The Well Taught Dharma (SA26)

Thus I have heard: One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī.

It was then that a certain monk came to visit the Buddha. He bowed to the Buddha and withdrew to stand at one side. He said to the Buddha, “As the Bhagavān says ‘Dharma teacher,’ what is a Dharma teacher?”

The Buddha asked that monk, “Good, good! Do you want now to know about the meaning of the Tathagāta’s expression ‘Dharma teacher’?”

That monk said to the Buddha, “Indeed, Bhagavān.”

The Buddha told the monk, “[Listen closely!] Listen closely, and well consider it. I will explain it for you.”

The Buddha told the monk, “If someone teaches about becoming disillusioned with form, becoming free of desire for it, completely ceasing it, and the principle of peace, they are called a Dharma teacher. If they teach about becoming disillusioned with feeling … conception … volition … awareness, becoming free of desire for it, completely ceasing it, and the principle of peace, they are called a Dharma teacher. This is what the Tathāgata says is a Dharma teacher.”

When that monk heard what the Buddha taught, he celebrated and rejoiced. He then bowed and departed.

This sūtra is part of the Dharma Pearls translation project.

Prepared by Charles Patton for SuttaCentral.