Turning of Dharma Wheels
This refers to the three major sermons or series of teachings given by the Buddha in His lifetime after attaining enlightenment.
To ‘turn the wheel of Dharma’ means to teach on the Truth.
- The first sermon took place in Deer Park at Sarnath of Varanasi, where Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths. The first turning of the Dharma wheel was mainly concerned with abandoning negative actions of the body, speech and mind.
- The second sermon touched on the absence of characteristics and took place on Vulture’s Peak Mountain near Rajagriha. This second turning was primarily about abandoning clinging to the self of individual and of phenomena.
- The third and final sermon on the complete revelation took place in Vaishali and other places and included the sutras that explain the three natures, such as the Lankavatara Sutra. The third turning was about abandoning clinging to emptiness.