ASĀLHA PŪJĀ DAY

On this very day, the full moon day of the eighth lunar month of Asālha, over 2600 years ago in Varanasi (Benares), northern India, in the Deer Park of Isipatana, the newly Awakened Buddha gave his first discourse to the five ascetics, his former fellow practitioners, and thus arose the first disciple, the first member of the Sangha, through this discourse, the Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth, the Dhamma.

"Whatever has the nature to arise, has the nature to cease."

This clear, untarnished insight arose in Venerable Kondañña while the Blessed One gave the discourse.

The discourse ends with the great beings throughout the multi-fold universal systems acknowledging the fact, and with a sublime, boundless radiance brought forth into the world. Today Buddhists all over the world celebrate this important day by taking refuge in the Triple Gem, listening to Dhamma talks, making offerings of food and requisites to the Sangha, chanting, meditating, and in an evening candlelight ceremony with three circumbulations to pay homage to the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, the Triple Gem which arose on this very day, over 2600 years ago.

'When the Wheel of the Dhamma had been set rolling by the Blessed One, the earthbound devas raised the cry:

"At Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, the matchless Wheel of Dhamma has been set rolling by the Blessed One, not to be stopped by any samana, or brahmin, or deva, or mara, or brahma, or anyone in the world."

'When they heard what the earthbound devas had said, the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings cried out with one voice: "At Varanasi…"

'When they heard the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings, then the devas of the realm of the Thirty-Three cried out with one voice: "At Varanasi…"

'When they heard the cry of the devas of the realm of the Thirty-Three, then the Yama devas cried out with one voice: "At Varanasi…"

'When they heard the cry of the Yama devas, then Tusita devas (the Devas of Delight) cried out in one voice: "At Varanasi…"

'When they heard the cry of the Tusita devas, Nimmanarati devas (the Devas who Delight in Creating) cried out with one voice: "At Varanasi…"

'When they heard the cry of the Nimmanarati devas cry out, the Paranimmitavasavatti devas (the Devas Who Delight in the Creation of Others) cried out with one voice: "At Varanasi…"

'When they heard the cry of the Paranimmitavasavatti devas cry out, the devas of the retinue of the Brahma deities took up the cry: "At Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, the matchless Wheel of the Dhamma has been set rolling by the Blessed One, not to be stopped by any samana, or brahmin, or deva, or mara, or brahma, or anyone in the world."

'So indeed in that hour, at that moment, the word travelled, up to the realm of the highest divinities. And this ten-thousandfold universal system trembled and shook and quaked.

'And a great measureless radiance surpassing the very nature of the devas, was displayed in the world.'

~ From the "Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta; Sutta on Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma"