1.1“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, kathāvatthūni.∥“There are, mendicants, these three topics of discussion.1.2Katamāni tīṇi?What three?1.3Atītaṁ vā, bhikkhave, addhānaṁ ārabbha kathaṁ katheyya:You might discuss the past:1.4‘evaṁ ahosi atītamaddhānan’ti.‘That is how it was in the past.’1.5Anāgataṁ vā, bhikkhave, addhānaṁ ārabbha kathaṁ katheyya:You might discuss the future:1.6‘evaṁ bhavissati anāgatamaddhānan’ti.‘That is how it will be in the future.’1.7Etarahi vā, bhikkhave, paccuppannaṁ addhānaṁ ārabbha kathaṁ katheyya:Or you might discuss the present:1.8‘evaṁ hoti etarahi paccuppannamaddhānan’ti.‘This is how it is at present.’

2.1Kathāsampayogena, bhikkhave, puggalo veditabbo yadi vā kaccho yadi vā akacchoti.You can know whether or not an individual is competent to hold a discussion by seeing how they take part in a discussion.2.2Sacāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno ekaṁsabyākaraṇīyaṁ pañhaṁ na ekaṁsena byākaroti, vibhajjabyākaraṇīyaṁ pañhaṁ na vibhajja byākaroti, paṭipucchābyākaraṇīyaṁ pañhaṁ na paṭipucchā byākaroti, ṭhapanīyaṁ pañhaṁ na ṭhapeti, evaṁ santāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo akaccho hoti.When an individual is asked a question, if it needs to be answered categorically and they don’t answer it categorically; or if it needs analysis and they answer without analyzing it; or if it needs a counter-question and they answer without a counter-question; or if it should be set aside and they don’t set it aside, then that individual is not competent to hold a discussion.2.3Sace panāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno ekaṁsabyākaraṇīyaṁ pañhaṁ ekaṁsena byākaroti, vibhajjabyākaraṇīyaṁ pañhaṁ vibhajja byākaroti, paṭipucchābyākaraṇīyaṁ pañhaṁ paṭipucchā byākaroti, ṭhapanīyaṁ pañhaṁ ṭhapeti, evaṁ santāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo kaccho hoti.When an individual is asked a question, if it needs to be answered categorically and they answer it categorically; or if it needs analysis and they answer after analyzing it; or if it needs a counter-question and they answer with a counter-question; or if it should be set aside and they set it aside, then that individual is competent to hold a discussion.

3.1PTS 1.198Kathāsampayogena, bhikkhave, puggalo veditabbo yadi vā kaccho yadi vā akacchoti.You can know whether or not an individual is competent to hold a discussion by seeing how they take part in a discussion.3.2Sacāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno ṭhānāṭhāne na saṇṭhāti parikappe na saṇṭhāti aññātavāde na saṇṭhāti paṭipadāya na saṇṭhāti, evaṁ santāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo akaccho hoti.When an individual is asked a question, if they’re not consistent about what their position is and what it isn’t; about what they propose; about speaking from what they know; and about the appropriate procedure, then that individual is not competent to hold a discussion.3.3Sace panāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno ṭhānāṭhāne saṇṭhāti parikappe saṇṭhāti aññātavāde saṇṭhāti paṭipadāya saṇṭhāti, evaṁ santāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo kaccho hoti.When an individual is asked a question, if they are consistent about what their position is and what it isn’t; about what they propose; about speaking from what they know; and about the appropriate procedure, then that individual is competent to hold a discussion.

4.1Kathāsampayogena, bhikkhave, puggalo veditabbo yadi vā kaccho yadi vā akacchoti.You can know whether or not an individual is competent to hold a discussion by seeing how they take part in a discussion.4.2Sacāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno aññenaññaṁ paṭicarati, bahiddhā kathaṁ apanāmeti, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti, evaṁ santāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo akaccho hoti.When an individual is asked a question, if they dodge the issue; distract the discussion with irrelevant points; or display annoyance, hate, and bitterness, then that individual is not competent to hold a discussion.4.3Sace panāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno na aññenaññaṁ paṭicarati na bahiddhā kathaṁ apanāmeti, na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti, evaṁ santāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo kaccho hoti.When an individual is asked a question, if they don’t dodge the issue; distract the discussion with irrelevant points; or display annoyance, hate, and bitterness, then that individual is competent to hold a discussion.

