1.1“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, pañhabyākaraṇāni.“Mendicants, there are these four ways of answering questions.1.2Katamāni cattāri?What four?1.3Atthi, bhikkhave, pañho ekaṁsabyākaraṇīyo;There is a question that should be answered categorically.1.4atthi, bhikkhave, pañho vibhajjabyākaraṇīyo;There is a question that should be answered analytically.1.5atthi, bhikkhave, pañho paṭipucchābyākaraṇīyo;There is a question that should be answered with a counter-question.1.6atthi, bhikkhave, pañho ṭhapanīyo.There is a question that should be set aside.

1.7Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri pañhabyākaraṇānīti.These are the four ways of answering questions.

2.1Ekaṁsavacanaṁ ekaṁ,One is stated categorically,2.2vibhajjavacanāparaṁ;another analytically,2.3Tatiyaṁ paṭipuccheyya,a third with a counter-question,2.4catutthaṁ pana ṭhāpaye.while a fourth is set aside.

3.1Yo ca tesaṁ tattha tattha,That sort of mendicant, <j>who knows each of these,3.2jānāti anudhammataṁ;in line with good principles,3.3Catupañhassa kusalo,is said to be skilled3.4āhu bhikkhuṁ tathāvidhaṁ.in the four kinds of questions.

4.1Durāsado duppasaho,They’re intimidating, hard to defeat,4.2gambhīro duppadhaṁsiyo;deep, and hard to crush.4.3Atho atthe anatthe ca,They’re expert in both4.4ubhayassa hoti kovido.what the meaning is and what it isn’t.

5.1Anatthaṁ parivajjeti,Shunning what is not the meaning,5.2atthaṁ gaṇhāti paṇḍito;an astute person grasps the meaning.5.3Atthābhisamayā dhīro,An attentive one, comprehending the meaning,5.4paṇḍitoti pavuccatī”ti.is said to be astute.”

5.5Dutiyaṁ.