One should first establish
oneself in what is proper.
One may then teach others,
and wise, one is not blamed.
Explanation: If you are keen to advise others, in the first instance establish yourself in the proper virtues. It is only then that you become fit to instruct others.
The Story of Venerable Upananda Sakyaputta (Verse 158)
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Upananda, a monk of the Sakyan clan.
Upananda was a very eloquent preacher. He used to preach to others not to be greedy and to have only a few wants and would talk eloquently on the merits of contentment and frugality (appicchata) and austere practices (dhiltan-gas). However, he did not practice what he taught and took for himself all the robes and other requisites that were given by others.
On one occasion, Upananda. went to a village monastery just before the vassa (rainy season). Some young monks, being impressed by his eloquence, asked him to spend the vassa in their monastery. He asked them how many robes each monk usually received as donation for the vassa in their monastery and they told him that they usually received one robe each. So he did not stop there, but he left his slippers in that monastery. At the next monastery, he learned that the monks usually received two robes each for the vassa; there he left his staff. At the next monastery, the monks received three robes each as donation for the vassa; there he left his water bottle. Finally, at the monastery where each monk received four robes, he decided to spend the vassa.
At the end of the vassa, he claimed his share of robes from other monasteries where he had left his personal effects. Then he collected all his things in a cart and came back to his old monastery. On his way, he met two young monks who were having a dispute over the share of two robes and a valuable velvet blanket which they had between them. Since they could not come to an amicable settlement, they asked Upananda to arbitrate. Upananda gave one robe each to them and took the valuable velvet blanket for having acted as an arbitrator.
The two young monks were not satisfied with the decision but they could do nothing about it. With a feeling of dissatisfaction and dejection, they went to the Buddha and reported the matter. To them the Buddha said, “One who teaches others should first teach himself and act as he has taught.”