“…what is the benefit that Master Gotama lives for? … the Tathagata lives for the benefit and fruit of true knowledge and liberation.”
SN 46.6: Kuṇḍaliya —Translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi
A fool is known by three things. What three? They ask a question improperly. They answer a question improperly. And when someone else answers a question properly—with well-rounded, coherent, and relevant words and phrases—they disagree with it.
These are the three things by which a fool is known.
An astute person is known by three things. What three? They ask a question properly. They answer a question properly. And when someone else answers a question properly—with well-rounded, coherent, and relevant words and phrases—they agree with it.
Numbered Discourses 3
1. Fools
5. Improper — Ayoniso Sutta
A few reasons — some simple, some setting a very high bar — I’ve noticed in myself and others on perhaps why to inquire, and mostly why not to inquire and ask questions:
- First and foremost obviously, zero harming
- Not for denigration; to invalidate and/or say something is being done wrong
- Not to challenge anyone’s knowledge
- Not to discredit anyone or anything
- Not to challenge authority
- Not to promote one viewpoint over another
- Not to upset the (surrounding) status quo and certainly not to divide
- Not to test
- Not for domination
- Not for control
- Not for distraction
- Not for delay
- Not to mislead or misguide
- Not to disrupt
- Not for uneasiness
- Not to enact any agendas, known, unknown, or otherwise (other than valid reasons to inquire/question)
- Not for grandstanding, gaining favor, merit, credit, or brownie points
- Not to impress
- Not to destroy
- Not to uphold
- Not to rebuild or reconstruct (from a place of loss or defeat)
- Not for any specific changes
- Not to prove who’s right and who’s wrong from a place of righteousness
- Not in order to prove one’s doubt
- Not for the requirement to receive an answer
- Not for any unskillful, unwise, unwholesome reasons associated with modern day schooling systems aka educational institutions
- Not to nitpick and get lost in the weeds
- Not to leave others behind
- Not to patronize and/or speak down to anybody
- Not to dumb down oneself for a better chance to be under/overstood
- Not to ask one thing but mean another
- Not to personally prove oneself
- Not to suggest preferences or desired outcomes without clearly stating them
- Not to ask because one can
- Not to be seen and/or heard (in order to be heard and/or seen)
- Not for mere curiosity
Perhaps inquire, assess and question with intent to lead toward true knowledge, liberation and the (long-term) well-being of all
Ven. Sāriputta said: “All those who ask questions of another do so from any one of five motivations. Which five?
“One asks a question of another through stupidity & bewilderment. One asks a question of another through evil desires & overwhelmed with greed. One asks a question of another through contempt. One asks a question of another when desiring knowledge. Or one asks a question with this thought,1 ‘If, when asked, he answers correctly, well & good. If not, then I will answer correctly (for him).’
On Asking Questions
Pañhapucchā Sutta (AN 5:165)
4 thoughts on “Why and Why Not to Question/Inquire”