Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c5.s6.12

c5.s6.12

A brāhmaṇa does not depend on others, he transcends the quarrels and verbal duals.³⁴
It is difficult to pacify or bring a person to senses who out of prejudice regards his own view as right and quarrels with others about it.³⁵
Controversies are created by those only who are lacking in true knowledge and understanding. A man who has developed equality of view will not join any debate.³⁶
Those who go to an assembly to join the debate with an intention to prove that their opponents are fools, do so to earn public applaud. They shoot arrows at their opponents to earn praise. When they are defeated, they hide themselves, when they are condemned, they are furious and start searching the faults of the others. In *vāda*–*vivāda*, a man either attacks the other or harms himself. Such debates are of no use except earning praise or abuse. The arrogance that a man develops after emerging victorious in the debates ultimately leads to his downfall. A wise man therefore should avoid indulging in such debates. If the debates do not lead to self-purification, what is the use of nourishing one's own ego through them? A person who is free of ego will not enter into debate with anyone.³⁷