The Spread of Buddhism

the first turning of the wheel of the doctrine 17

how the Buddha, having attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree,

went to the Deer Park (Mgadva) in Vras, to meet the group of the

 ve companions (pañcavargika)—(jñta) Kau inya, V

pa, Bhadrika,

Mahnman and Avajit—who had previously witnessed his austeri-

ties. The Buddha started his ministry by proclaiming the two extremes

which one should avoid: a life given to pleasures, and a life given to

morti cation. This way of living is identi ed with the middle mode

of progress (madhyam pratipad). It is by practicing the middle mode of

progress that insight, complete enlightenment (sa bodhi), and nirva

can be obtained. This middle mode of progress is then explained to

be the eightfold noble path, consisting of right view (samyagd

i), right

conceptualising (samyaksa kalpa), right speech (samyagvc), right action

(samyakkarmnta), right livelihood (samyagjva), right effort (samyagvyyma),

right mindfulness (samyaksmti), and right concentration (samyaksamdhi).

It is only after the explanation of the nature of the middle mode of

progress that the ministry on the four noble truths follows: the truth of

suffering (du khasatya), the truth of the origin (samudayasatya), the truth

of cessation (nirodhasatya), and the truth of the path (mrgasatya), that

is, the above noble eightfold path. In these vinayas, the four truths are

subsequently explained as consisting of three cycles (triparivarta) and

twelve constituent parts (dvdakra). The three cycles—three turns of

the wheel of the doctrine—are (1) a postulation and de nition of the

four noble truths (this is the noble truth of suffering,.. .), (2) a hortative

cycle (the noble truth of suffering,.. ., has to be fully known), and (3) an

evidential cycle (the noble truth of suffering,.. ., is completely known).

Since each cycle addresses the four noble truths, twelve aspects are

formed. In the vinaya accounts, the  rst ministry is concluded with the

Buddha’s statement that since He “truly understands the wheel of the

doctrine with its three cycles and twelve aspects, superior enlightenment

(anuttara samyaksa bodhi) is attained.”^8 Then follows the conversion of

Oldenberg 1881, pp. 94–97); T.1421.22.104b23–c18; T.1428.22.788a6–b23. See also

Bareau 1963, pp. 172–182.

(^8) Pli Vinaya, Mahvagga I.6.28 (Oldenberg 1964, p. 11; Rhys Davids & Oldenberg
1881, p. 97); T.1421.22.104c16–17. T.1428.22.788b16–18 does not mention the simile
of a wheel in this sentence, but continues with saying that when the World-honoured
One cannot make someone else awaken for the four noble truths, he does not set the
wheel of the doctrine in motion (T.1428.22.788b18–19). Schmithausen 1981, p. 214,
suggests that the threefold comprehension of the four truths describes the Buddha’s
enlightenment, which is primarily regarded as the discovery of soteriologically relevant
truth for all living beings. See also Oldenberg 1903, p. 147 n. 2. Also the Sanskrit
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