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MN 139 Does the Buddha contradict himself and flatter a disciple?

I just made an English audio recording of MN 139.


4šŸ‘‘☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaį¹ƒ å››č–č«¦

MN 139 sutta text

✴️MN 139 šŸ”—šŸ”Š Araį¹‡a-vibhaį¹…ga: non-conflict analysis

Pāįø·i chanting

not yet

English

frankk 22min

☸ Lucid 24.org šŸ˜šŸ¾‍


 One of the main points of MN 139 is teaching the disciples how to speak Dharma without conflict, without flattering and rebuking individuals and simply describing the Dharma priniciple and how it either leads to suffering or not.


for example:

‘Ye attakilamathānuyogaį¹ƒ ananuyuttā dukkhaį¹ƒ anariyaį¹ƒ anatthasaį¹ƒhitaį¹ƒ, sabbe te adukkhā anupaghātā anupāyāsā apariįø·Ähā sammāpaį¹­ipannā’ti—
 You don’t say: ‘Indulging in self-mortification is painful, ignoble, and pointless. All those who have broken off such indulgence are free of pain, harm, stress, and fever, and they are practicing the right way.’
na evamāha.
 Rather, by saying this you just teach Dhamma:
‘Ananuyogo ca kho adukkho eso dhammo anupaghāto anupāyāso apariįø·Äho;
 ‘Breaking off the indulgence is a dharma-[principle] free of pain, harm, stress, and fever, and it is the right way.’    


 Does the Buddha contradict himself and flatter a disciple?

Here is the ending of the sutta. What's a little bit odd is Subhuti isn't mentioned anywhere else in the sutta, the Buddha just throws his name out in the end in a somewhat flattering way. I'm assuming this is a reference to the flattery section earlier, and saying this explicit example naming Subhuti doesn't cross the line into flattery, but remains in the safe 'middle way' area of simply stating Dharma principles. 
Another possibility is the Buddha is talking in general terms of monks teaching in public. In private with teacher disciple relationships, plenty of suttas show the Buddha or other arahants sharply rebuking disciples, for example calling them mogha purisa "foolish man", or even personally slamming other non Buddhist teachers for having wrong views that are foolish and incompetent.


Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘saraį¹‡aƱca dhammaį¹ƒ jānissāma, araį¹‡aƱca dhammaį¹ƒ jānissāma;
 So you should train like this: ‘We shall know the dharma-[principle]s beset by conflict and the dharma-[principle]s free of conflict.
saraį¹‡aƱca dhammaį¹ƒ Ʊatvā araį¹‡aƱca dhammaį¹ƒ Ʊatvā araį¹‡apaį¹­ipadaį¹ƒ paį¹­ipajjissāmā’ti evaƱhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabbaį¹ƒ.
 Knowing this, we will practice the way free of conflict.’
SubhÅ«ti ca pana, bhikkhave, kulaputto araį¹‡apaį¹­ipadaį¹ƒ paį¹­ipanno”ti.
 And, monks, SubhÅ«ti, the son of a good family, practices the way of non-conflict.”
Idamavoca bhagavā.
 That is what the Buddha said.
Attamanā te bhikkhÅ« bhagavato bhāsitaį¹ƒ abhinandunti.
 Satisfied, the monks were happy with what the Buddha said. 




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