Attitude when listening to Dharma - what to avoid and what to adopt

To start off, I would like to share on what a person receiving a Dharma teaching should not be like. This is using the analogy of a container:

1. Upside down container:
Like water pouring on an upside down container, the Dharma does not penetrate into your mind.
2. Contaminated container:
Like water pouring into a contaminated container cannot be drunk, the Dharma teaching you have listened to does not bring benefit because you have contaminated your
understanding of it due to pride, anger, envy and your desires.
3. Container with a hole in the bottom:
Like water pouring into a container with a hole cannot be retained, so the Dharma teachings you have listened to is completely forgotten and not retained in your mind.

You can refer to this link for details: http://www.paldensakya.org/propermotivation.html

In addition, a person receiving Dharma teaching should have the right motivation at the beginning, undivided attention during the teaching and dedicate merits at the end.
According to your tradition, either Theravada or Mahayana, you generate the proper motivation. For Theravada practitioners, you should have the motivation to attain enlightenment in order to be liberated from suffering. For Mahayana practitioners, you should have the motivation to gain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, that they be liberated from suffering.

Merits dedication should be for the liberation of all sentient beings.