When should I start to teach Buddhism? I am practicing it devotedly for 4 years.?

Question

I would like to start teaching Buddhism. Would I be ready if I am deeply practicing and studying for 4 years now? How should I start?

Answer 1

A question for you, Emese: Why do you want to teach Buddhism?

How do you answer this question?

If your answer contains the words "I", "me", or "my", then you are not ready.

More generally, practitioners usually begin teaching when (a) their teacher gives them authority to teach, or (b) they have done the extensive training required to develop a strong center, clear wisdom, and generous compassion.

In the case of (b), these qualities will manifest throughout one's daily life. What this means is that people will ask you to teach them. If they don't ask, then don't teach. Just be yourself -- that will help people more than anything.

Answer 2

You should have started 4 years ago :)

If you could teach another person just a short verse from Sutra, that is already considered teaching Buddhism. You do not have to restrict the notion of teaching to a typical teacher versus mass students definition.

Every Buddhists should be a lamp himself, and light up the lamp(s) of others, by simply teaching them just a short verse in accordance to correct Buddhism teaching. The world would be "brighter" with the spread of Buddhism wisdom.

Answer 3

Who do you want to teach to? Children or the people around you perhaps.
Or like a teacher? Then get a uni degree from a Buddhist Uni. You must know how the law applies to be an official teacher.
I guess you're not a monk.

Anyway, you have to know clearly about your targets: who you will teach, what you will teach, how you will teach, and what your students or whom being taught will need or want. So you have to answer: have you known all basic information of both pariyatti and pripatti? have you become ready to be teaching?

Answer 4

The amount of time you've been practicing is irrelevant. You don't earn brownie points for putting in more hours.

The answer to your question depends on you and your particular sangha. If they let you lead a few discussions or meditation sessions, then that would be a great place to start. You'll find out soon enough if you're really qualified to teach.

Answer 5

I agree with P'ang especially. But, the subject is a little tricky because as one Master has said, 'you don't have to be a millionaire to give small change to the homeless'. However, when you talk about formal teachings, you are getting into an area of very deep psychological impact, and what we see often is that people who don't really have deep inner experience of the lineage who give teachings and run centres often cause alot of harm and turmoil because they aren't ready to have such responsibility, even if the teacher has permission, done Guru Yoga, and has blessings when teaching. We can see that how long we've been involved isn't necessarily the determining factor as to whether or not we're qualified. For example, there are some tulkus (people who took conscious rebirth with control our of compassion) who give profound instruction at very early ages and who show that they have high realizations. I too have met people who have profound realizations of the completion stage of highest yoga tantra (including the many benefits and qualities that come along with that), who have shown me things such as deep and acurate clairvoyance and deep experiential understanding of the trainings, and who haven't even become a Buddhist in the traditional sense, or who have only been around for a couple weeks. One woman came into a class she didn't mean to, asked deep inner questions during q&a, and the teacher said to ask one on one after class. She received clarification and instruction, and attained completion stage realizations that night.

Age, how long in practice, and our personal history do tend to have an impact on people's faith though, as we can see a stark difference between the teachings and actions of a Master who has shown their realization, and someone with only a rudimentary understanding both intellectually and experientially.

So don't decide on your own unless you are highly realized, or have received permission from a Master, of internally received permission from the holy beings. In this last case though, if you cannot establish lineage, and you actually proclaim to have attainments, this probably won't fare to well, unless what you're looking for is position, praise, gifts, power, sex, and a life where others pay for everything for you. If you aren't a Master, there is a huge danger of pride destroying you even if you think it won't. I've witnessed great teachers who didn't have the appropriate realizations falling down bigtime due to their pride, so think about what people are saying here because teaching too soon could destroy or obstruct your spiritual progress, and that is why it is important to get permission from people who know what they're talking about.

I've practiced since about 93, done 3 years strict solitary retreat, along with many shorter retreats, but I'm not eager to teach as I haven't attained any deep and stable realizations. So I am here trying to share a little bit of my understanding instead of getting into the dangers of teaching. Even now, with my postings, I find myself re-reading over postings wondering if people think I'm wise and special, even though I know the truth from looking at my mind. So please be careful.

Answer 6

You must first learn at the feet of a Master. Then whether to are to teach others or not is determined by your Master. To do otherwise would be an exercise of pride and without the humility necessary for a true teacher.

Answer 7

Start when somebody asks you about it (that's pretty much true for all spiritual teaching). Good luck.

Answer 8

Tomorrow.

Answer 9

By being recognized a s a master by established traditions.

Answer 10

An actual Buddhist would know the answer...and it isn't on the internet...