Passage 17

In English

There are three different ways of carrying on a (argument). Without attachment or hatred, with the desire to understand the Athmik principle, with a sincere heart, engaging oneself in a spirit of enquiry, is termed a discussion, (purposeful argument). This means that one conducts the debate with a heartfelt yearning to know the truth, with a pure mind filled with noble thoughts. Without such an attitude, if one is keen only to assert his own opinions and defeat the others in the argument by any means, condemning the beliefs of others and defending one's own views in an egoistic spirit - this type of argumentation is termed (wrangling). The third type of argumentation is condemning everything and indulging in such condemnation habitually, without any regard for one's own defects, finding faults in others perpetually, magnifying those faults and broadcasting them. Such an attitude is termed (perverse argumentation).