Take the case where a teacher is awakened, and the teaching is well explained and well propounded, emancipating, leading to peace, proclaimed by someone who is a fully awakened Buddha. A disciple in that teaching practices in line with the teaching, practices following that procedure, lives in line with the teaching. They proceed having undertaken that teaching. You should say this to them, ‘You’re fortunate, reverend, you’re so very fortunate! For your teacher is awakened, and their teaching is well explained and well propounded, emancipating, leading to peace, proclaimed by someone who is a fully awakened Buddha. And you practice in line with that teaching, you practice following that procedure, you live in line with the teaching. You proceed having undertaken that teaching.’ In such a case the teacher, the teaching, and the disciple all deserve praise. Suppose someone was to say to such a disciple, ‘Clearly the venerable is practicing systematically and will succeed in that system.’ The one who praises, the one who they praise, and the one who, being praised, rouses up even more energy all brim with much merit. Why is that? It’s because that teaching and training is well explained and well propounded, emancipating, leading to peace, proclaimed by someone who is a fully awakened Buddha.

3. When Disciples Have Regrets Take the case where a teacher arises in the world who is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained and well propounded, emancipating, leading to peace, proclaimed by someone who is fully awakened. But the disciples have not been educated in the meaning of that good teaching. And the spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure has not been disclosed and divulged to them; its sayings have not all been collected; and it has not been fully revealed with its demonstrable basis among gods and humans. And then their teacher passes away. When such a teacher has passed away the disciples are tormented by regrets. Why is that? They think: ‘Our teacher was perfected, a fully awakened Buddha. His teaching was well explained, but we were not educated in its meaning. And the spiritual practice was not fully disclosed and divulged to us; its sayings have not all been collected; and it has not been fully revealed with its demonstrable basis among gods and humans. And then our teacher passed away.’ When such a teacher has passed away the disciples are tormented by regrets.

4. When Disciples Have No Regrets