20 bart desseinworks of the different schools.^16 Therefore, it seems obvious that such a
developmental process could have instigated later controversies among
different Buddhist schools.
While all accounts included in vinaya literature agree that the Buddha
delivered his rst sermon to the group of the ve bhikus, this is not
the case for the s tra literature. In the «Fo shuo zhuan falun jing» (T.109),
one thousand monks and a multitude of gods are mentioned.^17 Also
in the version of the Ekottargama (T.125), the rst sermon is delivered
to a group of monks that is not further de ned as to number, that is,
it is addressed to “all” monks in general.^18
The versions of the Madhyamgama (T.26) and of the Ekottargama
only have the rst part of the account we nd in the above vinayas.^19 In
these two works, the account of the rst sermon of the Buddha stops
with the proclamation of the middle mode of progress.
In s tra no. 379 of the Sa yuktgama (T.99)^20 and in the «Fo shuo san
zhuan falun jing» (T.110),^21 it is said that the Buddha started his ministry
with the ve monks. However, these two works do not mention the
two extremes to be avoided and the middle mode of progress, nor do
they give a de nition of the four noble truths. Yet, in these works, as
is the case in the vinaya literature, the four noble truths are discussed
with respect to the three cycles and twelve aspects. The two works also
speak of the conversion of Kau inya and the proclamation by the
gods. A further element that deserves our attention is that in these two
works it is said that eighty thousand gods were converted simultaneously
with Kau inya.^22 Finally, the account in the «Fo shuo zhuan falun jing»
(T.109) parallels the accounts we read in the vinaya literature, except for
the fact that—as mentioned above—the Buddha addresses himself to
one thousand bhikus and a multitude of gods.^23 Apart from this latter
fact, also some other elements peculiar to the latter account point to
its relative late date: the wheel of the doctrine appears in space and
comes ying in before the Buddha’s eyes, who then grasps the wheel(^16) See note 9.
(^17) T.109.2.503b6.
(^18) T.125.2.593b25.
(^19) T.26.1.777b26–778a2. See also note 11.
(^20) T.99.2.103c14.
(^21) T.110.2.504a8.
(^22) T.99.2.104a9, T.110.2.504b7–8.
(^23) T.109.2.503b5–6.
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