1"Bhikkhus, there are these four ways of answering questions.[n.722] See AN3.67 and AN3.67, n. 464. What four? (1) There is a question to be answered categorically; (2) there is a question to be answered after making a distinction; (3) there is a question to be answered with a counter-question; and (4) there is a question to be set aside. These are the four ways of answering questions."

1"Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, pañhabyākaraṇāni. Katamāni cattāri? Atthi, bhikkhave, pañho ekaṁsabyākaraṇīyo; atthi, bhikkhave, pañho vibhajjabyākaraṇīyo; atthi, bhikkhave, pañho paṭipucchābyākaraṇīyo; atthi, bhikkhave, pañho ṭhapanīyo. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri pañhabyākaraṇānīti.

2One kind is given a categorical answer,
another is answered after making a distinction;
to the third, one should raise a counter-question,
but the fourth should be set aside.

2Ekaṁsavacanaṁ ekaṁ,
vibhajjavacanāparaṁ;
Tatiyaṁ paṭipuccheyya,
catutthaṁ pana ṭhāpaye.

3When a bhikkhu knows how to answer
each type in the appropriate way,
they say that he is skilled
in the four kinds of questions.

3Yo ca tesaṁ tattha tattha,
jānāti anudhammataṁ;
Catupañhassa kusalo,
āhu bhikkhuṁ tathāvidhaṁ.

4He is hard to attack, hard to defeat,
deep, hard to assault;
he is proficient in both
what is beneficial and harmful.

4Durāsado duppasaho,
gambhīro duppadhaṁsiyo;
Atho atthe anatthe ca,
ubhayassa hoti kovido.

5The wise person avoids what is harmful,
and takes up what is beneficial.
By arriving at what is beneficial,
the steadfast one is said to be wise.

5Anatthaṁ parivajjeti,
atthaṁ gaṇhāti paṇḍito;
Atthābhisamayā dhīro,
paṇḍitoti pavuccatī"ti.

Dutiyaṁ.