Alexander Hipple<\/p>
‘Mendicants, these two extremes should not be cultivated by one who has gone forth. What two? Indulgence in sensual pleasures, which is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. And indulgence in self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, and pointless. Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One understood the middle way of practice, which gives vision and knowledge, and leads to peace, direct knowledge, awakening, and extinguishment.<\/p>\n
And what is that middle way of practice? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is that middle way of practice, which gives vision and knowledge, and leads to peace, direct knowledge, awakening, and extinguishment.<\/p>\n
Now this is the noble truth of suffering. Rebirth is suffering; old age is suffering; illness is suffering; death is suffering; association with the disliked is suffering; separation from the liked is suffering; not getting what you wish for is suffering. In brief, the five grasping aggregates are suffering.<\/p>\n
Now this is the noble truth of the origin of suffering. It\u2019s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure wherever it lands. That is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving to continue existence, and craving to end existence.<\/p>\n
Now this is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering. It\u2019s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving with nothing left over; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not clinging to it.<\/p>\n
Now this is the noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.<\/p>\n
\u2018This is the noble truth of suffering.\u2019 Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another. \u2018This noble truth of suffering should be completely understood.\u2019 Such was the vision that arose in me \u2026 \u2018This noble truth of suffering has been completely understood.\u2019 Such was the vision that arose in me \u2026<\/p>\n
\u2018This is the noble truth of the origin of suffering.\u2019 Such was the vision that arose in me \u2026 \u2018This noble truth of the origin of suffering should be given up.\u2019 Such was the vision that arose in me \u2026 \u2018This noble truth of the origin of suffering has been given up.\u2019 Such was the vision that arose in me \u2026<\/p>\n
\u2018This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering.\u2019 Such was the vision that arose in me \u2026 \u2018This noble truth of the cessation of suffering should be realized.\u2019 Such was the vision that arose in me \u2026 \u2018This noble truth of the cessation of suffering has been realized.\u2019 Such was the vision that arose in me \u2026<\/p>\n
\u2018This is the noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.\u2019 Such was the vision that arose in me \u2026 \u2018This noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering should be developed.\u2019 Such was the vision that arose in me \u2026 \u2018This noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering has been developed.\u2019 Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another.<\/p>\n
As long as my true knowledge and vision about these four noble truths was not fully purified in these three rounds and twelve aspects, I didn\u2019t announce my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, M\u0101ras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.<\/p>\n
But when my true knowledge and vision about these four noble truths was fully purified in these three rounds and twelve aspects, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, M\u0101ras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.<\/p>\n
Knowledge and vision arose in me: \u2018My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there\u2019ll be no more future lives.\u2019’<\/p>\n
That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the group of five mendicants approved what the Buddha said.<\/p>\n
And while this discourse was being spoken, the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in Venerable Ko\u1e47\u1e0da\u00f1\u00f1a: ‘Everything that has a beginning has an end.’<\/p>\n
And when the Buddha rolled forth the Wheel of Dhamma, the earth gods raised the cry: ‘Near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana, the Buddha has rolled forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma. And that wheel cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or M\u0101ra or divinity or by anyone in the world.’<\/p>\n
Hearing the cry of the earth gods, the gods of the four great kings \u2026 the gods of the thirty-three \u2026 the gods of Yama \u2026 the joyful gods \u2026 the gods who love to imagine \u2026 the gods who control what is imagined by others \u2026 the gods of the Divinity\u2019s host raised the cry: ‘Near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana, the Buddha has rolled forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma. And that wheel cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or M\u0101ra or divinity or by anyone in the world.’<\/p>\n
And so at that moment, that second, that hour, the cry soared up to the realm of divinity. And this ten-thousandfold galaxy shook and rocked and trembled. And an immeasurable, magnificent light appeared in the world, surpassing the glory of the gods.<\/p>\n
Then the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: ‘Ko\u1e47\u1e0da\u00f1\u00f1a has really understood! Ko\u1e47\u1e0da\u00f1\u00f1a has really understood!’<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s how Venerable Ko\u1e47\u1e0da\u00f1\u00f1a came to be known as ‘Ko\u1e47\u1e0da\u00f1\u00f1a Who Understood’.”<\/p>\n
\u2014SN 56.11<\/h6>\n