The Buddha teaches the four noble truths regarding low talk—suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice leading to its cessation.

SN 56.10 Low Talk

“Mā, bhikkhave, anekavihitaṁ tiracchānakathaṁ katheyyātha, seyyathidaṁ rājakathaṁ corakathaṁ mahāmattakathaṁ senākathaṁ, bhayakathaṁ yuddhakathaṁ, annakathaṁ pānakathaṁ vatthakathaṁ sayanakathaṁ mālākathaṁ gandhakathaṁ, ñātikathaṁ yānakathaṁ gāmakathaṁ nigamakathaṁ nagarakathaṁ janapadakathaṁ itthikathaṁ sūrakathaṁ visikhākathaṁ kumbhaṭṭhānakathaṁ, pubbapetakathaṁ nānattakathaṁ, lokakkhāyikaṁ samuddakkhāyikaṁ itibhavābhavakathaṁ iti vā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Nesā, bhikkhave, kathā atthasaṁhitā nādibrahmacariyakā na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati.

Kathentā ca kho tumhe, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti katheyyātha, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti katheyyātha, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti katheyyātha, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti katheyyātha. Taṁ kissa hetu? Esā, bhikkhave, kathā atthasaṁhitā, esā ādibrahmacariyakā, esā nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Samādhivaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Samādhi paṭisallānā,
kulaputtā apare duve;
Samaṇabrāhmaṇā vitakkaṁ,
cintā viggāhikā kathāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Mā, bhikkhave, anekavihitaṁ tiracchānakathaṁ katheyyātha, seyyathidaṁ

“Mendicants, don’t engage in all kinds of low talk, such as

rājakathaṁ corakathaṁ mahāmattakathaṁ senākathaṁ, bhayakathaṁ yuddhakathaṁ, annakathaṁ pānakathaṁ vatthakathaṁ sayanakathaṁ mālākathaṁ gandhakathaṁ, ñātikathaṁ yānakathaṁ gāmakathaṁ nigamakathaṁ nagarakathaṁ janapadakathaṁ itthikathaṁ sūrakathaṁ visikhākathaṁ kumbhaṭṭhānakathaṁ, pubbapetakathaṁ nānattakathaṁ, lokakkhāyikaṁ samuddakkhāyikaṁ itibhavābhavakathaṁ iti vā.

talk about kings, bandits, and 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 countries; talk about women and heroes; street talk and talk at the well; talk about the departed; motley talk; tales of land and sea; and talk about being reborn in this or that place.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Nesā, bhikkhave, kathā atthasaṁhitā nādibrahmacariyakā na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati.

Because those discussions aren’t beneficial or relevant to the fundamentals of the spiritual life. They don’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment.

Kathentā ca kho tumhe, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti katheyyātha, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti katheyyātha, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti katheyyātha, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti katheyyātha.

When you discuss, you should discuss: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. …

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Esā, bhikkhave, kathā atthasaṁhitā, esā ādibrahmacariyakā, esā nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.

That’s why you should practice meditation …”

Dasamaṁ.

Samādhivaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Samādhi paṭisallānā,

kulaputtā apare duve;

Samaṇabrāhmaṇā vitakkaṁ,

cintā viggāhikā kathāti.

Qualities:

Cultivation

Cultivation

The active practice of 'bringing into being' wholesome states. It is the deliberate nurturing of the bright state of mind.

Also known as: development, improvement, meditation, nurturing, growth
Pāli: bhāvanā
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Dispassion

Dispassion

The fading of desire and attraction toward conditioned things. It arises through seeing the impermanent and unsatisfactory nature of experience. It is the natural fragrance of understanding and the forerunner of release.

Also known as: detachment, disinterest, fading of desire, disentanglement
Pāli: virāga, visaṁyutta
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Insight

Insight

Insight is deep, intuitive realization that transforms understanding and guides practice.

Also known as: having insight, with understanding, right knowledge
Pāli: ñāṇa, sammāñāṇa
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Spiritual life

Spiritual life

A life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures

Also known as: abstinence, celibacy, chastity, holy life, sexual restraint
Pāli: brahmacariya
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026