AN 3.14

Cakkavattisutta

“Yopi so, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā sopi na arājakaṁ cakkaṁ vattetī”ti. Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “ko pana, bhante, rañño cakkavattissa dhammikassa dhammarañño rājā”ti? “Dhammo, bhikkhū”ti bhagavā avoca: “idha, bhikkhu, rājā cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaṁyeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahati antojanasmiṁ.

The Wheel-Turning Monarch

“Mendicants, even a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king, does not wield power without having their own king.” When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha: “But who is the king of the wheel-turning monarch, the just and principled king?” “It is principle, monk,” said the Buddha. “Monk, a wheel-turning monarch provides just protection and security for his court, relying only on principle—honoring, respecting, and venerating principle, having principle as his flag, banner, and authority.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, rājā cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaṁyeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahati khattiyesu, anuyantesu, balakāyasmiṁ, brāhmaṇagahapatikesu, negamajānapadesu, samaṇabrāhmaṇesu, migapakkhīsu. Sa kho so bhikkhu rājā cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaṁyeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā antojanasmiṁ, dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā khattiyesu …pe… anuyantesu, balakāyasmiṁ, brāhmaṇagahapatikesu, negamajānapadesu, samaṇabrāhmaṇesu, migapakkhīsu, dhammeneva cakkaṁ vatteti. Taṁ hoti cakkaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ kenaci manussabhūtena paccatthikena pāṇinā.

He provides just protection and security for his aristocrats, vassals, troops, brahmins and householders, people of town and country, ascetics and brahmins, beasts and birds. When he has done this, he wields power only in a principled manner. And this power cannot be undermined by any human enemy.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhu, tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaṁyeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahati kāyakammasmiṁ: ‘evarūpaṁ kāyakammaṁ sevitabbaṁ, evarūpaṁ kāyakammaṁ na sevitabban’ti.

In the same way, monk, a Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, a just and principled king, provides just protection and security regarding bodily actions, relying only on principle—honoring, respecting, and venerating principle, having principle as his flag, banner, and authority. ‘This kind of bodily action should be cultivated. This kind of bodily action should not be cultivated.’

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaṁyeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahati vacīkammasmiṁ: ‘evarūpaṁ vacīkammaṁ sevitabbaṁ, evarūpaṁ vacīkammaṁ na sevitabban’ti …pe… manokammasmiṁ: ‘evarūpaṁ manokammaṁ sevitabbaṁ, evarūpaṁ manokammaṁ na sevitabban’ti.

Furthermore, a Realized One … provides just protection and security regarding verbal actions, saying: ‘This kind of verbal action should be cultivated. This kind of verbal action should not be cultivated.’ … And regarding mental actions: ‘This kind of mental action should be cultivated. This kind of mental action should not be cultivated.’

Sa kho so, bhikkhu, tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammiko dhammarājā dhammaṁyeva nissāya dhammaṁ sakkaronto dhammaṁ garuṁ karonto dhammaṁ apacāyamāno dhammaddhajo dhammaketu dhammādhipateyyo dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā kāyakammasmiṁ, dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā vacīkammasmiṁ, dhammikaṁ rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidahitvā manokammasmiṁ, dhammeneva anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavatteti. Taṁ hoti cakkaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmin”ti.

And when a Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha has provided just protection and security regarding actions of body, speech, and mind, he rolls forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma. And that wheel cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world.”