The Buddha's First Teaching: Middle Way and 4 Noble Truths | Asalha Full Moon Reflections on Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta by Ajahn Dhammasiha

Āsāḷhā Pūja, also known as Dhamma Day, is one of Buddhism's most important festivals, celebrating the Buddha's first formal teaching, the "Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta" in the Deer Park ('Migadāya') at Sarnath near Vārāṇasī.

This Sutta on “Setting into Motion the Supreme Wheel of Dhamma”is rightly one of the most famous in the whole Pali Canon. The Buddha opens by expounding the Middle Way ('Majjhimā Paṭipadā') of avoiding the extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification. He then proceeds to explain the Four Noble Truths:

1. The Noble Truth of Suffering:
   Birth, old age, sickness & death;
   Association with the disliked;
   Seperation from the liked;
   Not getting what one wants;
   In short, the five groups of clinging
2. The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering:
   Craving.
3. The Noble Truth of the End of Suffering:
   The complete, remainderless cessation of craving.
4. The Noble Truth of the Practice Leading to the End of Suffering:
   The Noble Eight-Fold Path.

Next, the Buddha elucidates three aspects of each Noble Truth. Only after his knowledge and vision of things as they truly are was completely purified in respect of the Four Noble Truths in their three aspects, did he proclaim supreme awakening.

1. The Noble Truth in and by itself.
2. The Duty attached to each Truth:
   Suffering has to be comprehended;
   The cause of suffering has to be abandoned;
   The end of suffering has to be realized;
   The Middle Way has to be developed.
3. The accomplishment of the duty.

In his reflections, Ajahn Dhammasiha places particular emphasis on the duty connected with each of the Noble Truths. The Dhamma is not just an idea, or some idealistic thought system of philosophie. It is and eminently practical, pragmatic, teaching. It is 'opanāyiko', applicable to our life, to be implemented in all our thoughts and actions throughout every day of our life.

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