The Buddha teaches on topics of discussion (2nd), presenting a tenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 10.70 Topics of Discussion (2nd)

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannisinnā sannipatitā anekavihitaṁ tiracchānakathaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ rājakathaṁ corakathaṁ mahāmattakathaṁ …pe… itibhavābhavakathaṁ iti vāti.

“Dasayimāni, bhikkhave, pāsaṁsāni ṭhānāni. Katamāni dasa? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu attanā ca appiccho hoti, appicchakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti. ‘Appiccho bhikkhu appicchakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

Attanā ca santuṭṭho hoti, santuṭṭhikathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti. ‘Santuṭṭho bhikkhu santuṭṭhikathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

Attanā ca pavivitto hoti, pavivekakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti. ‘Pavivitto bhikkhu pavivekakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

Attanā ca asaṁsaṭṭho hoti, asaṁsaṭṭhakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti. ‘Asaṁsaṭṭho bhikkhu asaṁsaṭṭhakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

Attanā ca āraddhavīriyo hoti, vīriyārambhakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti. ‘Āraddhavīriyo bhikkhu vīriyārambhakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

Attanā ca sīlasampanno hoti, sīlasampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti. ‘Sīlasampanno bhikkhu sīlasampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

Attanā ca samādhisampanno hoti, samādhisampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti. ‘Samādhisampanno bhikkhu samādhisampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

Attanā ca paññāsampanno hoti, paññāsampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti. ‘Paññāsampanno bhikkhu paññāsampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

Attanā ca vimuttisampanno hoti, vimuttisampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti. ‘Vimuttisampanno bhikkhu vimuttisampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

Attanā ca vimuttiñāṇadassanasampanno hoti, vimuttiñāṇadassanasampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti. ‘Vimuttiñāṇadassanasampanno bhikkhu vimuttiñāṇadassanasampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, dasa pāsaṁsāni ṭhānānī”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Yamakavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Avijjā taṇhā niṭṭhā ca,
avecca dve sukhāni ca;
Naḷakapāne dve vuttā,
kathāvatthūpare duveti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannisinnā sannipatitā anekavihitaṁ tiracchānakathaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ

Now at that time, after the meal, on return from almsround, several mendicants sat together in the assembly hall.

rājakathaṁ corakathaṁ mahāmattakathaṁ …pe… itibhavābhavakathaṁ iti vāti.

They engaged in all kinds of low talk, such as talk about kings, bandits, and chief ministers; talk about armies, threats, and wars; talk about food, drink, clothes, and beds; talk about garlands and fragrances; talk about family, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, and nations; talk about women and heroes; street talk and well talk; talk about the departed; miscellaneous talk; tales of land and sea; and talk about being reborn in this or that state of existence.

“Dasayimāni, bhikkhave, pāsaṁsāni ṭhānāni.

“Mendicants, there are ten grounds for praise.

Katamāni dasa?

What ten?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu attanā ca appiccho hoti, appicchakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti.

It’s when a mendicant personally has few wishes, and speaks to the mendicants on having few wishes.

‘Appiccho bhikkhu appicchakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

This is a ground for praise.

Attanā ca santuṭṭho hoti, santuṭṭhikathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti.

A mendicant personally is content, and speaks to the mendicants on contentment.

‘Santuṭṭho bhikkhu santuṭṭhikathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

This is a ground for praise.

Attanā ca pavivitto hoti, pavivekakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti.

A mendicant personally is secluded, and speaks to the mendicants on seclusion.

‘Pavivitto bhikkhu pavivekakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

This is a ground for praise.

Attanā ca asaṁsaṭṭho hoti, asaṁsaṭṭhakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti.

A mendicant personally doesn’t mix closely with others, and speaks to the mendicants on not mixing closely with others.

‘Asaṁsaṭṭho bhikkhu asaṁsaṭṭhakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

This is a ground for praise.

Attanā ca āraddhavīriyo hoti, vīriyārambhakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti.

A mendicant personally is energetic, and speaks to the mendicants on rousing energy.

‘Āraddhavīriyo bhikkhu vīriyārambhakathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

This is a ground for praise.

Attanā ca sīlasampanno hoti, sīlasampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti.

A mendicant personally is accomplished in ethics, and speaks to the mendicants on being accomplished in ethics.

‘Sīlasampanno bhikkhu sīlasampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

This is a ground for praise.

Attanā ca samādhisampanno hoti, samādhisampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti.

A mendicant personally is accomplished in immersion, and speaks to the mendicants on being accomplished in immersion.

‘Samādhisampanno bhikkhu samādhisampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

This is a ground for praise.

Attanā ca paññāsampanno hoti, paññāsampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti.

A mendicant personally is accomplished in wisdom, and speaks to the mendicants on being accomplished in wisdom.

‘Paññāsampanno bhikkhu paññāsampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

This is a ground for praise.

Attanā ca vimuttisampanno hoti, vimuttisampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti.

A mendicant personally is accomplished in freedom, and speaks to the mendicants on being accomplished in freedom.

‘Vimuttisampanno bhikkhu vimuttisampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

This is a ground for praise.

Attanā ca vimuttiñāṇadassanasampanno hoti, vimuttiñāṇadassanasampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā hoti.

A mendicant personally is accomplished in the knowledge and vision of freedom, and speaks to the mendicants on being accomplished in the knowledge and vision of freedom.

‘Vimuttiñāṇadassanasampanno bhikkhu vimuttiñāṇadassanasampadākathañca bhikkhūnaṁ kattā’ti pāsaṁsametaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

This is a ground for praise.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, dasa pāsaṁsāni ṭhānānī”ti.

These are the ten grounds for praise.”

Dasamaṁ.

Yamakavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Avijjā taṇhā niṭṭhā ca,

avecca dve sukhāni ca;

Naḷakapāne dve vuttā,

kathāvatthūpare duveti.

Topics & Qualities:

Contentment

Contentment

The quality of being satisfied with the requisites one has and with the present conditions, resulting in having few desires and being free from agitation.

Also known as: fewness of wishes, having few desires, satisfaction, sense of ease
Pāli: santutthi, appicchatā, tuṭṭha, tosana
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Liberation

Liberation

Liberation can imply a temporary release of the mind, i.e. liberated from certain unwholesome mental qualities or complete liberation from all unwholesome qualities of the mind, i.e. Nibbāna.

Also known as: freedom, release, emancipation, deliverance
Pāli: vimutti, vimokkha, cetovimutti, paññāvimutti, akuppā cetovimutti
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Solitude

Solitude

Physical seclusion from crowds and mental seclusion from unwholesome states. It provides the quietude necessary for the mind to settle, detach from worldly entanglements, and develop deep collectedness.

Also known as: seclusion, privacy, aloofness, non-association
Pāli: viveka, asaṃsaṭṭha
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Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
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Vision

Vision

The corrective clarity that clearly sees into the true nature of things as they actually are.

Also known as: knowledge and vision, seeing clearly, seeing things as they are, seeing the truth, seeing the dhamma
Pāli: dassana, ñāṇadassana, yathābhūtañāṇadassana
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026