Today is the sacred Dharmachakra Festival, which commemorates Buddha Shakyamuni's first teaching of the Dharma at the Deer Park in Sarnath.Here is a short excerpt from his first teaching, taken from his life story, The Lalitavistara:
"Monks, there are four truths of the noble ones. These four truths are those of suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. Suffering refers to the pain that accompanies birth, aging, falling sick and dying. It also includes the suffering of meeting the unpleasant and parting from the pleasant. Not finding what is being sought is also suffering. The origin of suffering is the craving that causes rebirth. It is accompanied by passion for enjoyment and searches for pleasures here and there. The cessation of suffering is the complete and dispassionate cessation of the craving that causes rebirth and the passion for enjoyment and pleasures. The path that leads to the cessation of suffering is the eight-fold path of the noble ones. This is the path that starts with correct view and ends with correct concentration. Monks, these are the four truths of the noble ones."
- Submitted by Andreas
