Section outline
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Lesson 3.4.13 Udāyīsuttaṃ – How Dhamma Should Be Taught!
Sakka, king of the devas, once visited the Buddha at Jetavana with a multitude of devas (from all ten thousand cakkavāḷas including the four Great Kings or cattaro mahārājāno), seeking answers to four perplexing questions that had troubled them for over a decade (Which gift is best? Which taste is superior? What delight is greatest? And why is the eradication of craving considered most excellent?). The Buddha's response, summarized in a Dhammapada verse, emphasizes that it is through understanding and applying the Dhamma that beings can live wholesomely, perform meritorious deeds, practice generosity, and ultimately end existence. This profound gratitude and delight in the Dhamma then inspire beings to support its spread in various ways. However, the Udāyīsutta highlights crucial prerequisites for teaching the Dhamma while maintaining its purity. The five qualities of a Dhamma teacher described therein offer a valuable framework, especially today, to assess whether a teacher's instruction is truly offered in an unadulterated manner.