Both Paali versions of the dhammacakkapavattana sutta (the Mahavastu and
Lalitavistara are similar in this) have some strange structural features.
The usual ending of a sutta *'idamavoca bhagavaa. attamanaa pañcavaggiyaa
bhikkhuu bhagavato bhaasita.m abhinandun-ti.'* comes before the end, then in
the next line it calls this paradigmatic sutta a 'veyyaakara.na', and then
to finish off the Buddha declares an udaana. The version in the
catu.sparisat suutra is essentially the same but the structure seems to make
much more sense. Here is the sutta re-structured by comparison with the
catu.sparisat-suutra (DA 36). (file attached).
Please tell me if you spot any mistakes or have any comments.
Bhikkhu Santidhamma.
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