The sharing of Dhamma.

At one time I sat in front of my teacher with a colleague of mine. I had been instructed to teach Dhamma on my home island and the man next to me was assisting in my efforts. However, unknown to me, he had his own ambitions to be seen as someone special in the so called spiritual community and so, with that in mind, he asked my teacher about he himself being known a teacher of Dhamma.
My teacher looked at this man with his usual loving, compassionate and caring eyes and said gently but firmly, 'you know, before you can teach Dhamma, you must know Dhamma.'

This is a truth so profound and so unreasonable to many students of spiritual practice that in these modern times it is ignored completely.

It takes a long time to understand something well, and even longer to become a Master of it, and yet the world is filled with teachers offering Dhammachariya advice to large audiences. 

Where do these people come from? 

What is their background of training? 

Who told them that their understanding was sufficient enough to place themselves in front of others and guide them through the difficulties of life?

For the true disciple of Dhamma these are big and important questions.

It seems that impatience in training is a strong force in life and that people want to be seen as the teacher rather than be the invisible disciple.

Without a comprehensive understanding of Dhamma we add only more confusion, opinions and half understood truths to the world. 

Ego (self identity) is a strong force in our life and often many times much more powerful than personal integrity.

We give ourselves to Dhamma not to be a teacher, but to understand and then release the causes of our unhappiness. Without this simple yet important commitment to training we stay firmly in the world of money, power, sex, religion and politics. 

Look around, how does this truly help anyone?

Pure Dhamma means to put down what we carry and share the pure and loving heart with all beings equally. To let the notion of self fall into the emptiness of the universe and to serve the world with humility.

Dhamma means truth, absolute reality. When this beautiful force is present in our life we bring a gift to the world. Service, integrity and love.

Before we can share Dhamma we must know Dhamma. This knowing manifests naturally in every aspect of our life. Nothing is hidden because there is no show to make. We live quietly and peacefully in harmony with our understanding. Helping if we can, but never presenting ourselves as 'someone who knows.' What part of us needs to be seen in this way.

As Jesus said, 'physician, heal yourself'. Realise your own awakening before you attempt to instruct others on how to realise theirs.

This is how we train in Dhamma. Not to become someone in the eyes of another, but to be the empty vessel of love, compassion and joy, and truly serve the world.

When Dhamma becomes a business, integrity is the first thing to leave the Dhamma hall.

Who reading this now, is honest enough to hear these words ?

Offered with humility.

May all beings be happy.