(These are tough questions, and I discussed another Buddhist teaching on how to share our wisdom with others, called “skillful means,” in Episode 40.). Do we have judgments in our mind about the person we’re speaking to – that they’re stupid, weak, pathetic, inferior, deluded, stubborn, etc.? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, and from idle chatter: This is called right speech. Buddhism can be divided into two major schools of thought; namely the Theravada and the Mahayana. And that’s just the external effects of our speech! If so, chances are we’re feeling superior to them and our motivation to speak isn’t sincerely about their best interests. All of the different aspects of right speech are, of course, interdependent. Alternatively, our speech may trigger defensiveness or anger in others, or demoralize or confuse them. It is notable that “right speech” appears to be a positive category, describing the ways in which one ought to speak, yet it is defined negatively, as four types of speech to avoid. We might think of speech as something we give to others. [viii] “Vaca Sutta: A Statement” (AN 5.198), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Barbara O'Brien is a Zen Buddhist practitioner who studied at Zen Mountain Monastery. It's something that you can practice every time you speak. It can be difficult to be mindful in the course of conversation and interaction with others, especially when things are moving quickly. Most of us feel that it’s more important to speak the truth, or speak up when something’s wrong, than it is to be endearing. Many of us commit this transgression of speech with regularity when we want to get people on our side against others. Right Thought (sammà samkappa) is the second step on the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Middle Path. Will What We Say Be Endearing? Apart from manipulative speech, however, it’s interesting to me that the Buddha would ask us to consider whether what we’re going to say is endearing or not. If we try to keep our speech true and factual, and if we’re sincerely keeping in mind what’s best for all involved, maybe it’s okay to venture into potentially divisive speech. Quite a challenge. Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings.”[vii], Note that the Prince Abhaya sutta doesn’t identify specifically that right speech should also be spoken with kindness or affection – perhaps because the assumption is the Tathagata, or Buddha, is naturally motivated by good-will for other beings. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/index.html. “[2] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, [but] unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does not say them. The second point to consider before speaking is whether what we’re about to say is likely to be helpful or beneficial. Abstain from rude, impolite, or abusive language. Are We Speaking with Kindness and Good-Will? In the vernacular this means not lying, not using speech in ways that create discord among people, not using swear words or a cynical, hostile or raised tone of voice, and not engaging in gossip. At times, however, we just want the gratification of others agreeing with us against some party we resent, look down on, or fear. In the Pali Canon sutta called “To Cunda the Silversmith,” the Buddha explains in detail how someone abstains from false speech. If we aren't paying attention to our own emotions and taking care of ourselves, tension and suffering build up. Usually in Buddhism Right Speech is described as speech which is truthful, speech which is affectionate, speech which is helpful and speech which promotes concord, and wrong speech is the opposite of these things. Yet practicing right speech is fundamental both to helping us become trustworthy individuals and to helping us gain mastery over the mind. At times it may be helpful to share our opinions or point out something we think is wrong or harmful. I see my work around speech in this area as learning to be more mindful instead of just engaging in idle chatter, finding how to say what would actually be beneficial, and having more of an orientation of good-will toward others rather than just acting on my own agenda of wanting intimacy. It’s probably not surprising that right speech is incompatible with lying. Abstaining from Divisive Speech Certainly, we cannot banish ugly words from our lives, but we can choose to not soak in them. Do not slander others or speak in a way that causes disharmony or enmity. The Buddha also gave us five things to consider before speaking: Is what we’re about to say factual, helpful, kind (spoken with good-will), pleasant (“endearing”), and timely? • Don’t exaggerate. It’s a valuable – and challenging – spiritual practice to pay careful attention to what we say, recognize what kinds of speech leads to positive results, speak when it’s appropriate, and restrain our speech when that’s the wiser course. From here on out, I’ll be focusing on what it means to actually practice right speech, not arguing for why we should do it. If we think of it that way, what is the quality of that gift? He defined it as abstinence from false speech, abstinence from malicious speech, abstinence from harsh speech, and abstinence from idle chatter. In his book "The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching," Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said, "Deep listening is the foundation of Right Speech. As the Buddha explains, it’s tempting to “tell here” something we learned “over there,” in order to affect the attitudes of our listeners. On the positive side, our speech can convey love, and it can support or guide others in their own spiritual journey. Most people find right speech to be one of the most difficult aspects of practice – second only to having some degree of control over our thoughts. In other words, being mindful of the reasons for our complaints allows us to exercise samma vayama, right effort. When we want to perform a verbal act, the Buddha said to use mindfulness to reflect, “would [this verbal act] lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Will What We Say Be Helpful? This way you can minimize the amount of wrong speech you perform. This incident showed me that Right Speech is not just