  We point out subtleties in the previous sum rule calculations of the $\pi NN$
coupling associated with using either the PV or the PS coupling schemes in
modeling the phenomenological side. We propose a sum rule which is independent
of the coupling schemes used and has less uncertainty in the OPE. The obtained
value is $g_{\pi N}=9.76 \pm 2.04$ where the uncertainty mainly comes from the
quark-gluon mixed condensate.
