- Saṁyutta Nikāya
- Connected Discourses with Kassapa
16.3. Like the Moon
A bhikkhu teaches the Dhamma to others with the thought: ‘Oh, may they listen to the Dhamma from me! Having listened, may they gain confidence in the Dhamma! Being confident, may they show their confidence to me!’ Such a bhikkhu’s teaching of the Dhamma is impure.
“But a bhikkhu teaches the Dhamma to others with the thought: ‘The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise. Oh, may they listen to the Dhamma from me! Having listened, may they understand the Dhamma! Having understood, may they practise accordingly!’ Thus he teaches the Dhamma to others because of the intrinsic excellence of the Dhamma; he teaches the Dhamma to others from compassion and sympathy, out of tender concern. Such a bhikkhu’s teaching of the Dhamma is pure.
“Yo hi koci, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁcitto paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti:
aho vata me dhammaṁ suṇeyyuṁ, sutvā ca pana dhammaṁ pasīdeyyuṁ, pasannā ca me pasannākāraṁ kareyyun’ti;
evarūpassa kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno aparisuddhā dhammadesanā hoti.
o ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁcitto paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti:
svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhīti.
Aho vata me dhammaṁ suṇeyyuṁ, sutvā ca pana dhammaṁ ājāneyyuṁ, ājānitvā ca pana tathattāya paṭipajjeyyun’ti.
Iti dhammasudhammataṁ paṭicca paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti, kāruññaṁ paṭicca anuddayaṁ paṭicca anukampaṁ upādāya paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti.
Evarūpassa kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno parisuddhā dhammadesanā hoti.