sutta » an » an5 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.157

Dukkathāsutta

Inappropriate Talk

“Pañcannaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalānaṁ kathā dukkathā puggale puggalaṁ upanidhāya.
“Mendicants, it is inappropriate to speak to five kinds of person by comparing that person with someone else.

Katamesaṁ pañcannaṁ?
What five?

Assaddhassa, bhikkhave, saddhākathā dukkathā;
It’s inappropriate to talk to an unfaithful person about faith.

dussīlassa sīlakathā dukkathā;
It’s inappropriate to talk to an unethical person about ethics.

appassutassa bāhusaccakathā dukkathā;
It’s inappropriate to talk to an unlearned person about learning.

maccharissa cāgakathā dukkathā;
It’s inappropriate to talk to a stingy person about generosity.

duppaññassa paññākathā dukkathā.
It’s inappropriate to talk to a witless person about wisdom.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, assaddhassa saddhākathā dukkathā?
And why is it inappropriate to talk to an unfaithful person about faith?

Assaddho, bhikkhave, saddhākathāya kacchamānāya abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When an unfaithful person is spoken to about faith they lose their temper, becoming annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, and displaying annoyance, hate, and bitterness.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Tañhi so, bhikkhave, saddhāsampadaṁ attani na samanupassati, na ca labhati tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ.
Not seeing that faith in themselves, they don’t get the rapture and joy that faith brings.

Tasmā assaddhassa saddhākathā dukkathā.
That’s why it’s inappropriate to talk to an unfaithful person about faith.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, dussīlassa sīlakathā dukkathā?
And why is it inappropriate to talk to an unethical person about ethics?

Dussīlo, bhikkhave, sīlakathāya kacchamānāya abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When an unethical person is spoken to about ethics they lose their temper …

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Tañhi so, bhikkhave, sīlasampadaṁ attani na samanupassati na ca labhati tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ.
Not seeing that ethical conduct in themselves, they don’t get the rapture and joy that ethical conduct brings.

Tasmā dussīlassa sīlakathā dukkathā.
That’s why it’s inappropriate to talk to an unethical person about ethics.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, appassutassa bāhusaccakathā dukkathā?
And why is it inappropriate to talk to an unlearned person about learning?

Appassuto, bhikkhave, bāhusaccakathāya kacchamānāya abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When an unlearned person is spoken to about learning they lose their temper …

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Tañhi so, bhikkhave, sutasampadaṁ attani na samanupassati, na ca labhati tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ.
Not seeing that learning in themselves, they don’t get the rapture and joy that learning brings.

Tasmā appassutassa bāhusaccakathā dukkathā.
That’s why it’s inappropriate to talk to an unlearned person about learning.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, maccharissa cāgakathā dukkathā?
And why is it inappropriate to talk to a stingy person about generosity?

Maccharī, bhikkhave, cāgakathāya kacchamānāya abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When an stingy person is spoken to about generosity they lose their temper …

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Tañhi so, bhikkhave, cāgasampadaṁ attani na samanupassati na ca labhati tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ.
Not seeing that generosity in themselves, they don’t get the rapture and joy that generosity brings.

Tasmā maccharissa cāgakathā dukkathā.
That’s why it’s inappropriate to talk to a stingy person about generosity.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, duppaññassa paññākathā dukkathā?
And why is it inappropriate to talk to a witless person about wisdom?

Duppañño, bhikkhave, paññākathāya kacchamānāya abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When a witless person is spoken to about wisdom they lose their temper, becoming annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, and displaying annoyance, hate, and bitterness.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Tañhi so, bhikkhave, paññāsampadaṁ attani na samanupassati, na ca labhati tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ.
Not seeing that wisdom in themselves, they don’t get the rapture and joy that wisdom brings.

Tasmā duppaññassa paññākathā dukkathā.
That’s why it’s inappropriate to talk to a witless person about wisdom.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ puggalānaṁ kathā dukkathā puggale puggalaṁ upanidhāya.
It is inappropriate to speak to these five kinds of person by comparing that person with someone else.

Pañcannaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalānaṁ kathā sukathā puggale puggalaṁ upanidhāya.
It is appropriate to speak to five kinds of person by comparing that person with someone else.

Katamesaṁ pañcannaṁ?
What five?

Saddhassa, bhikkhave, saddhākathā sukathā;
It’s appropriate to talk to a faithful person about faith.

sīlavato sīlakathā sukathā;
It’s appropriate to talk to an ethical person about ethical conduct.

bahussutassa bāhusaccakathā sukathā;
It’s appropriate to talk to a learned person about learning.

cāgavato cāgakathā sukathā;
It’s appropriate to talk to a generous person about generosity.

paññavato paññākathā sukathā.
It’s appropriate to talk to a wise person about wisdom.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, saddhassa saddhākathā sukathā?
And why is it appropriate to talk to a faithful person about faith?

Saddho, bhikkhave, saddhākathāya kacchamānāya nābhisajjati na kuppati na byāpajjati na patitthīyati na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When a faithful person is spoken to about faith they don’t lose their temper, they don’t get annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, or display annoyance, hate, and bitterness.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Tañhi so, bhikkhave, saddhāsampadaṁ attani samanupassati labhati ca tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ.
Seeing that faith in themselves, they get the rapture and joy that faith brings.

Tasmā saddhassa saddhākathā sukathā.
That’s why it’s appropriate to talk to a faithful person about faith.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, sīlavato sīlakathā sukathā?
And why is it appropriate to talk to an ethical person about ethical conduct?

Sīlavā, bhikkhave, sīlakathāya kacchamānāya nābhisajjati na kuppati na byāpajjati na patitthīyati na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When an ethical person is spoken to about ethical conduct they don’t lose their temper …

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Tañhi so, bhikkhave, sīlasampadaṁ attani samanupassati, labhati ca tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ.
Seeing that ethical conduct in themselves, they get the rapture and joy that ethical conduct brings.

Tasmā sīlavato sīlakathā sukathā.
That’s why it’s appropriate to talk to an ethical person about ethical conduct.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, bahussutassa bāhusaccakathā sukathā?
And why is it appropriate to talk to a learned person about learning?

Bahussuto, bhikkhave, bāhusaccakathāya kacchamānāya nābhisajjati na kuppati na byāpajjati na patitthīyati na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When a learned person is spoken to about learning they don’t lose their temper …

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Tañhi so, bhikkhave, sutasampadaṁ attani samanupassati, labhati ca tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ.
Seeing that learning in themselves, they get the rapture and joy that learning brings.

Tasmā bahussutassa bāhusaccakathā sukathā.
That’s why it’s appropriate to talk to a learned person about learning.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, cāgavato cāgakathā sukathā?
And why is it appropriate to talk to a generous person about generosity?

Cāgavā, bhikkhave, cāgakathāya kacchamānāya nābhisajjati na kuppati na byāpajjati na patitthīyati na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When a generous person is spoken to about generosity they don’t lose their temper …

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Tañhi so, bhikkhave, cāgasampadaṁ attani samanupassati, labhati ca tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ.
Seeing that generosity in themselves, they get the rapture and joy that generosity brings.

Tasmā cāgavato cāgakathā sukathā.
That’s why it’s appropriate to talk to a generous person about generosity.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, paññavato paññākathā sukathā?
And why is it appropriate to talk to a wise person about wisdom?

Paññavā, bhikkhave, paññākathāya kacchamānāya nābhisajjati na kuppati na byāpajjati na patitthīyati na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When a wise person is spoken to about wisdom they don’t lose their temper, they don’t get annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, or display annoyance, hate, and bitterness.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Tañhi so, bhikkhave, paññāsampadaṁ attani samanupassati labhati ca tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ.
Seeing that wisdom in themselves, they get the rapture and joy that wisdom brings.

Tasmā paññavato paññākathā sukathā.
That’s why it’s appropriate to talk to a wise person about wisdom.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ puggalānaṁ kathā sukathā puggale puggalaṁ upanidhāyā”ti.
It is appropriate to speak to these five kinds of person by comparing that person with someone else.”

Sattamaṁ.