AN 5.157

Dukkathāsutta

“Pañcannaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalānaṁ kathā dukkathā puggale puggalaṁ upanidhāya. Katamesaṁ pañcannaṁ? Assaddhassa, bhikkhave, saddhākathā dukkathā; dussīlassa sīlakathā dukkathā; appassutassa bāhusaccakathā dukkathā; maccharissa cāgakathā dukkathā; duppaññassa paññākathā dukkathā.

Inappropriate Talk

“Mendicants, it is inappropriate to speak to five individuals by comparing that individual with someone else. What five? It’s inappropriate to talk to an unfaithful person about faith. It’s inappropriate to talk to an unethical person about ethics. It’s inappropriate to talk to an unlearned person about learning. It’s inappropriate to talk to a stingy person about generosity. It’s inappropriate to talk to a witless person about wisdom.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, assaddhassa saddhākathā dukkathā? Assaddho, bhikkhave, saddhākathāya kacchamānāya abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tañhi so, bhikkhave, saddhāsampadaṁ attani na samanupassati, na ca labhati tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ. Tasmā assaddhassa saddhākathā dukkathā.

And why is it inappropriate to talk to an unfaithful person about faith? 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. Why is that? Not seeing that faith in themselves, they don’t get the rapture and joy that faith brings. That’s why it’s inappropriate to talk to an unfaithful person about faith.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, dussīlassa sīlakathā dukkathā? Dussīlo, bhikkhave, sīlakathāya kacchamānāya abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tañhi so, bhikkhave, sīlasampadaṁ attani na samanupassati na ca labhati tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ. Tasmā dussīlassa sīlakathā dukkathā.

And why is it inappropriate to talk to an unethical person about ethics? When an unethical person is spoken to about ethics they lose their temper … Why is that? Not seeing that ethical conduct in themselves, they don’t get the rapture and joy that ethical conduct brings. That’s why it’s inappropriate to talk to an unethical person about ethics.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, appassutassa bāhusaccakathā dukkathā? Appassuto, bhikkhave, bāhusaccakathāya kacchamānāya abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tañhi so, bhikkhave, sutasampadaṁ attani na samanupassati, na ca labhati tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ. Tasmā appassutassa bāhusaccakathā dukkathā.

And why is it inappropriate to talk to an unlearned person about learning? When an unlearned person is spoken to about learning they lose their temper … Why is that? Not seeing that learning in themselves, they don’t get the rapture and joy that learning brings. That’s why it’s inappropriate to talk to an unlearned person about learning.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, maccharissa cāgakathā dukkathā? Maccharī, bhikkhave, cāgakathāya kacchamānāya abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tañhi so, bhikkhave, cāgasampadaṁ attani na samanupassati na ca labhati tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ. Tasmā maccharissa cāgakathā dukkathā.

And why is it inappropriate to talk to a stingy person about generosity? When a stingy person is spoken to about generosity they lose their temper … Why is that? Not seeing that generosity in themselves, they don’t get the rapture and joy that generosity brings. That’s why it’s inappropriate to talk to a stingy person about generosity.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, duppaññassa paññākathā dukkathā? Duppañño, bhikkhave, paññākathāya kacchamānāya abhisajjati kuppati byāpajjati patitthīyati kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tañhi so, bhikkhave, paññāsampadaṁ attani na samanupassati, na ca labhati tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ. Tasmā duppaññassa paññākathā dukkathā. Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ puggalānaṁ kathā dukkathā puggale puggalaṁ upanidhāya.

And why is it inappropriate to talk to a witless person about wisdom? 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. Why is that? Not seeing that wisdom in themselves, they don’t get the rapture and joy that wisdom brings. That’s why it’s inappropriate to talk to a witless person about wisdom. It is inappropriate to speak to these five individuals by comparing that individual with someone else.

Pañcannaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalānaṁ kathā sukathā puggale puggalaṁ upanidhāya. Katamesaṁ pañcannaṁ? Saddhassa, bhikkhave, saddhākathā sukathā; sīlavato sīlakathā sukathā; bahussutassa bāhusaccakathā sukathā; cāgavato cāgakathā sukathā; paññavato paññākathā sukathā.

It is appropriate to speak to five individuals by comparing that individual with someone else. What five? It’s appropriate to talk to a faithful person about faith. It’s appropriate to talk to an ethical person about ethical conduct. It’s appropriate to talk to a learned person about learning. It’s appropriate to talk to a generous person about generosity. It’s appropriate to talk to a wise person about wisdom.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, saddhassa saddhākathā sukathā? Saddho, bhikkhave, saddhākathāya kacchamānāya nābhisajjati na kuppati na byāpajjati na patitthīyati na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tañhi so, bhikkhave, saddhāsampadaṁ attani samanupassati labhati ca tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ. Tasmā saddhassa saddhākathā sukathā.

And why is it appropriate to talk to a faithful person about faith? 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. Why is that? Seeing that faith in themselves, they get the rapture and joy that faith brings. That’s why it’s appropriate to talk to a faithful person about faith.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, sīlavato sīlakathā sukathā? Sīlavā, bhikkhave, sīlakathāya kacchamānāya nābhisajjati na kuppati na byāpajjati na patitthīyati na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tañhi so, bhikkhave, sīlasampadaṁ attani samanupassati, labhati ca tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ. Tasmā sīlavato sīlakathā sukathā.

And why is it appropriate to talk to an ethical person about ethical conduct? When an ethical person is spoken to about ethical conduct they don’t lose their temper … Why is that? Seeing that ethical conduct in themselves, they get the rapture and joy that ethical conduct brings. That’s why it’s appropriate to talk to an ethical person about ethical conduct.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, bahussutassa bāhusaccakathā sukathā? Bahussuto, bhikkhave, bāhusaccakathāya kacchamānāya nābhisajjati na kuppati na byāpajjati na patitthīyati na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tañhi so, bhikkhave, sutasampadaṁ attani samanupassati, labhati ca tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ. Tasmā bahussutassa bāhusaccakathā sukathā.

And why is it appropriate to talk to a learned person about learning? When a learned person is spoken to about learning they don’t lose their temper … Why is that? Seeing that learning in themselves, they get the rapture and joy that learning brings. That’s why it’s appropriate to talk to a learned person about learning.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, cāgavato cāgakathā sukathā? Cāgavā, bhikkhave, cāgakathāya kacchamānāya nābhisajjati na kuppati na byāpajjati na patitthīyati na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tañhi so, bhikkhave, cāgasampadaṁ attani samanupassati, labhati ca tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ. Tasmā cāgavato cāgakathā sukathā.

And why is it appropriate to talk to a generous person about generosity? When a generous person is spoken to about generosity they don’t lose their temper … Why is that? Seeing that generosity in themselves, they get the rapture and joy that generosity brings. That’s why it’s appropriate to talk to a generous person about generosity.

Kasmā ca, bhikkhave, paññavato paññākathā sukathā? Paññavā, bhikkhave, paññākathāya kacchamānāya nābhisajjati na kuppati na byāpajjati na patitthīyati na kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tañhi so, bhikkhave, paññāsampadaṁ attani samanupassati labhati ca tatonidānaṁ pītipāmojjaṁ. Tasmā paññavato paññākathā sukathā. Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ puggalānaṁ kathā sukathā puggale puggalaṁ upanidhāyā”ti.

And why is it appropriate to talk to a wise person about wisdom? 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. Why is that? Seeing that wisdom in themselves, they get the rapture and joy that wisdom brings. That’s why it’s appropriate to talk to a wise person about wisdom. It is appropriate to speak to these five individuals by comparing that individual with someone else.”