Recently (12.06.2023), on my FB, I wrote the following: The idea that the gift of teaching is the best gift is so popular. We often hear about it. But when I wrote my article on secrecy, I found one source but was not particularly satisfied. I provided the following (Wangchuk 2020: 80): Akṣayamatinirdeśasūtra (Bᵀ, vol. 60, p. 360.18–19): gzhan yang chos kyi sbyin pa ni gang sbyin pa thams cad kyi mchog ni chos kyi sbyin par rig nas chos kyi sbyin pa yongs su gtong ba’o ||. I also referred to Norman 1997: 116 and Schmithausen 2000: 126, n. 37. The following source should have been given as well. Karmāvaraṇapratiprasabdhisūtra (cited by dPal-brtsegs in his gSung rab rin po che, Bᵀ, vol. 115, p. 935.9–11): sbyin pa rnams kyi nang na ni ’di lta ste | chos kyi sbyin pa mchog ces ngas bshad do ||.
Today (25.06.2023), I wish to add a small, but in my view, significant old source for the idea in question, namely, Ratnaguṇasaṃcayagāthā 27.9c (Obermiller 1937: 101): agraṃ … varauttamadharmadānam (chos kyi sbyin pa rab mchog dam pa). We may also just consider the compound: vara-uttama-dharma-dāna (chos kyi sbyin pa rab mchog). Note, however, variant (preferred) reading in Yuyama 1976: 108: vara-uttamu-dharma-dāna.
Pratisaṃvid 
Thank you for this blog! A small comment:
“Note, however, variant (preferred) reading in Yuyama 1976: 108: varauttamudharmadāna (hyphenation removed by me).”
(Yuyama prints vara-uttamu-dharma-dānaṃ.) It may be better not to remove the hyphenation. Or at least one should leave the first hyphen, between vara and uttamu, for without it, it may seem as if we have in the third quarter of the verse 13 syllables, with the metrical pattern – – ∪ – ∪ ∪ – ∪ ∪ – ∪ – – . With the hyphen the reader sees (and hears) more easily that we have 14 syllables, with the standard metrical pattern of the RGSG: – – ∪ – ∪ ∪ ∪ – ∪ ∪ – ∪ – – . In other words, we have to pronounce here not varau (वरौ), two syllables, but vara-u (वर-उ), three syllables.
Thanks again,
H
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Dear Haru, thanks a lot! D.
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