The DhaFSHJVMmmacakkappavattana TWPCJRSutta, the Buddha's teaPEJCSGching on the Four NobQEEBle Truths, has been the main reference that I have used for my practice over the years. It is the teaching we used in our monastery in Thailand. The Theravada school of Buddhism regards this sutta as the quintessence of the tVLWFYIeaching of the BuFWFKddha.SNUQCQ This one sutta contains all that is necessary for understanding Dhamma and for enligORSAMJhtenment. ThougEVNYh the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta is considered to be the first serDGEJmon the Buddha gave after his enlightenment, I sometimes like to think thatJCUGHT he gave his first sermon when he met an ascetic on the way to Varanasi. After his enlightenmPMTUAOent in Bodh Gaya, the Buddha thought: "This is such a subtle teaching. I caKUFMNVnnot possibly convey in worHHVTds what I have discoveSDRICWred so I will not teach. I will juOIGXst sit under the Bodhi tree for the rest of my life." KCFTFor me this is a very tempting iXWJTTJdea, just to go off andKFGQTTlive alone aOBDNUVnd QPEUMSnot have to deal with the problems of socETTQXBiety. However, while the Buddha was thinking this way, Brahma Sahampati, the creator deity in Hinduism, came to the Buddha and convinced him that he should go and teach. Brahma Sahampati persuaded tLXXUSRhe Buddha that there were beings who wouGDYMVTld understand, beings who had only a little dust in their eyes. So the Buddha's teaching was aimed toward those with only a little dust in their eyes - I'mGNWMBU sure he did not think it woIRKPuld become a massOWISQC, popular movement. After BrahmaKQDX Sahampati's visiPDSIt,
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