Ep. 04 - Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma

(00:00:00) Welcome
(00:00:30) Beneath the Bodhi Tree
(00:01:28) The Battle with Māra
(00:05:55) Enlightenment
(00:08:17) Brahmā Sahampati's Plead
(00:13:56) Teaching the Dhamma
(00:15:34) Upaka
(00:17:39) Meeting the Five Ascetics
(00:20:56) Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma
(00:36:25) Homage to the Triple Gem: Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha

Siddhartha, after leaving his ascetic friends, sat beneath the Bodhi tree and vowed to attain enlightenment. He faced a battle against Māra, the embodiment of desire and attachment, who tried to tempt, frighten, and seduce him. Ultimately, Siddhartha defeated Māra, entered profound states of meditation, and gained the three knowledges leading to his awakening.

The Buddha, after attaining enlightenment, surveys the world and finds beings at different levels of development. He decides to teach the Dhamma, starting with his former teachers, but they have passed away. Instead, he journeys to the Deer Park in Isipatana to teach his five ascetic friends, who initially doubt him but eventually listen to his first discourse, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, outlining the Middle Way, thus setting in motion the wheel of Dhamma bringing the Buddha's teachings to the world.

Reference:
Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000)
Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli & Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 1995)