1“Mendicants, there are certain topics that are inappropriate to talk about, taking into consideration which specific one of five people you are talking to. 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.

2And 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.

3And 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.

4And 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.

5And why is it inappropriate to talk to a stingy person about generosity? When an 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.

6And 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.

These are topics that are inappropriate to talk about, taking into consideration which specific one of five people you are talking to.

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7There are certain topics that are appropriate to talk about, taking into consideration which specific one of five people you are talking to. 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.

8And 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.

9And 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.

10And 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.

11And 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.

12And 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.

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These are topics that are appropriate to talk about, taking into consideration which specific one of five people you are talking to.”

1"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.

2Kasmā 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.

3Kasmā 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.

4Kasmā 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.

5Kasmā 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.

6Kasmā 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.

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7Pañcannaṁ, 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.

8Kasmā 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.

9Kasmā 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.

10Kasmā 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.

11Kasmā 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.

12Kasmā 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.

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Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ puggalānaṁ kathā sukathā puggale puggalaṁ upanidhāyā"ti.

Sattamaṁ.