Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, at Jetṛ’s Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. Then the Exalted One said to the monks:

“There are two persons who are not fit for enunciating Dharma words. Who are the two persons? a) The person who gives teachings on trust without himself having trust—a most problematic situation; b) the person who gives teachings on generosity, himself being in the grip of avarice and lust—also a most problematic situation.

“Moreover, monks, if a person gives teachings on trust without himself having trust, in his mind there will rise aversion, aggressiveness and a proneness to hurting.

“O monks, a person giving teachings on trust without himself having trust, with aversion, aggressiveness … arising in his mind, is comparable to a fierce dog whose fierceness increases and which becomes more and more angry and aggressive after injuring its muzzle.

“Moreover, monks, if a person who gives teachings on generosity, himself being in the grip of avarice and lust, in his mind there will arise aversion, aggressiveness and a proneness to hurting.

“A person’s giving teachings on generosity, his being in the grip of avarice and lust and his mind being increasingly filled with aversion, aggressiveness … is comparable to an abscess which, not yet being fully developed, is becoming painful because of its being cut open with a lancet.

“These, O monks, are the two persons whose setting forth the Dharma is most problematic.

Then, monks, there are two persons whose setting forth the Dharma is not at all problematic. Who are the two persons? a) The person who gives teachings on trust, himself having trust, and b) the person who gives teachings on generosity without himself being in the grip of avarice and lust.

“If, monks, a person gives teachings on trust, himself having trust, in his mind there will arise joy and he will be free from perturbation and remorse.

“A person’s giving teachings on trust, having trust himself and a mind full of joy, free from confusion and perturbation, are comparable to prescribing to a sick person a medicine which cures his illness and makes him healthy again.

“Moreover, if a person who gives teachings on generosity, without himself being in the grip of avarice and lust, in his mind there will arise joy, and he will be free from remorse.

“A person’s giving teachings on generosity, his being free from avarice and lust, full of joy and without remorse, is comparable to a decent, well-groomed man or woman of cheerful disposition whom someone approaches with a beautiful flower which is offered to him or her and which makes them look much more colourful.

“Furthermore, that virtuous person’s teaching generosity is comparable to someone’s offering that decent man or woman fine clothes and ornaments whose recipient becomes all the happier.

“These, monks, are the two persons whose setting forth of the Dharma is not at all problematic. So, monks, one should aim at having trust, at being generous and at being free from avarice and lust. Thus, O monks, you should train.”

After listening to the Buddha’s words, the monks were pleased and respectfully applied themselves to practice.