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"And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying,
from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter:
This is called right speech." — Samyutta Nikaya XLV.8
Right Speech Means
Right Speech means to abstain from lying, tale-carrying, use
of
harsh language and vain talk. The person who follows right speech
speaks the truth, is devoted to it, is reliable and does not deceive
men. Whenever he was asked to be a witness, he tells only the truth
he knows or admits his ignorance of it honestly.
He never speaks a lie either for his own benefit or for that
of others. He refrains from carrying tales. He never repeats what
he heard at one place so as to cause differences among men. Thus
he reunites the people who are divided or strengthens the unity
of those that are united.
He is happy to see agreement and harmony among people and
these are the qualities which he spreads among people through his
words. He does not speak harsh language. He speaks words that are
gentle, soothing to hear, loving, touching the heart, courteous,
affectionate and agreeable to many.
He does not indulge in vain talk. He speaks at the right time,
the facts he knows, only that which is useful, about the Dhamma
and the discipline. His speech is very precious like a treasure,
coming at the right moment followed by moderate and sensible arguments.
This is the right speech.
Two Kinds of Right speech
1. The Mundane Right Speech which is to abstain from lying, tale-carrying,
harsh language and vain talk. It leads to worldly gains and brings
good results.
2. The Ultra Mundane Right Speech is abhorrence of the four-fold
wrong speech and abstaining from it, practising it mentally and
keeping the mind holy, to remain other worldly and to follow the
holy path in conjunction with the Eightfold path. This path is not
of this world, but ultra mundane
Five keys to right speech
"Monks, a statement endowed with five factors is
well-spoken, not ill-spoken. It is blameless & unfaulted by knowledgeable
people. Which five?
"It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in
truth. It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It
is spoken with a mind of good-will." Anguttara Nikaya 5.198
What words you should speak
"One should speak only that word by which one would
not torment oneself nor harm others. That word is indeed well spoken.
"One should speak only pleasant words, words which
are acceptable (to others). What one speaks without bringing evils
to others is pleasant."
Putting Right Speech to Practice
"And how is one made pure in four ways by verbal
action?
"There is the case where a certain person, abandoning
false speech, abstains from false speech. When he has been called
to a town meeting, a group meeting, a gathering of his relatives,
his guild, or of the royalty, if he is asked as a witness, 'Come
& tell, good man, what you know': If he doesn't know, he says, 'I
don't know.' If he does know, he says, 'I know.' If he hasn't seen,
he says, 'I haven't seen.' If he has seen, he says, 'I have seen.'
Thus he doesn't consciously tell a lie for his own sake, for the
sake of another, or for the sake of any reward. Abandoning false
speech, he abstains from false speech. He speaks the truth, holds
to the truth, is firm, reliable, no deceiver of the world.
"Abandoning divisive speech he abstains from divisive
speech. What he has heard here he does not tell there to break those
people apart from these people here. What he has heard there he
does not tell here to break these people apart from those people
there. Thus reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing
those who are united, he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys
concord, speaks things that create concord.
"Abandoning abusive speech, he abstains from abusive
speech. He speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate,
that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing & pleasing to people
at large.
"Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter.
He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance
with the goal, the Dhamma, & the Vinaya. He speaks words worth treasuring,
seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal.
"This is how one is made pure in four ways by verbal
action."
- Anguttara Nikaya X.176
Self-purification through well-chosen speech
"And how is one made pure in four ways by verbal action?
"There is the case where a certain person, abandoning false speech,
abstains from false speech. When he has been called to a town meeting,
a group meeting, a gathering of his relatives, his guild, or of
the royalty, if he is asked as a witness, 'Come & tell, good man,
what you know': If he doesn't know, he says, 'I don't know.' If
he does know, he says, 'I know.' If he hasn't seen, he says, 'I
haven't seen.' If he has seen, he says, 'I have seen.' Thus he doesn't
consciously tell a lie for his own sake, for the sake of another,
or for the sake of any reward. Abandoning false speech, he abstains
from false speech. He speaks the truth, holds to the truth, is firm,
reliable, no deceiver of the world.
