Who Should You Not Teach and Who Should You Teach

Monks, someone with six features is unable to enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities, even when listening to the true Teachings.

What six?

When The Teachings and practice proclaimed by The Perfectly Enlightened One is being taught

(1) they are not interested to listen

(2) they do not actively listen

(3) they do not apply effort to understand

(4) they learn the incorrect meaning

(5) they ignore the correct meaning

(6) they adopt views that contradict The Teachings.

Someone with these six features is unable to enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities, even when listening to the true Teaching.

Someone with six qualities is able to enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities when listening to the true Teachings.

What six?

When The Teachings and practice proclaimed by The Perfectly Enlightened One is being taught

(1) they are interested to listen

(2) they actively listen

(3) they apply effort to understand

(4) they learn the correct meaning

(5) they ignore the incorrect meaning

(6) they adopt views that match with The Teachings.

Someone with these six qualities is able to enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities when listening to the true Teachings.

(Reference: AN 6.88)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares in what situation an individual is able to learn The Teachings to make improvements in their life and in what situation an individual is unable to learn The Teachings to make improvements in their life.

If an individual is not interested to listen, does not actively listen, does not apply effort to understand, learns the incorrect meaning, adopts the incorrect meaning, and adopts views that contradict The Teachings, they are unable to develop their life practice. This individual is not a Student. They have not chosen to actively learn, therefore, they will be unable to make progress on The Path to Enlightenment.

However, if an individual is interested to listen, actively listens, applies effort to understand, learns the correct meaning, adopts the correct meaning, and adopts views that match with The Teachings, they are able to develop their life practice. This individual is a Student. They have chosen to actively learn, therefore, they will be able to make progress on The Path to Enlightenment.

It is impossible to force an individual to attain Enlightenment. Each individual needs to choose to learn, reflect (i.e. independently verify), and practice The Teachings of The Buddha to experience improvements to the condition of the mind and their life. Without the willingness to learn, grow, and evolve, an individual would be unable to make improvements on The Path to Enlightenment or progress to Enlightenment.

There is no part of The Path to Enlightenment that involves attempting to force others to make progress on The Path to Enlightenment.

There are a million and one decisions that an individual would need to make in order to progress to Enlightenment. You are unable to force an individual to be a Student of these Teachings or to make progress on The Path to Enlightenment. Therefore, it would be highly unbeneficial to even try and, it would be your own craving/desire/attachment to do so.

Instead, you can invite and welcome people to learn, reflect, and practice. But, the choice to do so or not is up to each individual.

A Teacher needs to ensure they are only sharing Teachings with individuals who have chosen to actively learn and practice to improve the condition of their mind and their life. Then, a person who has chosen to actively listen, learn, and practice could be considered a Student and it would be wise to share these Teachings with them to help them progress to Enlightenment.