Afterattaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya the Buddha went to Sarnath; and it washere that he preached his first discourse in the Deer Park at Isipatana to setin motion the 'Wheel of the Dharma'.
At this place, the Buddha encountered the five menwho had been his companions of earlier austerities. On meeting the enlightenedBuddha, all they saw was an ordinary man; they mocked his well-nourished appearance. "Here comes the mendicantGautama," they said, "who has turned away from asceticism. He iscertainly not worth our respect." When they reminded him of his formervows, the Buddha replied, "Austerities only confuse the mind. In theexhaustion and mental stupor to which they lead, one can no longer understandthe ordinary things of life, still less the truth that lies beyond the senses.I have given up extremes of either luxury or asceticism. I have discovered theMiddle Way". Hearing these the five ascetics became the Buddha's firstdisciples.
Gautama Buddha started teaching not to debate butfor the advantage of and out of compassion for human beings. He explained themiddle way which avoids extremes, the Four Noble Truths, and prescribed thenoble Eight-fold path.
The Four Noble Truths are:
1. The truth of suffering (dukkha)
2. The truth of the cause of suffering (samudaya)
3. The truth of the end of suffering (nirhodha)
4. The truth of the path that frees us fromsuffering (magga)
So as to remove the causes the Buddha prescribedthe Noble Eight-fold Path:
1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration
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