Pali Canon Search

Numbered Discourses · AN 5.131

  • Numbered Discourses 5.131Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.131
  • 14. Kings14. Rājavagga

Wielding Power (1st)Paṭhamacakkānuvattanasutta

“Mendicants, possessing five factors a wheel-turning monarch wields power only in a principled manner.“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato rājā cakkavattī dhammeneva cakkaṁ vatteti; And this power cannot be undermined by any human enemy.taṁ hoti cakkaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ kenaci manussabhūtena paccatthikena pāṇinā.

What five?Katamehi pañcahi? A wheel-turning monarch knows what is right, knows principle, knows moderation, knows the right time, and knows the assembly.Idha, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī atthaññū ca hoti, dhammaññū ca, mattaññū ca, kālaññū ca, parisaññū ca. A wheel-turning monarch who possesses these five factors wields power only in a principled manner.Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi aṅgehi samannāgato rājā cakkavattī dhammeneva cakkaṁ pavatteti; And this power cannot be undermined by any human enemy.taṁ hoti cakkaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ kenaci manussabhūtena paccatthikena pāṇinā.

In the same way, possessing five qualities a Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha rolls forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma only in a principled manner.Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammeneva anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavatteti; And that wheel cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world.taṁ hoti cakkaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.

What five?Katamehi pañcahi? A Realized One knows what is right, knows principle, knows moderation, knows the right time, and knows the assembly.Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho atthaññū, dhammaññū, mattaññū, kālaññū, parisaññū. Possessing these five qualities a Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha rolls forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma only in a principled manner.Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammeneva anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavatteti; And that wheel cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world.”taṁ hoti dhammacakkaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmin”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. AN 5.132 Wielding Power (2nd) 0.83near 0.1Numbered Discourses 5.132 14. Kings Wielding Power (2nd) “Mendicants, possessing five factors a wheel-turning monarch’s eldest son continues to wield the power set in motion by his father only in a principled manner. And…
  2. AN 3.14 The Wheel-Turning Monarch 0.69near 0.1Numbered Discourses 3.14 2. The Chariot-Maker 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 o…
  3. AN 5.133 A Principled King 0.69near 0.1Numbered Discourses 5.133 14. Kings A Principled King “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 s…
  4. SN 46.42 A Wheel-Turning Monarch 0.56near 0.1Linked Discourses 46.42 5. A Wheel-Turning Monarch A Wheel-Turning Monarch “Mendicants, when a Wheel-Turning Monarch appears seven treasures appear. What seven? The wheel, the elephant, the horse, the jewel, the woman, t…