four classes of question

Thanissaro Bhiku

The Buddha divided all questions into four classes:

• those that deserve a categorical (straight yes or no) answer;
• those that deserve an analytical answer, defining and qualifying the terms of the question;
• those that deserve a counter-question, putting the ball back in the questioner's court; and
• those that deserve to be put aside.

The last class of question consists of those that don't lead to the end of suffering and stress.

The first duty of a teacher, when asked a question, is to figure out which class the question belongs to, and then to respond in the appropriate way. You don't, for example, say yes or no to a question that should be put aside.

If you are the person asking the question and you get an answer, you should then determine how far the answer should be interpreted. The Buddha said that there are two types of people who misrepresent him:

• those who draw inferences from statements that shouldn't have inferences drawn from them, and 
• those who don't draw inferences from those that should.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/notself2.html