SN 35.155

Dhammakathikapucchasutta

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “‘dhammakathiko, dhammakathiko’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhammakathiko hotī”ti?

A Dhamma Speaker

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sir, they speak of a ‘Dhamma speaker’. How is a Dhamma speaker defined?”

“Cakkhussa ce, bhikkhu, nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya dhammaṁ deseti, ‘dhammakathiko bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāya. Cakkhussa ce, bhikkhu, nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti, ‘dhammānudhammappaṭipanno bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāya. Cakkhussa ce, bhikkhu, nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādāvimutto hoti, ‘diṭṭhadhammanibbānappatto bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāya …pe… jivhāya ce, bhikkhu, nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya dhammaṁ deseti, ‘dhammakathiko bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāya …pe… manassa ce, bhikkhu, nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya dhammaṁ deseti, ‘dhammakathiko bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāya. Manassa ce, bhikkhu, nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti, ‘dhammānudhammappaṭipanno bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāya. Manassa ce, bhikkhu, nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādāvimutto hoti, ‘diṭṭhadhammanibbānappatto bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā”ti.

“If a mendicant teaches Dhamma for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding the eye, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who speaks on Dhamma’. If they practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding the eye, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who practices in line with the teaching’. If they’re freed by not grasping by disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding the eye, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who has attained extinguishment in this very life’. If a mendicant teaches Dhamma for disillusionment with the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, for its fading away and cessation, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who speaks on Dhamma’. If they practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding the mind, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who practices in line with the teaching’. If they’re freed by not grasping by disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding the mind, they’re qualified to be called ‘a mendicant who has attained extinguishment in this very life’.”