Dwelling in the Dhamma (1)
Dhammavihārin Sutta  (AN 5:73)

Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “‘One dwelling in the Dhamma, one dwelling in the Dhamma’: Thus it is said, lord. To what extent is a monk one dwelling in the Dhamma?”

“Monk, there is the case where a monk studies the Dhamma: dialogues, narratives of mixed prose & verse, explanations, verses, spontaneous exclamations [udāna], quotations [itivuttaka], birth stories [jātaka], amazing events, question & answer sessions [vedalla].1 He spends the day in Dhamma-study. He neglects seclusion. He doesn’t devote himself to internal tranquility of awareness. This is called a monk keen on study, not one dwelling in the Dhamma.

“Then there is the case where a monk takes the Dhamma—as he has heard & studied it—and teaches it in detail to others. He spends the day in Dhamma-description. He neglects seclusion. He doesn’t devote himself to internal tranquility of awareness. This is called a monk keen on description, not one dwelling in the Dhamma.

“Then there is the case where a monk takes the Dhamma—as he has heard & studied it—and recites it in full detail. He spends the day in Dhamma-recitation. He neglects seclusion. He doesn’t devote himself to internal tranquility of awareness. This is called a monk keen on recitation, not one dwelling in the Dhamma.

“Then there is the case where a monk takes the Dhamma—as he has heard & studied it—and thinks about it, evaluates it, and examines it with his intellect. He spends the day in Dhamma-thinking. He neglects seclusion. He doesn’t devote himself to internal tranquility of awareness. This is called a monk keen on thinking, not one dwelling in the Dhamma.

“Then there is the case where a monk studies the Dhamma: dialogues, narratives of mixed prose & verse, explanations, verses, spontaneous exclamations, quotations, birth stories, amazing events, question & answer sessions. He doesn’t spend the day in Dhamma-study. He doesn’t neglect seclusion. He devotes himself to internal tranquility of awareness. This is called a monk dwelling in the Dhamma.

“Now, monk, I have taught you the one keen on study, the one keen on description, the one keen on recitation, the one keen on thinking, and the one dwelling in the Dhamma. Whatever a teacher should do—seeking the welfare of his disciples, out of sympathy for them—that have I done for you. Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhāna, monk. Don’t be heedless. Don’t later fall into regret. This is our message to you.”

See also: AN 6:46; AN 7:64; AN 10:24; Dhp 258–259