Lesson 6: THE TEACHING OF THE
DHAMMA: THE TURNING OF THE DHAMMA WHEEL
P.1: Two months after his
Enlightenment, the Buddha gave his first discourse entitled “The Turning of the Dhamma Wheel” to the
five ascetics, the Kondannas, his old companions, at the Deer Park, in
Isipatana, near Benares. In this discourse, the Buddha said: “Avoiding the two extremes of indulgence in
sense pleasures and self-mortification, the Tathagata has comprehended the
Middle Path, which leads to calm, wisdom, enlightenment, Nibbana. This is the
very Noble Eight-fold Path, namely, right view, right thought, right speech,
right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right
concentration”. Next he taught them the Four Noble Truths: Suffering
(Dukkha), the Cause of Suffering (Samudaya), the Ceasing of Suffering (Nirodha)
and the Path leading to the ceasing of suffering (Magga). The Venerable
Kondanna understood the Dhamma and the stainless, dustless Dhamma Vision arose
in him, thus: “All that is subject to arising
is subject to passing away”. He became a Sotapanna, and the five ascetics
asked the Buddha to receive them into his Order. It was through the second
sermon on “the No-self Quality” that
all of them attained Arahantship.
The Buddha gave his first discourse entitled: Đức Phật giảng bài pháp đầu tiên (của Ngài)
mang tựa đề. Discourse /ˈdiskɔːs/(n,v): bài thuyết trình,bài pháp. entitle /ɪnˈtaitəl/(v): đặt tựa đề,xưng hô bằng tước hiệu.
The Turning of the Dhamma
Wheel = Turning the Dhamma Wheel = Set the Dhamma Wheel in motion = Expound the
Dhamma: chuyển bánh xe Pháp.
companion /kəmˈpæniən/(n): người bạn,đồng hành. Indulgence
/ɪnˈdʌldʒəns/(n): sự tham đắm. self-mortification /mɔːtifɪˈkeiʃən/(n): khổ hạnh,ép
xác. livelihood /ˈlaiv.li.hʊd/(n): sinh kế. cease /si:s/(v): hết,dứt. subject to: bắt chịu. receive /rɪˈsiːv/(v): nhận. Order (n):
đoàn thể. Sermon /ˈsɜːmən/(n): bài pháp. attain = obtain (v): đạt
được. arising ≠ passing away: sinh ≠
diệt
P.2: Later,
the Buddha taught the Dhamma to Yasa, a rich young man in Benares and his 54
companions, who all became Arahants. With the first 60 Arahant disciples in the
world, the Buddha founded his Sangha and he said to them: “I am freed from all fetters, both human and divine, you are also freed
from all fetters. Go forth, O Bhikkhus, for the welfare of many, for the
happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good and welfare,
and happiness of gods and men. Preach the Dhamma, perfect in the beginning,
perfect in the middle, perfect in the end, both in the spirit and in the
letter. Proclaim the holy life in all its fullness and purity” (Mahavagga).
With these words, he sent them into
the world. He himself set out for Uruvela, where he received thirty young
nobles into the Order and converted the Three Brothers Kassapa, who were soon
established in Arahantship by means of “the
Discourse on Fire”.
Disciple /dɪˈsaipəl/(n): đệ tử. found (v): thành lập. fetter/bond (n): kiết sử, xiềng xích. Divine /dɪˈvain/(a,n): thần thánh,thiêng liêng. Go forth: đi về phía trước. welfare
(n): phúc lợi. proclaim /prəˈkleim/(v) = declare: tuyên bố. set out:
sắp xếp,bắt đầu lên đường. convert /kənˈvɜːt/(v): cải đổi/đạo. establish /ɪˈstæbliʃ/(v): thiết lập.
P.3: Then the Buddha went to
Rajagaha, to visit king Bimbisara. The King, on listening to the Dhamma,
together with his attendants, obtained the Fruit of the First Path and formally
offered the Buddha his Bamboo Grove (Veluvana), where the Buddha and the Sangha
took up their residence for a long time. There, the two chief disciples,
Sariputta and Moggallana, were received into the Order. Next the Buddha went to
Kapilavathu and received into the Order his own son Rahula and his half-brother
Nanda. From his native land, he returned to Rajagaha and converted the rich
banker Anathapindika, who presented him the Jeta Grove (Jetavana).
P.4: For forty-five years, the Buddha travelled up and down the valley of
the Ganges, throughout the Kingdoms of Magadha and Kosala, North-East of India,
teaching the Dhamma to all classes of men and women, kings and queens, nobles
and Brahmins, merchants and workers, outcasts and beggars, without making any distinction
between them. He did not recognize the social castes in ancient India and the
way he taught was open to all those who were willing to hear. He exhorted his
disciples to tread the Path themselves for “The
Tathagatas are only Teachers”.
(Adapted from Narada Mahathera and W. Rahula)
Attendant /əˈtendənt/(n): người hầu cận. take up
their residence /ˈrezidəns/: tiếp nhận chỗ ở. native land: quê hương. present
(n,a,v): quà, hiện diện, biếu/tặng. grove
/ɡrəʊv/(n): vườn,rừng.
Valley /ˈvæl.i/(n): thung lũng. Merchant
/ˈmɜːtʃənt/(n): thương gia. outcast
(n): người bị ruồng bỏ/không giai cấp. beggar
(n): người an xin. Distinction /dɪˈstɪŋk.ʃən/(n): sự khác biệt. recognize
ˈrekəɡnaiz/(v): công nhận. willing (a): sẵn lòng. exhort /ɪɡˈzɔːt/(v): cổ vũ,thúc đẩy. tread
(v): đi,bước, giẫm lên. tread the Path:
đi trên đường đạo. biped /ˈbaɪ.ped/(n): có 2 chân. make an effort /ˈefət/: nỗ lực.
Dhammapada
verse 273:
The best of paths is the Eightfold Path,
The best of truths are the four Sayings.
Non-attachment is the best of states,
The best of bipeds is the Seeing
One.
Dhammapada
verse 276:
You must make an effort,
The Tathagatas are only teachers.
The meditative ones who practice the way
Are freed from the bonds of Mara.
Grammar:
Relative clause
1. Whose + noun:
Ex: I often see the students. The students’ house is near mine.
-> I often see the students
whose house is near mine. (Tôi thường gặp những sinh viên mà nhà họ gần nhà
tôi)
2. Where, when, why
- I often go to the town where I was born. (tôi thường đi đến thị trấn
nơi tôi đã sinh ra)
- We remember the days when we went to Dalat for the first time.(chúng ta
nhớ những ngày khi chúng ta đến Đà Lạt lần đầu tiên)
- I don’t know the reason why they
did not come.(tôi không biết lý do vì sao họ đã không đến)
