Name of the first discourse, taught by the Buddha, to the group of five ascetics (Pañcavaggiya) at the Migadāya in Isipatana, on the full-moon day of Āsāḷha. The sutta contains the fundamental principles of the Buddha’s teaching — the avoidance of the two extremes of asceticism and luxury and the Four Noble Truths including the Noble Eightfold Path.

There was great rejoicing throughout the Cakkavāḷa at the teaching of the discourse, and at its conclusion Koṇḍañña attained to realisation of the Truth — hence his name, Aññā-Koṇḍañña, Vin.i.10 f. The sutta is also given in S.v.420 ff; in neither context is the name of the sutta given as such; the name occurs only in the Commentaries — e.g., J.i.82; DA.i.2; AA.i.69, etc; the Sanskrit version is found in Lal.540 f (416), and in Mtu.iii.330 f.

The discourse was later taught by the Majjhima Thera in the Himavā country, when eight hundred million beings understood the Doctrine (Mhv.xii.41; Dpv.viii.11).

It was also taught by Mahinda in Sri Lanka in the Nandanavana, when one thousand persons were converted. Mhv.xv.200; Dpv.xiv.46, etc.