[Buddha-l] Re: Diversions, distractions and off-topic discussions

[Joy Vriens]

Mike Austin wrote:

>  From AN X69 Kathavatthu Sutta (Topics of Conversation)
> 
> "It isn't right, monks, that sons of good families, on having gone forth 
> out of faith from home to the homeless life, should get engaged in such 
> topics of conversation, i.e., conversation about kings, robbers, & 
> ministers of state... talk of whether things exist or not.
> 
> "There are these ten topics of [proper] conversation. Which ten? Talk on 
> modesty, on contentment, on seclusion, on non-entanglement, on arousing 
> persistence, on virtue, on concentration, on discernment, on release, 
> and on the knowledge & vision of release. These are the ten topics of 
> conversation. If you were to engage repeatedly in these ten topics of 
> conversation, you would outshine even the sun & moon, so mighty, so 
> powerful -- to say nothing of the wanderers of other sects."

The last sentence is very ironic and therefore very funny. It pulls away 
the rug on which the whole argument is standing IMO.  "...to say nothing 
of the wanderers of other sects".

Joy