English
He should not engage in contentious talk. What is contentious talk? Here, someone engages in such talk: "You do not understand this Dhamma and Discipline... (and so on)... explain it if you can!" For this was said by the Blessed One: "When there is contentious talk, Moggallāna, an abundance of talk is to be expected; when there is an abundance of talk, agitation; for the agitated, lack of restraint; for the unrestrained, the mind is far from concentration." He should not engage in contentious talk. He should not speak contentious talk, nor utter it, nor reveal it, nor use it. He should abandon contentious talk, dispel it, make an end of it, bring it to naught. He should be remote from contentious talk, detached, fully detached, gone forth, released, liberated, disjoined, he should dwell with a mind free from boundaries – he should not engage in contentious talk. Therefore the Blessed One said: A bhikkhu should not be a talker, nor should he speak words that are put forth (for contention); He should not train in presumption, nor engage in contentious talk. 166. He should not be led by falsehood, being mindful, he should not do deceitful things; Nor should he despise others because of his life, wisdom, or observances. He should not be led by falsehood – Falsehood is called False speech. Here, some person, gone to an assembly, or gone to a gathering, ... for the sake of some trifling gain, or for some material thing, knowingly speaks falsely – this is called false speech. Moreover, false speech occurs in three ways: Beforehand, one thinks: "I will speak falsely." While speaking, one thinks: "I am speaking falsely." After speaking, one thinks: "I have spoken falsely." In these three ways, false speech occurs. Moreover, in four ways... in five ways... in six ways... in seven ways... in eight ways... false speech occurs: Beforehand, one thinks: "I will speak falsely." While speaking, one thinks: "I am speaking falsely." After speaking, one thinks: "I have spoken falsely." Having set aside one's view, having set aside one's patience, having set aside one's preference, having set aside one's perception, having set aside one's state of mind – in these eight ways, false speech occurs. One should not be carried away by false speech. In false speech, one should not go forth, one should not be carried away, one should not be borne along, one should not be swept away. One should abandon false speech, dispel it, make an end of it, bring it to naught. One should be withdrawn from false speech, abstain from it, refrain from it, departed from it, released from it, freed from it, disassociated from it, and dwell with a mind free from boundaries – one should not be carried away by false speech. Mindful, one should not practice deceit. What is deceit? Here, some person is deceitful, very deceitful. That which is deceit there, deceitfulness, cunning, craftiness, trickery, scheming – this is called deceit. Mindful, one should not practice deceit. Being mindful, one should not do deceit, nor generate it, nor produce it, nor bring it into being, nor manifest it. One should abandon deceit, dispel it, make an end of it, bring it to naught. One should be withdrawn from deceit, abstain from it, refrain from it, departed from it, released from it, freed from it, disassociated from it, and dwell with a mind free from boundaries – mindful, one should not practice deceit. Then by life, by wisdom, by moral practice, Does not despise others. "Atha" is a word combination... and so on... the sequence of words is "atha". Here, some person living a coarse life despises another living a refined life, thinking: "Why, this one with abundant livelihood devours everything, namely, root seeds, stem seeds, joint seeds, tip seeds, and fifth, seed seeds themselves, like a thunderbolt, a wheel, a tooth-peak, by the exertion of an ascetic." So, by that coarse life, he despises another living a refined life. Here, some person living a refined life despises another living a coarse life, thinking: "Why, this one is of little merit, of little influence, not obtaining robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines for the sick, and requisites." So, by that refined life, he despises another living a coarse life. Here, some person is endowed with wisdom. Being questioned, he answers the problem. It occurs to him thus: "I am endowed with wisdom, but these others are not endowed with wisdom." So, by that endowment of wisdom, he despises another. Here, some person is endowed with virtue, he dwells restrained by the Pātimokkha restraint, endowed with good conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, undertaking and training in the precepts. It occurs to him thus: "I am endowed with virtue, but these other monks are immoral, of evil nature." So, by that endowment of virtue, he despises another. Here, some person is endowed with ascetic practices, whether a forest dweller, or an alms-gatherer, or