Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Daily Dharma - The True Teaching


Today's Daily Dharma from Tricycle.

The True Teaching

The true teaching is the kind of teaching that conforms to two things: First, it is consistent with the Buddhist insight. And secondly, it is appropriate for the person who is receiving it. It's like medicine. It has to be true medicine, and it must fit the person who is receiving it.

Sometimes you can give someone a very expensive treatment, but they still die. That is why when the Buddha meets someone and offers the teaching he has to know that person in order to be able to offer the appropriate teaching. Even if the teaching is very valuable, if you don't make it appropriate to the person, it is not Buddhist teaching.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh, in Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, Vol.IV, #4

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