The Way of the Teacher

The Buddha said to Ananda: "Truly, Ananda, it's not easy to teach the way of freedom to others. In teaching freedom to others, the best way is to first establish five things and then teach. What are the five? When you teach others, you must think: 'I will teach in a gradual and sensitive way. I will speak with the goal in mind. I will speak with gentleness. I will not speak in order to gain anything. I will not speak with a view to harming anyone.' "If you establish these five things, your teaching will be well received."

- Anguttara Nikaya