Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c14.937

v1.c14.937

Doubts now assail the Buddha as to whether he shall proclaim to the world his doctrine, so recondite, so hard to understand. The Brahmā Sahampati²⁵ appears before him and assures him there are many prepared to listen to him and to profit by his teaching, and so entreats him to teach the Dhamma. The Buddha accedes to his request and, after consideration, decides to teach the Dhamma first to the Pañcavaggiyas at Isipatana. On the way to Benares he meets the Ājīvaka Upaka and tells him that he (the Buddha) is Jina. On his arrival at Isipatana the Pañcavaggiyas are, at first, reluctant to acknowledge his claim to be the Tathāgata, but they let themselves be won over and, on the full-moon day of Āsāḷha, the Buddha preaches to them the sermon which came to be known as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta.²⁶ At the end of the sermon Koṇḍañña becomes a sotāpanna and they all become monks.