According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha taught four Noble Truths in his first sermon.
The Four Noble Truths identify suffering or unsatisfactoriness, its origin, its cessation, and the path leading to its cessation. They are presented as a practical framework for understanding human experience rather than merely as abstract doctrines. The first sermon is traditionally called the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, or “Setting the Dharma Wheel in Motion.”
The sermon was delivered at the Deer Park in Sarnath to five former companions who had practiced asceticism with Siddhartha. These five listeners are traditionally regarded as the Buddha’s first disciples, and their acceptance of the teaching began the Buddhist monastic community.
The number four is sometimes confused with the Eightfold Path, which is the fourth Noble Truth’s recommended way of practice. The truths also use specialized translations: dukkha may be rendered as suffering, unsatisfactoriness, or stress, so wording varies while the four-part structure remains stable.