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54 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

growth and minimizing confusion or discouragement.
The Use of By addressing individuals’ unique capacities and

readiness, the Buddha effectively guides them along the
Skillful Means path to enlightenment, exemplifying the principle of
skillful means.

in Buddhism Tsepal: The Pali sutra, The Greater Discourse on the
Lion’s Roar, and the Sanskrit Sutra on the Ten Grounds,
both detail the ten powers of a Tathagata, including
a Buddha’s knowledge of the different past lives,
The recent controversy about South Korean inclinations, dispositions of faculties and meditative
performer ‘DJ NewJeansNim’ has enraged and capacities of all sentient beings. These ten qualities
caused a divide amongst many Buddhists. The empower buddhas to teach according to the spiritual
Buddha always adapt his teachings to his students needs of his listeners, much like a skilled doctor
by conveying in local languages and using familiar assesses and prescribes treatment for each individual
metaphors. In this issue of Eastern Horizon, we patient. Thus we could say that each and every teaching
would like to explore the topic about promoting the Buddha gave is a demonstration of his skilful means,
the Dharma using skillful means (upaya-kausalya) requiring modern readers to reflect on the context for
without increasing our greed, hatred, and delusion, each teaching, as well as discriminating whether it’s
and we asked our three Buddhist teachers from interpretable or definitive.
the three traditions for their response.
For people primarily engrossed with the pleasures
The Buddha, when teaching to spiritually mature of this life and not inclined towards investigation or
pupils, explains complex philosophical aspects of analysis, the Buddha gave teachings on general spiritual
his doctrine. To beginners, he offers preparatory values—generosity, ethical conduct, the law of karma,
lessons on general spiritual virtues before moving to and how to cultivate love and compassion.
advanced topics. Is this a form of skilful means?
For practitioners who actively investigate the Buddhist
teachings, seeking to understand the basis, path and
Aggacitta: Yes indeed. The Buddha was a master of fruit of the path as outlined in Madhyamika texts, he
skillful means. He had the psychic ability to know the taught many philosophical approaches for developing
spiritual maturity and inclinations of his audience so wisdom to realize the subtle nature of persons and
he could craft the contents and structure of his talk to phenomena. This is definitely his skilful means.
be the optimal cause for their welfare and happiness,
Can you share some specific examples of skilful means
mundane or otherwise.
from the Buddhist scriptures of your tradition?
Min Wei: In fact, this is a form of skillful means. The
Buddha’s approach to tailoring his teachings based Aggacitta: By default, the Buddha would give a gradual
on his audience’s spiritual maturity exemplifies teaching starting with dāna and ending with the Four
skilful means. For advanced pupils, he delves into Noble Truths for non-renunciants, e.g. the laity and
complex philosophical doctrines, such as the nature devas. This would be a “touch and go” attempt to benefit
of emptiness and the interdependent origination the audience by one single Dhamma discourse. Some
of phenomena, to deepen their understanding and would attain stream-entry, some take refuge in the
practice. Conversely, for beginners, he emphasizes Buddha, Dhamma and Bhikkhusaṅgha and a few might
foundational spiritual virtues like generosity, ethical be inspired enough to request for renunciation from
conduct, and mindfulness, preparing them for deeper the Buddha. For exceptional non-renunciants, he would
insights. This graduated method ensures that teachings tailor the discourse most suitable for them, e.g. he would
are accessible and comprehensible, fostering gradual answer according to the questions posed by devas.