The Supreme Merit of preaching Dhamma
From TheBuddhism.Net
The Supreme Merit of preaching Dhamma
Giving a sermon in a single stanza for the rejoicing of the beings is nobler than giving silky soft clothes to all the Pase Buddhas & Arahanths, who are the most virtuous that live in the entire universe, or giving alm bowls full of Delicious food and drink to them, or building thousand temples as huge as ‘Maha Vihara’, or building thousand mansions for the bhikkhus as great as ‘Lovamahapaya’, or the endowments like that of Lord Anathapindika for the great ‘Jethavanaramaya’.
Our great Buddha said to his bhikkus that if a person preaches the finely sermonized noble teachings (Dhamma) of his with compassion for the beings, thinking that those who hear the Dhamma would listen, understand and practice them for their well being; such a person’s sermon is wholesome; and, he acquires great merit doing so.
Beings do meritorious deeds and acquire mundane & super-mundane prosperity because of the Dhamma they hear. Therefore, preaching Dhamma is the greatest meritorious deed and the greatest giving one could do.
The result of this is getting insight & wisdom in all rebirths until attaining the enlightenment breaking all the bonds of existence.
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Preaching Dharma is the greatest meritorious acts and the greatest giving one could do. Bringing and sharing Dharma teachings to others is the best choice than giving materially. If we can’t preach, we could give instead. Even giving a little one dollar to the Sangha has the benefit of also preserving the Dharma and helping to spread the Dharma. Every dollar offered – even the smallest amount of money offered has the benefits too. They are the ones who will help indirectly to preach Dharma to others.
Thank you Rinpoche for this profound teachings.
Before we are qualified to preach the noble Dharma, we must learn and understand the Dharma from our Guru. On top of that, we must put in practice what we learnt daily. Hence, we must be humble to learn the Dharma and be persistent to apply and practice. Once we are a pure vessel to receive Buddha’s Dharma, the sharing will be more impactful.
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Seng Piow for the very important teaching.
Humbly, bowing down,
Stella Cheang
Teaching the holy and dharma is the supreme giving anyone can give to another person.
The dharma beenfits not just this life but all future lives, hence the impact one can make to others is tremendous. As a result of such a far reaching impact the merit of sharing/teahcing the dharma is innumerable
For me, it really points back to the age old adage of “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”
These profound saying has been with me since my childhood and it has always irked and peaked my interest in more ways than one. It makes so much common sense yet at times, we all just want to be given that fish and not have to “work” for it per se!
Yes, according to Buddha, the merits of giving Dharma to people is greater than if we give food or money. It is because Dharma can help us free us completely from sufferings whereas money or food only help to solve the suffering temporary.
Many might say ‘but we do not know how to preach Dharma’. If that is the case, making offerings to the Sangha so that they can preach Dharma is also one the of the ways we can do to indirectly preach Dharma to people.
Yes, in all traditions of Buddhism, giving or offering the Dharma is the most sublime forms of giving. I think that quality comes from the fact that the Dharma has the potential to bring us directly to Buddhahood while all other forms of giving leads indirectly to attainments and Buddhahood.
I think that is why all of us respect our spiritual guides so much and even when the Dharma we practice does not bring us directly to enlightenment, it can bring benefit that lasts for many lifetimes. Almost everything else we do brings benefits that lasts only this life. However, the potential of the Dharma to benefit depends on the motivation or the intention of the listener.
Yes, giving the Dharma is one of the most precious things we can give another being. Because Dharma is the highest of the high, and with the knowledge we pass on to others, it can potentially change their lives, not only them individually, but the people they will affect directly from that transformation too.
However, although this is important, I once heard a very high lama spoke before all his students… he said, being on this throne, teaching a few hundred students is not as meritorious as taking care of His Guru’s dogs.
When I heard that, I went like… wow. Our Guru, whom is kinder than all the Buddhas for He is here to endure so much suffering within samsara just so we can get the Dharma. For one as holy and kind and compassionate, we take refuge in and serve without wavering faith.
We’re lucky to have a Guru that goes all out to teach us the Dharma and even change His style of teaching throughout the years inorder to suit the culture here in Malaysia.
There is no greater gift that we can give a person besides giving them the gift of Dharma.
It is often said, that even to our parents, who have taken care of us since we’re young and has endured much suffering to bring us up into healthy individuals… the only way we can ever repay the kindness of our parents is through giving them the Dharma, because material things are impermanent while the Dharma is something they can take with them life after life, and have a good rebirth that eventually leads to enlightenment… the ultimate cessation of suffering.
This is why preaching the Dharma is held most highly regarded because if the Buddha never preached, can you imagine where we would be right now? lol…