Not named explicitly; a three-part riddle answered point by point
Form
A four-line question, answered by a matching four-line reply
Length
~20 seconds to read
Difficulty
★★☆☆☆ — brief in form, its claim about the self worth reading carefully
A discourse about integrity, not possession
Its title, ‘Desire,’ belies content actually concerned with self-respect and restrained speech
Why this discourse
The question asks about three things: what someone wanting what's best should never give away, what a mortal should never forsake, and what should be released only when it's good but held back when it's bad. The answer is compact and pointed: a person should never give away or forsake themselves — named twice, in nearly identical terms — and speech specifically should be released only under the right condition.
Reading guide
The self, named twice with slightly different verbs
The answer's first two lines both concern the self (attā), but use two distinct verbs: not ‘giving away’ (na dajjā) and not ‘forsaking’ (na jaheyya). Read together, the pair suggests two different failure modes — surrendering oneself to another's demand, and simply abandoning one's own standards — both ruled out equally.
A claim best read as integrity, not selfishness
‘Not giving away oneself’ sits within this collection's broader ethical concerns rather than contradicting its teaching on non-attachment: the claim is not about clinging to possessions or status, but about not compromising one's own basic moral integrity — a person's word, conduct, and self-respect — under external pressure.
Speech singled out for conditional release
Where the first two answers concern the self as a whole, the final answer narrows specifically to speech: release it (muñceyya) only when it is good, hold it back when it isn't. Speech is treated as the one thing this verse addresses requiring active, situational discernment, rather than a fixed rule either always spoken or always withheld.
A title that doesn't obviously match its content
This discourse's title, kāma, ‘desire,’ is not directly reflected in its content, which concerns self-respect and speech rather than sensual desire specifically — a reminder that Pali sutta titles are sometimes drawn from a single word within the discourse's opening line rather than from its central theme.
Key terms
kāma — “desire” — this discourse's title, though its actual content concerns self-respect and speech rather than sensual desire directly.
attānaṁ na dajjā — “shouldn't give away himself” — the first answer, naming a failure to maintain one's own moral integrity under pressure.
attānaṁ na jaheyya — “shouldn't forsake himself” — the second answer, a closely related but distinct failure mode.
vācaṁ muñceyya kalyāṇiṁ — “speech should be released when it's good” — the third answer, naming conditional release rather than a fixed rule.
na ce pāpikaṁ — “but not when it's bad” — the qualifying clause requiring active discernment before speech is released.
The text
The discourse in full: a compact teaching on self-integrity and discerning speech. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“What should one who wants what’s best not give away? What should a mortal not forsake? What should be released when it’s good, but not when it’s bad?”
§2“A man shouldn’t give away himself. He shouldn’t forsake himself. Speech should be released when it’s good, but not when it’s bad.”
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What three things does the opening question ask about?
Correct: A. Three related questions about integrity and speech.
Question 2 of 10
What does the reply name as what should never be given away or forsaken?
Correct: A. Named twice, with two distinct verbs, in the answer's first two lines.
Question 3 of 10
How should the claim about 'not giving away oneself' best be read?
Correct: A. Not compromising one's own standards under external pressure.
Question 4 of 10
What does the reply say about speech specifically?
Correct: A. Conditional release requiring active discernment, not a fixed rule.
Question 5 of 10
What two verbs distinguish the answer's first two lines about the self?
Correct: A. Two related but distinct failure modes, both ruled out.
Question 6 of 10
Does this discourse's title, 'Desire' (kāma), directly reflect its actual content?
Correct: A. A reminder that titles are sometimes drawn from a single word rather than the central theme.
Question 7 of 10
What does 'attānaṁ na jaheyya' mean?
Correct: A. The second of two closely related answers about the self.
Question 8 of 10
What quality does releasing speech only when it's good require?
Correct: A. A condition to be actively assessed, not a blanket rule.
Question 9 of 10
What is the setting of this discourse?
Correct: A. No setting is given directly.
Question 10 of 10
What does 'vācaṁ muñceyya kalyāṇiṁ' mean?
Correct: A. The verse's third answer, narrowing specifically to speech.
