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

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

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

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

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

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

Dutiyaṁ.