諸經要集 2.12

2.12

Furthermore, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra states: 'If a sentient being uprightly practices good karma and preaches a single verse of Dharma to a person of wrong views, causing him to have pure faith in the Buddha, at the end of his life he will be born in the Heaven of Responsive Sound and enjoy various pleasures; falling back from heaven, he will transmigrate according to his karma. If one preaches the Dharma to others for the sake of wealth and goods, and not with a compassionate mind to benefit sentient beings, and accepts wealth and goods, or uses them to drink alcohol, or drinks and eats together with women, like the ways of actors who sell themselves seeking wealth, the fruit of such Dharma-giving is very slight: he will be born in the heavens as a wise bird capable of reciting verses; this is called inferior Dharma-giving. What is called middling Dharma-giving? If one preaches the Dharma to others for the sake of fame, for the sake of surpassing others, for the sake of excelling other great Dharma masters, or preaches the Dharma to others with a jealous mind, the recompense obtained from such Dharma-giving is also small: he will be born in heaven to receive an ordinary distinctive recompense, or be born among humans; this is called middling Dharma-giving. What is called superior Dharma-giving? If with a pure mind and wishing to increase the wisdom of sentient beings, one preaches the Dharma not for wealth or profit, but to cause sentient beings of wrong views to abide in the right Dharma, such Dharma-giving benefits oneself and benefits others, is unsurpassed and supreme, and its blessings will not be exhausted even up to nirvāṇa; this is called superior Dharma-giving.'