Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c13.s1: Four ways of exposition

Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c13.s1

Language: English

Four ways of exposition

v1.c13.s1.1

Buddha, it is said, adopted the following four ways for removing the doubts of those who approached him to learn the truth:—

v1.c13.s1.2

(i) *Paṭipucchāvyākaraṇīya*;
(ii) *Ekamsavyākaraṇīya*;
(iii) *Vibhajjava-yākaraṇīya*, and
(iv) *Ṭhapanīya*.

In the first method, the doubts of the interlocutor are ascertained at the outset by putting suitable questions and then removed by appropriate answers; in the second, a direct reply is given to an enquirer without entering into a discussion with him; in the third, answers are given separately to the different aspects of the question;¹ and in the fourth, it is pointed out that as the question in untenable, no reply will be given.²