Buddha revealed the Thirty-Seven Factors of Enlightenment [bodhipakkhiyadhamma], the Cycle of Dependent Origination and the Four Noble Truths as the hub, the spokes and the rim of the Dhammacakka respectively.

Dhammacakkas can be divided into two types:

1. Pa.tivedha~naa.nadhammacakka: The Personal Attainment of knowledge of the Four Noble Truths, the Three Cycles of Examination1 [pariva.d.da]; and the Twelve Stages of the Cycle of Examination overcoming by transcending [samucchedapahaana] the enemy we call craving, giving rise to the Fruits of Sainthood [ariyaphala].

2. Desanaa~naa.nadhammacakka: Out of compassion, teaching for the benefit of one's disciples (A~n~na-Ko.n.da~n~na would be the first) the way to overcome craving by attainment of knowledge of the Four Noble Truths, the Three Cycles of examination and the Twelve Stages of the Cycle of Examination.

The Three Cycles of Examination comprise:

1. Sacca~naa.na: Knowledge of the existence of each Noble Truth over which the Lord Buddha had unequalled personal knowledge and which he could teach to others with unequalled skill.

2. Kicca~naa.na: Knowledge of what must be done in relation to each of the Noble Truths e.g. it is necessary to know the existence of the Noble Truth of Suffering; it is necessary to let go of the Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering; it is necessary to attain the Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering; it is necessary to cultivate the Noble Truth of the Path for the Extinction of Suffering.

3. Kata~naa.na: The Knowledge that what needs to be done in relation to each of the Noble Truths has already been completed: the existence of the Noble Truth of Suffering has been known; the Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering has been let go of; the Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering has been attained; the Noble Truth of the Path for the Extinction of Suffering has been cultivated.

The twelve stages of the Cycle of Examination is the product of multiplying the Four Noble Truths by the Three Cycles of Examination. The cyclical pathway of attainment is called the 'Dhammacakka' because it eradicates the defilements as it rotates - and is thus a weapon of unequalled potential - to which even the Vajra Wheel1 of Indra cannot compare.

When the Lord Buddha had finished teaching the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta the whole of the Earth quaked and the waves of the ocean were whipped by strong winds and even Mount Sumeru bowed down its peak as if in humility to the teaching, with a sound that could be heard all the way to the Brahmaa world and bright light was sent forth which exceeded even the brightness of the auras of the angels of the highest levels.

The announcement of praise for the Sutta was so loud on the Catumahaaraajikaa (first) level of heaven that it was overheard on the Tavati.msa (second) level of heaven. The announcement of praise for the Sutta was so loud on the Tavati.msa level of heaven that it was overheard on the Yaamaa (third) level of heaven . . . and so on, all the way from Tusita Heaven to Akini.t.thabhavagga Brahmaa world. Every one of the Thirty-One Realms were shaken and light was perceived in every level of existence.

The Lord Buddha exclaimed,

"A~n~naasi vatabho ko.n.da~n~no, a~n~naasi vatabho ko.n.da~n~no"
(Ko.n.da~n~na you have known)

From that time on "Ko.n.da~n~na" became better known by the title of "A~n~na-Ko.n.da~n~na" Thera (Ko.n.da~n~na who knows). The exclamation of the Lord Buddha at that time testified to Ko.n.da~n~na's attainment of the Fruit of Sainthood at the level of Stream-Enterer. At the same time it testified to the potential benefit of the Buddha's Enlightenment for other beings in the world too. Apart from announcing the value of Buddha Dhamma to the world it won over the Pa~nca-vaggiya (Group of Five) Bhikkhus who had previously been skeptical, to want to join the Buddha's tradition, and practise strictly according to the Buddha's Teaching.

If you look back at the life history of Ko.n.da~n~na, you will remember him as being the youngest amongst the eight brahmin soothsayers selected to interpret the bodily marks of Prince Siddhattha shortly after the latter's birth. Ko.n.da~n~na had obviously been very highly educated both in worldly ways and in understanding meditative practices because amongst the eight, he was the only soothsayer to be able to say with precision that Siddhattha would surely renounce the world to become enlightened as a Buddha. After the Siddhattha's renunciation of the world, Ko.n.da~n~na had spent a further six years together with him, studying meditation, and is likely to have attained the absorptions. Thus, hearing instruction from the newly-enlightened Buddha, he was the first to attain "stream-entry" and to bear witness to the fact that the Buddha was indeed a "Fully Self-Enlightened Buddha" [Sammaa Sambuddho] who had attained something never before known.

