Knowledge of every segment of this step-by-step talk needs to be expanded to deal with new situations and when one gets more advanced.BrokenBones wrote: ↑Tue Jun 22, 2021 12:30 am "This person here is capable of understanding the Dhamma." So, aiming at Suppabuddha the leper, he gave a step-by-step talk, i.e., he proclaimed a talk on generosity, on virtue, on heaven; he declared the drawbacks, degradation, & corruption of sensuality, and the rewards of renunciation. Then when the Blessed One knew that Suppabuddha the leper's mind was ready, malleable, free from hindrances, elevated, & clear, he then gave the Dhamma-talk peculiar to Awakened Ones, i.e., stress, origination, cessation, & path. And just as a clean cloth, free of stains, would properly absorb a dye, in the same way, as Suppabuddha the leper was sitting in that very seat, the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye arose within him, "Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation."
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
I know that this is just a first step... but aren't we all just after this?
The graduated talk is one that the Buddha often delivered to lay people (which I assume most of us on the forum are).
Working on sila & right effort 24/7... contemplating as the Buddha instructed... who could ask or insist on more?
Put the right actions in and the Buddha guarantees the results.
Also, Buddha estimated this man was capable of understanding dhamma, while most people aren't.
Such talk will not have so positive effects even on large majority of those capable of understanding the dhamma.
However, I do think things should be made much more simple for lay people. Most are not capable of doing more than dana and observing sila with the aim of getting good rebirth.
Modern teachers should be more aware of this and offer better guidance for such people.
Then, those who are ready can move to more complex things.