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# SN 56.9 · Wordy Warfare (Viggahika Sutta)
- URL: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-56-9/
- Published: 2026-06-20T01:23:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T16:55:55.000Z
- Description: Saṁyutta Nikāya · SN 56.9. Translated by Maurice O'Connell Walshe.
- Author: Ninth Heaven Literature & Arts Association (NHLAA)
- Tags: Buddhism, Text, Indian, The Buddha, Maurice O'Connell Walshe, Saṁyutta Nikāya, Discourse, English, Early Buddhist, Library, #Import 2026-07-06 06:23, Sutta Piṭaka

"Monks, do not wage wordy warfare, saying: 'You don't understand this Dhamma and discipline, *I* understand this Dhamma and discipline'; 'How could you understand it? You have fallen into wrong practices: *I* have the right practice'; 'You have said afterwards what you should have said first, and you have said first what you should have said afterwards';\[1\] 'What I say is consistent, what you say isn't'; 'What you have thought out for so long is entirely reversed'; 'Your statement is refuted'; 'You are talking rubbish!'; 'You are in the wrong'; 'Get out of that if you can!'

"Why should you not do this? Such talk, monks, is not related to the goal, it is not fundamental to the holy life, does not conduce to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, tranquillity, higher knowledge, enlightenment or to Nibbana. When you have discussions, monks, you should discuss Suffering, the Arising of Suffering, its Cessation, and the Path that leads to its Cessation. Why is that? Because such talk is related to the goal... it conduces to disenchantment... to Nibbana. This is the task you must accomplish."

# Notes

1.

"You are putting the cart before the horse!"

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*Translated from the Pali by Maurice O'Connell Walshe.* From [Access to Insight](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.009.wlsh.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) (BCBS Edition). Licensed under free distribution only (see source for the specific license) — for free distribution only. Never sold.