5.1Kathāsampayogena, bhikkhave, puggalo veditabbo yadi vā kaccho yadi vā akacchoti.You can know whether or not an individual is competent to hold a discussion by seeing how they take part in a discussion.5.2Sacāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno abhiharati abhimaddati anupajagghati khalitaṁ gaṇhāti, evaṁ santāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo akaccho hoti.When an individual is asked a question, if they intimidate, crush, mock, or seize on trivial mistakes, then that individual is not competent to hold a discussion.5.3Sace panāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno nābhiharati nābhimaddati na anupajagghati na khalitaṁ gaṇhāti, evaṁ santāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo kaccho hoti.When an individual is asked a question, if they don’t intimidate, crush, mock, or seize on trivial mistakes, then that individual is competent to hold a discussion.

6.1Kathāsampayogena, bhikkhave, puggalo veditabbo yadi vā saupaniso yadi vā anupanisoti.You can know whether or not an individual has what’s required by seeing how they take part in a discussion.6.2Anohitasoto, bhikkhave, anupaniso hoti, ohitasoto saupaniso hoti.If they actively listen they have what’s required; if they don’t actively listen they don’t have what’s required.6.3So saupaniso samāno abhijānāti ekaṁ dhammaṁ, parijānāti ekaṁ dhammaṁ, pajahati ekaṁ dhammaṁ, sacchikaroti ekaṁ dhammaṁ.Someone who has what’s required directly knows one thing, completely understands one thing, gives up one thing, and realizes one thing—6.4So abhijānanto ekaṁ dhammaṁ, parijānanto ekaṁ dhammaṁ, pajahanto ekaṁ dhammaṁ, sacchikaronto ekaṁ dhammaṁ sammāvimuttiṁ phusati.and then they experience complete freedom.6.5Etadatthā, bhikkhave, kathā;This is the purpose of discussion,6.6etadatthā mantanā;consultation,6.7etadatthā upanisā;sitting close,6.8etadatthaṁ sotāvadhānaṁ, yadidaṁ anupādā cittassa vimokkhoti.and listening well, that is, the liberation of the mind by not grasping.

7.1PTS 1.199Ye viruddhā sallapanti,Those who converse with hostility,7.2viniviṭṭhā samussitā;too sure of themselves, arrogant,7.3Anariyaguṇamāsajja,ignoble, attacking virtues,7.4aññoññavivaresino.they look for flaws in each other.

8.1Dubbhāsitaṁ vikkhalitaṁ,They rejoice together when their opponent8.2sampamohaṁ parājayaṁ;speaks poorly and makes a mistake,8.3Aññoññassābhinandanti,becoming confused and defeated—8.4tadariyo kathanācare.but the noble ones don’t discuss like this.

9.1Sace cassa kathākāmo,If an astute person wants to hold a discussion9.2kālamaññāya paṇḍito;connected with the teaching and its meaning—9.3Dhammaṭṭhapaṭisaṁyuttā,the kind of discussion that noble ones hold—9.4yā ariyacaritā kathā.then that attentive one should start the discussion,

10.1Taṁ kathaṁ kathaye dhīro,knowing when the time is right,10.2aviruddho anussito;neither hostile nor arrogant.10.3Anunnatena manasā,Not over-excited,10.4apaḷāso asāhaso.contemptuous, or aggressive,

11.1Anusūyāyamāno so,or with a mind full of jealousy,11.2sammadaññāya bhāsati;they’d speak from what they rightly know.11.3Subhāsitaṁ anumodeyya,They agree with what was well spoken,11.4dubbhaṭṭhe nāpasādaye.without criticizing what was poorly said.

12.1Upārambhaṁ na sikkheyya,They’d not persist in finding faults,12.2khalitañca na gāhaye;nor seize on trivial mistakes,12.3Nābhihare nābhimadde,neither intimidating nor crushing the other,12.4na vācaṁ payutaṁ bhaṇe.nor would they speak suggestively.

13.1Aññātatthaṁ pasādatthaṁ,Good people consult13.2sataṁ ve hoti mantanā;for the sake of knowledge and clarity.13.3Evaṁ kho ariyā mantenti,That’s how the noble ones consult,13.4esā ariyāna mantanā;this is a noble consultation.13.5Etadaññāya medhāvī,Knowing this, an intelligent person13.6na samusseyya mantaye”ti.would consult without arrogance.”

13.7Sattamaṁ.