Furthermore, a large number of Brahmaas were able to attain the fruit of "stream-entry" at the moment the Buddha completed his teaching of the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta. This goes further to show the superiority of the Buddha's attainment over the teaching of other contemporary traditions - the Buddha's teaching was benefited from by Brahmaas in the Brahmaa world who normally were considered the zenith of attainment by adherents of contemporary traditions. It follows therefore that Brahmaas themselves have not attained a level of Sainthood and are ignorant of the Path and Fruit of Sainthood [ariyamagga-ariyaphala] - because when they die from their existence in the Brahmaa world, they must still continue to be caught up endlessly in the Cycle of Existence [samsaara] - just like the rest of the unattained worldlings. The only alternative is to remove all the defilements from their minds and to attain liberation.

The conclusion we can draw from seeing Ko.n.da~n~na attain stream-entry after a relatively short teaching (and also from seeing the rebirth of beings in heaven or the Brahmaa world) is that favourable attainment comes as a result of wholesome deeds accumulated all the way from one's distant past, possibly from previous lifetimes and in combination with the good deeds performed in one's present lifetime. One may have accrued many good deeds in one's past, however, if one hadn't had the opportunity to come into contact with the Lord Buddha, or at least his undistorted teachings, then again, it would be impossible to attain the stages of liberation or Sainthood.

It is thus the immense fortune of anyone who comes into contact with Buddhism in the course of their life, to have the opportunity to study and practice Buddhism until reaching a true understanding of it, to dedicate one's life and efforts to unwavering practice in the Lord Buddha's footsteps - at least to the point where confidence is gained that one is on the right track - ultimately the speed with which one can attain one's final goal is influenced by many factors.

Supposing you were to plant a fruit tree - it is difficult to predict when you will be able to obtain fruit from the tree. All we can say is that if the tree is in good soil and is well maintained with water and fertilizer, undisturbed by weeds, it will give fruit more quickly than if all these factors are neglected. Neglect of the tree will slow its production of fruit or even kill the tree before it has the chance to bear fruit. In the same way, the best we can do for our progress is to make sure that we optimise the conditions of life and mind we set for ourselves.

It is interesting to consider that although the Buddha taught the same sermon to all five monks in the Pa~ncavaggiya, it was only Ko.n.da~n~na who attained stream-entry as a result. The reason for the difference in attainment is due to the difference in the accumulated Perfections of the monks in the group. Study of Ko.n.da~n~na's past reveals that during the dispensation of Vipassii Buddha, he was born as a rice-farmer named "Mahaakaala":

In the crop cycle, Mahaakaala would find the opportunity to make an offering to Vipassii Buddha and his community no less than nine times!

1. when the tips of the rice shoots could be ground into milk;
2. when the rice had grown into seedlings
3. at the first harvest;
4. when the rice was bound into handfuls;
5. when the rice was bound into sheaves;
6. when the rice was transported to the yard;
7. when the rice was arranged in stooks;
8. when the rice was threshed;
9. when the rice was stored in silos;

Every time Mahaakaala made an offering, he would make the wish that he might forever be the first to attain the Path and Fruit of Nirvana during the dispensation of the next Buddha to come. Whenever there was the opportunity to perform a wholesome act, Ko.n.da~n~na would always make sure that he was the first to do it, and cultivated Perfections in this way until it became engrained in his being. He would do everything in earnest and with dedication - never with reluctance.

The Perfections which he had built up for himself from the past, together with the good deeds of his present lifetime added up to a level of Perfections superior to those of his contemporary monks.

Consequently, hearing the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta, Ko.n.da~n~na was awakened before his contemporaries - he was to attain sainthood before his other four colleagues. The other four members of the pa~ncavaggiya were not disappointed as a result of their lesser attainment - on the contrary they were all inspired to faith in the Buddha and became dedicated to practice further in earnest, according to the Lord Buddha's teaching. Indeed, we find in the scripture of the Anattalakkha.na Sutta that the remainder of the Pa~ncavaggiya together with Ko.n.da~n~na were to attain Arahantship - the first disciples of the Buddha to attain arahantship.

It is the author's dearest wish that having read this edition of The Buddha's First Teaching, readers will be inspired to see that through practice, ordinary men can attain extraordinary stages of liberation and Sainthood. Knowing that by practice alone progress can be attained, one should not let the time pass fruitlessly - but get down to earnest meditation practice such as that outlined at the end of this book. Apart from purifying the mind of the practitioner, meditation serves to bring happiness in one's everyday life, facilitates the overcoming of life challenges, enhances mindfulness and wisdom and in itself is a way of pursuing the Perfections towards Nirvana. Even if we are unable to attain Nirvana in this present lifetime, we will be able to secure heaven or the Brahmaa world as our afterlife destination according to the merit we have accumulated for ourselves.

Whenever the Buddha arises in the world and our Perfections are sufficiently developed, we too may be the first disciple to attain Sainthood in that Buddha's dispensation, in the same way as Ko.n.da~n~na. Failing this, if we take rebirth in heaven or the Brahma world, we may, like the eighteen crore1 Brahmaas of the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta, attain Sainthood along with the first disciple.