The Buddha teaches on with udāyī, presenting a fivefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 5.159 With Udāyī

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā udāyī mahatiyā gihiparisāya parivuto dhammaṁ desento nisinno hoti. Addasā kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ mahatiyā gihiparisāya parivutaṁ dhammaṁ desentaṁ nisinnaṁ. Disvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“āyasmā, bhante, udāyī mahatiyā gihiparisāya parivuto dhammaṁ desetī”ti.

“Na kho, ānanda, sukaraṁ paresaṁ dhammaṁ desetuṁ. Paresaṁ, ānanda, dhammaṁ desentena pañca dhamme ajjhattaṁ upaṭṭhāpetvā paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo. Katame pañca?

‘Anupubbiṁ kathaṁ kathessāmī’ti paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo;

‘pariyāyadassāvī kathaṁ kathessāmī’ti paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo;

‘anuddayataṁ paṭicca kathaṁ kathessāmī’ti paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo;

‘na āmisantaro kathaṁ kathessāmī’ti paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo;

‘attānañca parañca anupahacca kathaṁ kathessāmī’ti paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo.

Na kho, ānanda, sukaraṁ paresaṁ dhammaṁ desetuṁ. Paresaṁ, ānanda, dhammaṁ desentena ime pañca dhamme ajjhattaṁ upaṭṭhāpetvā paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā udāyī mahatiyā gihiparisāya parivuto dhammaṁ desento nisinno hoti.

Now, at that time Venerable Udāyī was sitting teaching Dhamma, surrounded by a large assembly of laypeople.

Addasā kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ mahatiyā gihiparisāya parivutaṁ dhammaṁ desentaṁ nisinnaṁ.

Seeing this, Venerable Ānanda

Disvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“āyasmā, bhante, udāyī mahatiyā gihiparisāya parivuto dhammaṁ desetī”ti.

“Sir, Venerable Udāyī is teaching Dhamma, surrounded by a large assembly of laypeople.”

“Na kho, ānanda, sukaraṁ paresaṁ dhammaṁ desetuṁ.

“Ānanda, it’s not easy to teach Dhamma to others.

Paresaṁ, ānanda, dhammaṁ desentena pañca dhamme ajjhattaṁ upaṭṭhāpetvā paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo.

You should establish five things in yourself before teaching Dhamma to others.

Katame pañca?

What five?

‘Anupubbiṁ kathaṁ kathessāmī’ti paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo;

You should teach Dhamma to others thinking: ‘I will teach step by step.’ …

‘pariyāyadassāvī kathaṁ kathessāmī’ti paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo;

‘I will teach showing my method.’ …

‘anuddayataṁ paṭicca kathaṁ kathessāmī’ti paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo;

‘I will teach out of kindness.’ …

‘na āmisantaro kathaṁ kathessāmī’ti paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo;

‘I will not teach while secretly hoping to profit.’ …

‘attānañca parañca anupahacca kathaṁ kathessāmī’ti paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo.

‘I will teach without damaging myself or others.’

Na kho, ānanda, sukaraṁ paresaṁ dhammaṁ desetuṁ.

It’s not easy to teach Dhamma to others.

Paresaṁ, ānanda, dhammaṁ desentena ime pañca dhamme ajjhattaṁ upaṭṭhāpetvā paresaṁ dhammo desetabbo”ti.

You should establish these five things in yourself before teaching Dhamma to others.”

Navamaṁ.

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Last updated on July 27, 2026