Sculpture :The Discourse on Setting the Wheel of Dhamma
The Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta is a Buddhist scripture that is considered by Buddhists to be a record of the first sermon given by Gautama Buddha, in the Deer Park at Sarnath. The main topic of this sutta is the Four Noble Truths and concepts of the Middle Way, impermanence, and dependent origination.
The sculpture is made of wood, polyurethane foam, plaster, plywood, iron.
Videography: Asaf Magal
Narration: Martin Pack
Sound editing: Itamar Newman
The text played below is taken from Chanting Book of Wat Phra Dhātu Srī Chomtong Voravihāra, Thailand
"There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one who
has gone forth: That which is devoted to sensual pleasure in sensual
objects (and is) base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable; and that
which is devoted to self-affliction (and is) painful, ignoble, unprofitable.
Avoiding both of these extremes, the middle way realized by the
Tathāgata – producing vision, producing knowledge – leads to calm, to
direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.
And what is the middle way realized by the Tathāgata that – producing
vision, producing knowledge – leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to selfawakening,
to Unbinding?
Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech,
right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration.
This is the middle way realized by the Tathāgata that – producing vision,
producing knowledge – leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to selfawakening,
to Unbinding.
Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress:
Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful, sorrow, lamentation,
pain, distress, & despair are stressful,
association with things disliked is stressful, separation from things liked is
stressful, not getting what one wants is stressful,
in short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.
And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving
that makes for further becoming – accompanied by passion & delight,
relishing now here & now there – i.e., craving for sensual pleasure,
craving for becoming, craving for no-becoming.
And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the
remainderless fading & cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release,&
letting go of that very craving.
And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the
cessation of stress: precisely this Noble Eightfold Path – right view, right
resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, right concentration.'
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose,
illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before:
'This is the noble truth of stress.'
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose,
illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before:
'This noble truth of stress is to be comprehended.'
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose,
illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before:
'This noble truth of stress has been comprehended.'
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose,
illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before:
'This is the noble truth of the origination of stress.'
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose,
illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before:
'This noble truth of the origination of stress is to be abandoned.'
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose.....
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose,
illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before:
'This is the noble truth of the cessation of stress.'
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose,
illumination.....
Vision arose, insight arose, .....
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, ......
Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose....
And, monks, as long as this knowledge & vision of mine – with its three
rounds & twelve permutations concerning these four noble truths as they
actually are – was not pure, I did not claim to have directly awakened to
the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities, Maras,
& Brahmas, with its contemplatives & priests, its royalty & common
people.
But as soon as this knowledge & vision of mine – with its three rounds &
twelve permutations concerning these four noble truths as they actually
are – was truly pure, then I did claim to have directly awakened to the
right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities, Maras, &
Brahmas, with its contemplatives & priests, its royalty & common folk.
The knowledge & vision arose in me: 'My release is unshakable. This is
the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'"