Preperation of htmls into ATI.eu currently in progress. Please visit the corresponding page at ZzE. If inspired to get involved in this merits here, one may feel invited to join best here: [ATI.eu] ATI/ZzE Content-style

Pañhapuccha Sutta: On Asking Questions

Pañhapuccha Sutta

Summary: Five possible motives behind asking a question.

AN 5.165 PTS: A iii 191

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

2004-2018

- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -

Then Ven. Sariputta addressed the monks: “Friend monks.”

“Yes, friend,” the monks responded to him.

Ven. Sariputta said: “All those who ask questions of another do so from any one of five motivations. Which five?

“One asks a question of another through stupidity & bewilderment. One asks a question of another through evil desires & overwhelmed with greed. One asks a question of another through contempt. One asks a question of another when desiring knowledge. Or one asks a question with this thought,(1) 'If, when asked, he answers correctly, well & good. If not, then I will answer correctly [for him].'

“All those who ask questions of another do so from any one of these five motivations. And as for me, when I ask a question of another, it's with this thought: 'If, when asked, he answers correctly, well & good. If not, then I will answer correctly [for him].'

Note

1.: Reading panevam-citto with the Thai edition. The PTS reading — pakuppanto citto, “with a provoked heart” — does not fit the context at all.

See also: AN 3.67; AN 4.42

top

Provenance:

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: ©2004 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.

This Zugang zur Einsicht edition is 2013 (ATI 2004-2012).

Translations, rebublishing, editing and additions are in the sphere of responsibility of Zugang zur Einsicht.

Scope of this Dhamma-Gift: You are invited to not only use this Dhamma-Gift here for yourself but also to share it, and your merits with it, again as a Dhamma gift and to copy, reformat, reprint, republish and redistribute this work in any medium whatsoever, provided that: (1) you only make such copies, etc. available free of charge; (2) you clearly indicate that any derivatives of this work (including translations) are derived from this source document; and (3) you include the full text of this “Scope of this Dhamma-Gift” in any copies or derivatives of this work. Anything beyond this is not given here. For additional information about this license, see the FAQ.

How to cite this document (one suggested style): “Pañhapuccha Sutta: On Asking Questions” (AN 5.165), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight, 9 July 2010, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.165.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/an05/an05.165.than_en.html retreived on: “date”

Help | About | Contact | Scope of the Dhamma gift | Collaboration
Anumodana puñña kusala!

User Tools

Site Tools

Sidebar

Pañhapuccha Sutta: On Asking Questions

Note

Page Tools