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# AN 4:42 · Questions (Pañha Sutta)
- URL: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-4-42/
- Published: 2026-06-01T02:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T16:37:55.000Z
- Description: Aṅguttara Nikāya · AN 4:42. Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.
- Author: Ninth Heaven Literature & Arts Association (NHLAA)
- Tags: Buddhism, Sutta Piṭaka, Text, Indian, The Buddha, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Verse, Pali, Early Buddhist, Library, #Import 2026-07-06 03:33

“There are these four ways of answering questions. Which four? There are questions that should be answered categorically \[straightforwardly yes, no, this, that\]. There are questions that should be answered with an analytical answer \[defining or redefining the terms\]. There are questions that should be answered with a counter-question. There are questions that should be put aside. These are the four ways of answering questions.”

First the categorical statement,

then the analytical statement,

third, the type to be counter-questioned,

& fourth, the one to be put aside.

Any monk who knows which is which,

in line with the Dhamma,

is said to be skilled

in the four types of questions:

hard to overcome, hard to beat,

profound, hard to defeat.

He knows what’s worthwhile

& what’s not,

proficient in (recognizing) both,

he

rejects the worthless,

grasps the worthwhile.

He’s called

one who has broken through

to what’s worthwhile,

enlightened,

wise.

See also: [DN 9](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/dn-09/); [MN 2](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/mn-2/); [MN 58](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/mn-58/); [MN 72](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/mn-72/); [SN 12:35](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-12-35/); [SN 12:46](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-12-46/); [SN 22:82](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-22-82/); [SN 22:85–86](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-22-85/); [SN 44:10](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-44-10/); [AN 3:74](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-3-74/); [AN 4:77](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-4-77/); [AN 5:165](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-5-165/); [AN 7:51](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-7-51/); [AN 10:93—96](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-10-93/)

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*Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) licence, for free distribution only. Source: [dhammatalks.org](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN4%5F42.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) (Metta Forest Monastery).*