The Buddha describes the wandering in samsara due to not fully understanding and penetrating the Four Noble Truths.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vajjīsu viharati koṭigāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “catunnaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasaccānaṁ ananubodhā appaṭivedhā evamidaṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ sandhāvitaṁ saṁsaritaṁ mamañceva tumhākañca.
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling among the Vajji people, in the village of Koṭi. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, because of not fully understanding and penetrating the Four Noble Truths, both you and I have |wandered::transmigrated [sandhāvita]| and undergone this journey of |cyclic existence::wandering on from one state of existence to another, the cycle of birth and death, moving on continuously [saṁsāra]| for a long time.
Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Dukkhassa, bhikkhave, ariyasaccassa ananubodhā appaṭivedhā evamidaṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ sandhāvitaṁ saṁsaritaṁ mamañceva tumhākañca. Dukkhasamudayassa ariyasaccassa …pe… dukkhanirodhassa ariyasaccassa …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa ananubodhā appaṭivedhā evamidaṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ sandhāvitaṁ saṁsaritaṁ mamañceva tumhākañca. Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ anubuddhaṁ paṭividdhaṁ, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ anubuddhaṁ paṭividdhaṁ, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ anubuddhaṁ paṭividdhaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ anubuddhaṁ paṭividdhaṁ; ucchinnā bhavataṇhā, khīṇā bhavanetti; natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.
What are these four? It is because of not fully understanding and not penetrating the noble truth of |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|, bhikkhus, that both you and I have run and wandered this long course of samsara, for a very long time. It is because of not fully understanding and not penetrating the noble truth of the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]|, the noble truth of the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|, and the noble truth of the |way of practice leading to the end of suffering::i.e. the Noble Eightfold Path consisting of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness [dukkhanirodhagāmī]|, that both you and I have run and wandered this long course of cyclic existence, for a very long time. But now, bhikkhus, having fully understood and penetrated the noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the arising of suffering, the noble truth of the end of suffering, and the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the end of suffering; the craving for existence is severed, the entanglement of becoming is destroyed; there is no more rebirth.”
Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
The Blessed One said this. Having spoken thus, the Accomplished One further said this:
“Catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ,
Yathābhūtaṁ adassanā;
Saṁsitaṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ,
Tāsu tāsveva jātisu.
“Due to not seeing as they truly are,
the Four Noble Truths;
we’ve roamed and wandered on,
through many a birth in cyclic existence.
Tāni etāni diṭṭhāni,
bhavanetti samūhatā;
Ucchinnaṁ mūlaṁ dukkhassa,
natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.
These truths now seen,
the net of becoming torn asunder;
the root of suffering cut,
no more is there rebirth.”
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling among the Vajji people, in the village of Koṭi. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, because of not fully understanding and penetrating the Four Noble Truths, both you and I have |wandered::transmigrated [sandhāvita]| and undergone this journey of |cyclic existence::wandering on from one state of existence to another, the cycle of birth and death, moving on continuously [saṁsāra]| for a long time.
What are these four? It is because of not fully understanding and not penetrating the noble truth of |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|, bhikkhus, that both you and I have run and wandered this long course of samsara, for a very long time. It is because of not fully understanding and not penetrating the noble truth of the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]|, the noble truth of the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|, and the noble truth of the |way of practice leading to the end of suffering::i.e. the Noble Eightfold Path consisting of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness [dukkhanirodhagāmī]|, that both you and I have run and wandered this long course of cyclic existence, for a very long time. But now, bhikkhus, having fully understood and penetrated the noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the arising of suffering, the noble truth of the end of suffering, and the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the end of suffering; the craving for existence is severed, the entanglement of becoming is destroyed; there is no more rebirth.”
The Blessed One said this. Having spoken thus, the Accomplished One further said this:
“Due to not seeing as they truly are,
the Four Noble Truths;
we’ve roamed and wandered on,
through many a birth in cyclic existence.
These truths now seen,
the net of becoming torn asunder;
the root of suffering cut,
no more is there rebirth.”
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vajjīsu viharati koṭigāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “catunnaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasaccānaṁ ananubodhā appaṭivedhā evamidaṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ sandhāvitaṁ saṁsaritaṁ mamañceva tumhākañca.
Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Dukkhassa, bhikkhave, ariyasaccassa ananubodhā appaṭivedhā evamidaṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ sandhāvitaṁ saṁsaritaṁ mamañceva tumhākañca. Dukkhasamudayassa ariyasaccassa …pe… dukkhanirodhassa ariyasaccassa …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa ananubodhā appaṭivedhā evamidaṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ sandhāvitaṁ saṁsaritaṁ mamañceva tumhākañca. Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ anubuddhaṁ paṭividdhaṁ, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ anubuddhaṁ paṭividdhaṁ, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ anubuddhaṁ paṭividdhaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ anubuddhaṁ paṭividdhaṁ; ucchinnā bhavataṇhā, khīṇā bhavanetti; natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
“Catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ,
Yathābhūtaṁ adassanā;
Saṁsitaṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ,
Tāsu tāsveva jātisu.
Tāni etāni diṭṭhāni,
bhavanetti samūhatā;
Ucchinnaṁ mūlaṁ dukkhassa,
natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.