[69] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now on that occasion many bhikkhus, having returned from the alms round after the meal, were sitting assembled together in the attendance hall, engaged in many kinds of pointless talk (tiracchānakathā), that is: talk of kings, talk of thieves, talk of great ministers, talk of armies, talk of dangers, talk of battles; talk of food, talk of drink, talk of clothing, talk of beds; talk of garlands, talk of scents; talk of relatives; talk of vehicles; talk of villages, talk of towns, talk of cities, talk of countries; talk of women, talk of heroes; talk of streets, talk of wells; talk of those departed; miscellaneous talk; speculation about the world, speculation about the sea; talk of becoming this or that — thus and so.
Then the Blessed One, emerging from seclusion in the evening, approached the attendance hall; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared for him. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, for what talk are you now sitting assembled here? And what was the conversation of yours that was left unfinished?"
"Here, venerable sir, having returned from the alms round after the meal, we were sitting assembled together in the attendance hall, engaged in many kinds of pointless talk, that is: talk of kings, talk of thieves … talk of becoming this or that — thus and so."
"Bhikkhus, this is not proper for you, clansmen who have gone forth out of faith from the home life into homelessness — that you should dwell engaged in many kinds of pointless talk, that is: talk of kings, talk of thieves, talk of great ministers, talk of armies, talk of dangers, talk of battles; talk of food, talk of drink, talk of clothing, talk of beds; talk of garlands, talk of scents; talk of relatives; talk of vehicles; talk of villages, talk of towns, talk of cities, talk of countries; talk of women, talk of heroes; talk of streets, talk of wells; talk of those departed; miscellaneous talk; speculation about the world, speculation about the sea; talk of becoming this or that — thus and so.
"Bhikkhus, there are these ten topics of talk (kathāvatthu). What ten? Talk favourable to wanting little, talk favourable to contentment, talk favourable to seclusion, talk favourable to non-association, talk favourable to the arousing of energy, talk favourable to virtue, talk favourable to concentration (samādhi), talk favourable to wisdom, talk favourable to deliverance, talk favourable to the knowledge (ñāṇa) and vision of deliverance. These, bhikkhus, are the ten topics of talk. If, bhikkhus, you were to speak talk taking up again and again these ten topics of talk, you would outshine with your splendour the splendour even of the sun and moon, so mighty and so powerful — how much more, then, the wanderers of other sects!"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.