Learn the five ways a monk can practice compassion towards lay people.
“Monks, a resident monk with five qualities shows compassion to the lay people. What five?
- They encourage them in higher ethics.
- They equip them to see the truth of the teachings.
- When they are sick, they go to them and prompt their mindfulness, saying: ‘Establish your mindfulness, good sirs, in what is worthy.’
- When a large monk Saṅgha is arriving with monks from abroad, they go to the lay people and announce: ‘A large monk Saṅgha is arriving with monks from abroad. Make merit! Now is the time to make merit!’
- And they eat whatever food they give them, coarse or fine, not wasting a gift given in faith.
A resident monk with these five qualities shows compassion to the lay people.”
Based on the translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, 2018. Read the original on SuttaCentral.net