a rag-robe wearer, or a triple-robe wearer, or one who walks for alms in sequence, or one who eats only once a day, or one who practices the sitting posture, or one who is content with whatever bed and seat. It occurs to him thus: "I am endowed with ascetic practices, but these others are not endowed with ascetic practices." So, by that endowment of ascetic practices, he despises another. Then, by livelihood, by wisdom, by virtue and ascetic practices, one should not despise another. By coarse livelihood, or by refined livelihood, or by endowment of wisdom, or by endowment of virtue, or by endowment of ascetic practices, one should not despise another, should not look down upon, should not generate conceit thereby, not those... He should not be stiff, nor arrogant, with head held high— then by life, by wisdom, by moral practices, he should not despise others. Therefore the Blessed One said: “He should not be led astray by falsehood, aware, he should not act deceitfully; Then by life, by wisdom, by moral practices, he should not despise others.” 167. Having heard much speech that is harsh, from ascetics or from ordinary people; He should not answer them with harshness, for the good do not make an opposing army. “Having heard much speech that is harsh, from ascetics or from ordinary people.” “Harsh” means: defiled, reviled, struck, scorned, blamed, reproached. “From ascetics” means: any who have gone forth into wandering, who have entered into wandering, outside of this [teaching]. “From ordinary people” means: khattiyas and brahmins and vessas and suddas, and householders and renunciants, and devas and humans—if they should abuse, revile, anger, enrage, harm, injure, torment, vex, kill, destroy, cause destruction with many words, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable—having heard, having listened to, having grasped, having considered, having observed that much speech, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable—this is “having heard much speech that is harsh, from ascetics or from ordinary people.” “He should not answer them with harshness.” “With harshness” means: with harsh, rough [words] he should not answer, should not retort; he should not return abuse to one who abuses, should not return anger to one who angers, should not return a quarrel to one who quarrels, should not make a dispute, should not make a quarrel, should not make a contention, should not make a controversy, should not make a conflict; he should abandon, dispel, put an end to, bring to naught quarrel, dispute, contention, controversy, conflict; he should be aloof from, abstinent from, refrained from, departed from, released from, disjoined from quarrel, dispute, contention, controversy, conflict, he should dwell with a mind that is unbounded—this is “he should not answer them with harshness.” “For the good do not make an opposing army.” S Ended, because of the burning of lust, a peaceful one. Of hatred... of delusion... of anger... of resentment... etc. Because all unwholesome volitional formations are extinguished, calmed, thoroughly calmed, quenched, cooled, gone, tranquilized, therefore one is peaceful, thoroughly peaceful, completely peaceful, cooled, tranquilized – a peaceful one. Indeed, peaceful ones do not make opposition. Peaceful ones do not make, do not generate, do not produce, do not bring forth, do not bring into being opposition, adversaries, enemies, opponents – indeed, peaceful ones do not make opposition. Therefore the Blessed One said: "Having heard many words, angered, whether of ascetics or of ordinary people; Do not answer them with harshness, indeed, peaceful ones do not make opposition." Having understood this Dhamma, a discerning monk should always train mindfully; Knowing peace as extinguishment, he should not be negligent in Gotama's Dispensation. 'Having understood this Dhamma,' means: Having understood, known, weighed, judged, clarified, made manifest this Dhamma that has been explained, taught, declared, established, opened, analyzed, made clear, revealed. Thus also, 'having understood this Dhamma.' Or else, having understood, known, weighed, judged, clarified, made manifest the Dhamma that is right and wrong, the path and the wrong path, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, dark and bright, blamed by the wise and praised by the wise. Thus also, 'having understood this Dhamma.' Or else, having understood, known, weighed, judged, clarified, made manifest the Dhamma that is the right practice, the conforming practice, the non-hostile practice, the non-conflicting practice, the meaningful practice, the practice in accordance with the Dhamma, the complete fulfillment in virtues, the guarding of the doors of the senses, moderation in eating, devotion to wakefulness, mindfulness and clear comprehension, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, the Noble Eightfold Path, Nibbāna and the practice leading to Nibbāna.