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Pañha Sutta: Questions

Pañha Sutta

Summary: The Buddha's teachings on skillfulness and speech extend to mastering the art of answering questions.

AN 4.42 PTS: A ii 46

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

1997-2018

- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -

“There are these four ways of answering questions. Which four? There are questions that should be answered categorically [straightforwardly yes, no, this, that]. There are questions that should be answered with an analytical (qualified) answer [defining or redefining the terms]. There are questions that should be answered with a counter-question. There are questions that should be put aside. These are the four ways of answering questions.”

First the categorical answer, then the qualified, third, the type to be counter-questioned, & fourth, the one to be set aside. Any monk who knows which is which, in line with the Dhamma, is said to be skilled in the four types of questions: hard to overcome, hard to beat, profound, hard to defeat. He knows what's worthwhile & what's not, proficient in (recognizing) both, he rejects the worthless, grasps the worthwhile. He's called one who has broken through to what's worthwhile, prudent, wise.

See also: MN 58; MN 72; suttas in the Avyakata Samyutta; AN 3.67; AN 3.78; AN 5.165; AN 10.96

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The source of this work is the gift within Access to Insight “Offline Edition 2012.09.10.14”, last replication 12. March 2013, generously given by John Bullitt and mentioned as: ©1997 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.

This Zugang zur Einsicht edition is 2013-2014 (ATI 1997-2014).

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How to cite this document (one suggested style): “Pañha Sutta: Questions” (AN 4.42), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight, 9 July 2010, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.042.than.html . Retrieved on 10 September 2012 (Offline Edition 2012.09.10.14), republished by Zugang zur Einsicht on http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.042.than_en.html retreived on: “date”

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