"Abandoning divisive speech he abstains from divisive speech.
What he has heard here he does not tell there to break those people
apart from these people here. What he has heard there he does not
tell here to break these people apart from those people there. Thus
reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing those who are
united, he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys concord, speaks
things that create concord.
"Abandoning abusive speech, he abstains from abusive speech.
He speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate,
that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing & pleasing to people
at large.
"Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter. He speaks
in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the
goal, the Dhamma, & the Vinaya. He speaks words worth treasuring,
seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal.
"This is how one is made pure in four ways by verbal action."
— Anguttara Nikaya 10.176
Kinds of speech to be avoided by contemplatives
"Whereas some priests and contemplatives, living off food given
in faith, are addicted to talking about lowly topics such as these
— talking about kings, robbers, ministers of state; armies, alarms,
and battles; food and drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, and
scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside;
women and heroes; the gossip of the street and the well; tales of
the dead; tales of diversity [philosophical discussions of the past
and future], the creation of the world and of the sea, and talk
of whether things exist or not — he abstains from talking about
lowly topics such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.
"Whereas some priests and contemplatives, living off food given
in faith, are addicted to debates such as these — 'You understand
this doctrine and discipline? I'm the one who understands this doctrine
and discipline. How could you understand this doctrine and discipline?
You're practicing wrongly. I'm practicing rightly. I'm being consistent.
You're not. What should be said first you said last. What should
be said last you said first. What you took so long to think out
has been refuted. Your doctrine has been overthrown. You're defeated.
Go and try to salvage your doctrine; extricate yourself if you can!'
— he abstains from debates such as these. This, too, is part of
his virtue."
— Digha Nikaya 2
Ten wholesome topics of conversation
"There are these ten topics of [proper] conversation. Which ten?
Talk on modesty, on contentment, on seclusion, on non-entanglement,
on arousing persistence, on virtue, on concentration, on discernment,
on release, and on the knowledge & vision of release. These are
the ten topics of conversation. If you were to engage repeatedly
in these ten topics of conversation, you would outshine even the
sun & moon, so mighty, so powerful — to say nothing of the wanderers
of other sects."
— Anguttara Nikaya 10.69
How to admonish another skillfully
"O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who desires to admonish another should
do so after investigating five conditions in himself and after establishing
five other conditions in himself. What are the five conditions which
he should investigate in himself?
[1] "Am I one who practices purity in bodily action, flawless
and untainted...?
[2] "Am I one who practices purity in speech, flawless and untainted...?
[3] "Is the heart of goodwill, free from malice, established
in me towards fellow-farers in the holy life...?
[4] "Am I or am I not one who has heard much, who bears in mind
what he has heard, who stores up what he has heard? Those teachings
which are good alike in their beginning, middle, and ending, proclaiming
perfectly the spirit and the letter of the utterly purified holy
life — have such teachings been much heard by me, borne in mind,
practiced in speech, pondered in the heart and rightly penetrated
by insight...?
[5] "Are the Patimokkhas [rules of conduct for monks and nuns]
in full thoroughly learned by heart, well-analyzed with thorough
knowledge of their meanings, clearly divided sutta by sutta and
known in minute detail by me...?
"These five conditions must be investigated in himself.
"And what other five conditions must be established in himself?
[1] "Do I speak at the right time, or not?
[2] "Do I speak of facts, or not?
[3] "Do I speak gently or harshly?
[4] "Do I speak profitable words or not?
[5] "Do I speak with a kindly heart, or inwardly malicious?
&"O bhikkhus, these five conditions are to be investigated in
himself and the latter five established in himself by a bhikkhu
who desires to admonish another."
— Anguttara Nikaya V (From The Patimokkha, Ñanamoli Thera, trans.)
Suggested Further Reading
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