THE BUDDHA’S WORDS ON RIGHT SPEECH
The following are some of the Buddha’s teachings concerning Right Speech, slightly modified to fit our present day language. Without judgment or self-criticism, please bring these teachings to mind to reflect on how the way you speak is or is not in line with these guidelines. This is work that is ongoing. It may be helpful to write your thoughts and experiences in your journal.
The definition
“And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, and from idle chatter: This is called right speech.”
Five keys to right speech
“Monks, a statement endowed with five factors is well-spoken, not ill-spoken, blameless and 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.”
The danger in lying
“For the person who transgresses in one thing, I tell you, there is no evil deed that is not to be done. Which one thing? This: telling a deliberate lie.”
Speak only words that do no harm
“One should speak only that word by which one would not torment oneself nor harm others. That word is indeed well spoken.
Abandoning false and divisive speech
“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 and 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 and pleasing to people at large.
“Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter. He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, and what is in accordance with truth. He speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, and circumscribed, connected with the goal.”
The criteria for deciding what is worth saying
- What words are untrue, unbeneficial, or harsh, one does not say them.
- What words are true but unbeneficial, or harsh, one does not say them (e.g., words spoken in anger to hurt the other person).
- What words are true, beneficial, but disagreeable to others (e.g., constructive criticism), one needs to have a sense of the proper time for saying them.
- What words are untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing and agreeable to others, (e.g., flattery) one does not say them.
- What words are true, unbeneficial, but endearing and agreeable to others, (e.g., true compliments in a context that that may reinforce a sense of ego or arrogance) one does not say them.
- What words are true, beneficial, endearing and agreeable to others, one needs to have a sense of the proper time for saying them.
Reflect on your speech, before, during, and after speaking
[The Buddha speaks to his son, Rahula:] “Whenever you want to perform a verbal act, you should reflect on it: ‘This verbal act I want to perform — would it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful verbal act, with painful consequences, painful results?’ If, on reflection, you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both; it would be an unskillful verbal act with painful consequences, painful results, then any verbal act of that sort is absolutely unfit for you to do. But if on reflection you know that it would not cause affliction… it would be a skillful verbal action with happy consequences, happy results, then any verbal act of that sort is fit for you to do.
“While you are performing a verbal act, you should reflect on it: ‘This verbal act I am doing — is it leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful verbal act, with painful consequences, painful results?’ If, on reflection, you know that it is leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both… you should give it up. But if on reflection you know that it is not… you may continue with it.
“Having performed a verbal act, you should reflect on it… If, on reflection, you know that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both; it was an unskillful verbal act with painful consequences, painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it, lay it open to the teacher or to a knowledgeable companion in the holy life. Having confessed it… you should exercise restraint in the future. But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to affliction… it was a skillful verbal action with happy consequences, happy results, then you should stay mentally refreshed and joyful, training day and night in skillful mental qualities.”
How to admonish another skillfully
One who desires to admonish another should do so after investigating five conditions in him or herself, and after establishing five other conditions in him or herself. What are the five conditions which he should investigate in himself?
- “Am I one who practices purity in bodily action?
- “Am I one who practices purity in speech?
- Is my heart filled with of goodwill and free from malice?
- “Have spiritual teachings been much heard by me, borne in mind, practiced in speech, pondered in the heart and rightly penetrated by insight?
- Am I following the precepts (Not taking life, not stealing, not lying, not committing sexual misconduct, not becoming intoxicated?”
“These five conditions must be investigated in him or herself.
- Do I speak at the right time, or not?
- Do I speak of facts, or not?
- Do I speak gently or harshly?
- Do I speak profitable words or not?
- “Do I speak with a kindly heart, or inwardly malicious?