Reading guide
The third Kosambī narrative
Cross-ref AN 5.100 and AN 5.106, both also set at Ghosita’s Monastery in Kosambī — this is the third such narrative discourse in this nipāta sharing that setting.
Ānanda as observant reporter
As at AN 5.100 and AN 5.106, Ānanda again plays the role of the attentive observer, bringing something he's noticed to the Buddha's attention — here, not a complaint, but simply information: Venerable Udāyī is teaching Dhamma to a large lay assembly.
Teaching Dhamma isn't easy
The Buddha's response opens with a caution: teaching the Dhamma to others isn't a simple matter. He then names five things a teacher should establish in themselves first, before attempting to teach at all.
Five first-person commitments
‘I will teach step by step’ (graduated, not all at once); ‘I will teach showing the method/reasoning’ (making the logic visible, not simply asserting conclusions); ‘I will teach out of kindness’; ‘I will not teach while secretly hoping to profit’ (āmisantaro); and ‘I will teach without harming myself or others.’
A reused term for hidden self-interest
Cross-ref AN 5.124, where āmisantaro (material-benefit motivation) was named as disqualifying for a carer attending the sick; the identical concern and term appear here, applied instead to teaching.
Key terms
The text
Ānanda's report
§1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery. Now, at that time Venerable Udāyī was sitting teaching Dhamma, surrounded by a large assembly of laypeople. Seeing this, Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, Venerable Udāyī is teaching Dhamma, surrounded by a large assembly of laypeople.”
Establishing five things before teaching
§2“Ānanda, it’s not easy to teach Dhamma to others. You should establish five things in yourself before teaching Dhamma to others. What five? You should teach Dhamma to others thinking: ‘I will teach step by step.’ … ‘I will teach showing my method.’ … ‘I will teach out of kindness.’ … ‘I will not teach while secretly hoping to profit.’ … ‘I will teach without damaging myself or others.’ It’s not easy to teach Dhamma to others. You should establish these five things in yourself before teaching Dhamma to others.”
Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.