Answer by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena for Should Buddhist teachers get rich?

If a teacher becomes rich by means of his professional or business activities there is no issue. If you are commercialising the Dhamma then this goes against the spirit of the Dhamma. Ideally there should be no fee.

E.g. meditation centres run under http://dhamma.org/ does not charge any fixed fee but but run on donation basis:

In a course like this, one has a wonderful opportunity to develop this p±ram². Whatever one receives here is donated by another person; there are no charges for room and board, and certainly none for the teaching. In turn, one is able to give a donation for the benefit of someone else. The amount one gives will vary according to one’s means. Naturally a wealthy person will wish to give more, but even the smallest donation, given with proper volition, is very valuable in developing this p±ram². Without expecting anything in return, one gives so that others may experience the benefits of Dhamma and may come out of their suffering.

Source: The Discourse Summaries

Forest Dhamma Books make lot of books available for free. The books carry the following message:

THIS BOOK IS A FREE GIFT OF DHAMMA & MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE. ALL COMMERCIAL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The Dhamma should not be sold like goods in the market place. Permission to reproduce in any way for free distribution, as a gift of Dhamma, is hereby granted and no further permission need be obtained. Reproduction in any way for commercial gain is prohibited.

Also The Three Roots Inc by Piya Tan discusses multiple instances and issues which has arisen due to promoting religion like a business with profit motives.

The Dhamma should be available for everyone for free has how it was taught by the Buddha and subsequently until recently.

Any form of voluntary donation either in material or cash (for lay teachers) is fine as long as it is not solicited or there is a fixed fee.

from http://ift.tt/1SxIv4T - User Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena - Buddhism Stack Exchange (http://ift.tt/1NMLzIc) by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena (http://ift.tt/1ZwZIP2)