One should avoid discussions leading to silly actions

वर्जयेत् क्षुद्रसंवादं अरिष्ठस्य च दर्शनं

विवादं सह मित्रेण प्रीतिश्च सह शत्रुभिः॥१॥८

चाणक्यतिनीतिशास्त्रात्

varjayet kṣudrasaṁvādaṁ ariṣṭhasya ca darśanaṁ

vivādaṁ saha mitreṇa prītiśca saha śatrubhiḥ||1||8

cāṇakyarājanītiśāstrād

A very realistic statement from Chanakya

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One should avoid discussions leading to silly actions,

One should avoid witnessing misery,

acrimonious debates with friends should be avoided

and it is futile to try to please the enemies..

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If we start discussion on undesirable things, though without any intention to do anything bad, some other person or group may follow-up the matter and the result will not at all be good..

There are two dimensions to the advise that one should avoid witnessing misery..

Seeing misery of others can make us depressed and sad..

This is the plain meaning.

However, a good man can avoid seeing misery in others by foreseeing the difficulties of others and lending them helping hand and as a result convert a probable misery into a cheerful situation.

We presume that we love our friends and expect that there should be harmony and happiness in our interactions..

If there is conflict and contradiction in words and action on too many occasions, the relationship will wilt..

True, we cannot agree on all subjects but the points of disagreement should be reduced to minimum if friendships or for that matter any human relationships are to survive..

Usually if a person has been inimical to one either directly or indirectly, the harmony and trust in the relationship with him is lost..

Practical wisdom may tell that we have to mend fences to survive.. However we have to be careful in extending favours or seeking help from enemies..

Once a person has proved himself to be our enemy it is difficult to have friendship with him later by mending fences.. Once bitterness starts, sweetness is gone for ever.