Did the Buddha ever say that anything follows from a contradiction in the Pali canon?

Q & A
1

Is there any sutta in the Pali canon where the Buddha explicitly says or implies that everything follows if we admit a contradiction? I’m looking for any sutta where the Buddha used what is commonly called "from falsehood, anything’ (ex falso quodlibet); or “from contradiction, anything” (ex contradictione quodlibet).

I’d also appreciate any references where the Buddha explicitly declines or even rebukes usage of ex falso quodlibet.

Thank you for any help in finding such references in the Pali canon :pray:

2

The Buddha’s advice to Rahula???

MN61
…when someone is not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie, there is no bad deed they would not do, I say.

1 Like
3

Thanks for pointing this sutta out, but I don’t think it fits the case. The Buddha did not conclude that they would do anything he concluded “there is no bad deed they would not do” and just in general it isn’t the kind of logical falsity I’m after but rather it’s about feeling ashamed or not ashamed. I’ll try and think of a good fictional example for the kind of argument I’m looking for…

4

I am not sure if this satisfy you…

(1)
“Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing on account of which unarisen unwholesome qualities arise and arisen unwholesome qualities increase and expand so much as wrong view. For one of wrong view, unarisen unwholesome qualities arise and arisen unwholesome qualities increase and expand.”

307 (2)
“Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing on account of which unarisen wholesome qualities arise and arisen wholesome qualities increase and expand so much as right view. [31] For one of right view, unarisen wholesome qualities arise and arisen wholesome qualities increase and expand.”

308 (3)
“Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing on account of which unarisen wholesome qualities do not arise and arisen wholesome qualities decline so much as wrong view.165 For one of wrong view, unarisen wholesome qualities do not arise and arisen wholesome qualities decline.”

309 (4)
“Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing on account of which unarisen unwholesome qualities do not arise and arisen unwholesome qualities decline so much as right view.166 For one of right view, unarisen unwholesome qualities do not arise and arisen unwholesome qualities decline.”

AN I