อารัมภบทI shall now explain and expand upon the meaning of the Dhamma theme written above, as a guide for study and practice.

อธิบายบทตั้งTo explain: This saying teaches that anyone who would teach others should first practise what he teaches, because teaching carries weight when the teacher truly lives it, and it reminds us that training oneself is harder than telling others what to do.

ขยายความบทตั้งIn the Dhammapada, this saying concerns the Elder Padhānikatissa. He urged the young monks to strive diligently, yet he himself slept at the time when he should have been practising. As a result, those monks did not get enough rest and made no progress in their practice. The Buddha then taught that a teacher should first make himself able to do what he teaches. This story shows that teaching without practising not only fails to bear fruit but may even cause others harm.

ขยายความบทตั้งTraining oneself is difficult because we easily see the faults of others but have difficulty seeing our own, and the habits of the mind resist change. Telling others to give up a bad habit takes only words, but giving up that habit oneself requires patience, mindfulness and continuous effort. One who has trained himself understands how difficult change is, and can guide others with empathy and good results.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๑One who knows how to set priorities does not neglect their own good, namely developing knowledge, goodness, and freedom from suffering, merely because they are so taken up with other matters that they harm themselves. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Dhammapada:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To explain: "Neglect" here means letting something go to waste or abandoning it, while "one's own benefit" means the true benefit of life: developing oneself in knowledge, goodness and freedom from suffering. This saying teaches us to set priorities and not to abandon our main duty for other matters until we ourselves are harmed.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑In the Dhammapada, this saying concerns the Elder Attadattha. When the Buddha announced that he would pass into final Nibbāna, many monks gathered around him, but the Elder resolved to hasten his practice so as to attain the fruit first. The Buddha praised him, saying that practising according to the Dhamma is the true way of honouring the Teacher. This story shows that the "benefit of oneself" mentioned in the saying does not mean material gain or selfishness, but fulfilling one's own important duty.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑Nevertheless, this saying does not teach us to neglect helping others. Buddhism teaches both one's own benefit and the benefit of others, but a person who has not yet developed himself can help others only to a limited extent, just as someone who cannot swim will find it hard to rescue a drowning person. Developing oneself is therefore the foundation for helping others effectively and sustainably.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๒When a person advises and teaches others but cannot yet live as they teach, they are criticized and fall into disrepute, but if they first establish themselves in goodness, their teaching carries weight and they remain untarnished. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Dhammapada:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To explain: "What is proper" means conduct and virtues suited to one's position and to what one is going to teach, while "not tarnished" means not being blamed, not losing one's reputation and not being troubled at heart. This saying teaches the right order: improve oneself first, then teach others.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒In the Dhammapada, this saying concerns Upananda, who could preach beautifully on having few wishes and contentment, yet was himself greedy for requisites. When the truth came to light, he was criticised. The Buddha then taught that the wise should first establish themselves in what is proper. This story shows that skill in speaking or teaching, if not supported by conduct, brings tarnish upon the teacher himself.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒This saying is close to the one that teaches "As one instructs others, so should one act oneself," but it emphasises the result for the teacher: the tarnish or the clear conscience of oneself. One who first establishes himself in goodness can speak with confidence when teaching others, without fearing that listeners will question his own conduct, and his teaching carries weight and credibility.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, parents who want their children to read but spend the whole day on their phones will find it hard to teach their children. A teacher who teaches students to be punctual should first come to class on time. A supervisor who asks staff to be honest must be honest himself as an example. Showing by doing is therefore a more powerful way of teaching than words.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who wish to encourage others to do good should therefore begin by training themselves seriously, and once they can do it, guide others with understanding and kindness. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

ปิดท้ายThus has the meaning been explained, as set forth above.