Do You Practise What You Preach?

In the Sikkha Sutta, the Buddha spoke of four kinds of persons - (1) those who practise the Dharma for their own benefit (e.g. observe the five precepts of not: killing, stealing, having sexual misconduct, lying and taking intoxicants, while not encouraging others to), (2) those who practise not for their own benefit but for others' (e.g. not observe the precepts, while encouraging others to), (3) those who practise for neither one nor others' benefit (e.g. neither observing the precepts nor encouraging others to) and (4) those who practise for both their own and others' benefit (e.g. observe the precepts while encouraging others to). According to the Hita Sutta, one who is endowed with the five qualities of being consummate in virtue, (meditative) concentration, (wise) discernment, liberation (release), and knowledge & vision (Dharma theory & realisation) of liberation (4) practises to benefit oneself and others. Of course, one would exemplify compassion too, in sharing the Dharma. With such qualities, the Raga-vinaya Sutta describes such a person to be in the process of subduing passion (attachment), aversion and delusion within oneself while encouraging others without to do the same. Every one of us would surely fall into one of the four categories.In short, (1) some practise; (2) some preach; (3) some neither practise nor preach; and (4) some practise what they preach (best not in preachy ways)! The best inspiration would be the Buddha, who fully embodied the perfect Dharma he practised and preached. There is simply no better way to encourage others to practise and preach the Dharma than to personally do both well to benefit them! It is natural to fall into the (3) 'neither practise nor preach' category at first, before 'upgrading' to the (1) practise-only or (2) preach-only categories. When one truly benefits from the Dharma personally, one is likelier to further upgrade, to (4) preach while one practises. So long as not a Buddha yet, it takes effort to upgrade and maintain one's grade! – Shen Shi’anLearn more of what you practise; Practise more of what you learn. Practise more of what you preach; Preach more of what you practise. - Stonepeace