about the words I speak, but also the words I hear. The facts can include what we’re thinking and feeling, as long as we report them as our thoughts and feelings and not as some kind of objective truth. Abusive speech may be aggressive and overt, but it can also be passive aggressive and more subtly cruel or unkind. This entry was posted on 11:04 PM and is filed under Buddhism , Buddhist Teaching . Part of Buddhist liberation is letting go of concern for “I, me, and mine,” and if you pay attention, its exactly concern for “I, me, and mine” that causes your speech to be less than honest, or to be judgmental, harsh, or inconsiderate. Right speech is on of the elements of the Eightfold Path, all of which are typically translated as starting with the word, “right.” The use of this word shouldn’t be taken as a judgmental moral injunction, or a suggestion that if you do something “wrong” in Buddhism you’ll be kicked out or disqualified from Buddhist practice. We’ve already discussed the importance of our speech being factual and true. Basically, if it seems very unlikely our speech will be helpful or beneficial, no matter our intentions, the Buddha suggests we remain silent. [vii] Ibid Thoughts are either words or pictures that form in the mind and which are often accompanied by or give rise to feelings which in turn may give rise to actions. Speech that the Tathāgata knows to be untrue, incorrect, unbeneficial, but affectionate and pleasing to others, he does not say it. The Buddha also says we should also avoid idle chatter. On the other hand, there are many times in everyone's life when someone's words are a gift that can heal and comfort. Overview of Topics in This Episode The second part of … But in general, people don’t set out to be evil. Practicing right speech requires us to work on our preoccupation with “I, me, and mine.” At the very least, when we just bite our tongue instead of indulging in wrong speech, we aren’t adding momentum to our self-concern. Not speaking harsh or vulgar words. The Buddha was precise in his description of Right Speech. If we maintain a sense of good-will, we’re more likely to be motivated to speak what will be helpful (as opposed to what’s idle or self-serving). We may feel the urge to give advice, or educate someone – overtly, or by telling them about how we think or do things. For example, talking about this person to that person so as to give rise to misunderstandings leading to a falling-out between the two. If Not, at Least Timely? Learn Religions uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. But at least we can be aware that we’re coming from a biased place, and perhaps speak in a way that minimizes expression of that bias. We tend to think of violent, hateful words as being less wrong than violent action. You can follow any … Later, we may “tell there,” what we heard here, and further stoke resentments, judgments, or righteous indignation. Abstaining from divisive speech is also described in “To Cunda the Silversmith.” The Buddha essentially says someone practicing right speech will not use speech to turn people against one another. Speaking primarily in order to show we’re right doesn’t qualify as “helpful” or “beneficial” speech from the Buddhist point of view. In other words, wrong speech is that which is untruthful, harsh, … Is it an unskillful verbal act, with painful consequences, painful results?”[i] If we see our speech may cause harm, we align with right intention, which is the resolve to refrain from what causes harm and instead do what brings benefit to self and other. "Right Speech" is more than just "correct" speech. Meaning of The Eightfold Path’s Right Speech The third of the Eightfold Path is right speech. And then we explode. While strong language may be necessary at certain times in order to get our point across, abusive speech is intended to make someone feel lesser, stupid, ashamed, scared, etc. Do they speak up if you leave some space for them to talk? All of the elements of the Eightfold Path are typically translated as starting with the word, “right,” but this shouldn’t be taken as a judgmental moral injunction, or a suggestion that if you do something “wrong” in Buddhism you’ll be kicked out or disqualified from Buddhist practice. It was affirming to see them nod, implying that our experiences were similar and they appreciated my insightful sharing. Not Getting Discouraged: Right Speech is Extremely Challenging! Continually practicing, you'll be able to stop thinking the sentence as soon as it starts coming up to your mind. Are we instead likely to make someone angry or defensive, and perhaps even less likely to accept or act on what we have to say? Taking a life – killing some living being 2. The Eightfold Path, as I explained in Episode 36, was the Buddha ’s prescription for spiritual liberation and insight. Here are some additional teachings: “Speak only the speech that neither torments self nor does harm to others. The instruction to consider whether something will be helpful or not applies more to things we want to say in the hopes of getting others to change their minds or behavior in some way. “You’re rude and disrespectful!” we might say. Why is that? Sometimes we can remind ourselves of the importance of speaking with good-will, and we’ll be able to extend some warmth, patience, and benefit-of-the-doubt to those we’re speaking to or about. [vi] “Abhaya Sutta: To Prince Abhaya” (MN 58), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. The word samma has a sense of being perfected or completed, and vaca refers to words or speech. The Noble Eightfold Path by Bhikkhu Bodhi. However, what about when we find our attitude toward others is still less than kind, affectionate, or based in good-will? For example, it may seem “true” to us at a given moment that someone we’re dealing with is rude and disrespectful. Maybe we should bite our tongue and speak to someone in private instead of blurting our message out at the dining room table, surrounded by guests? The Buddha gave quite a number of teachings on right speech over the course of his 45-year teaching career. The person who follows right speech speaks the truth, is devoted to it, is reliable and does not deceive men. Now we arrive at another of the Buddha’s teachings on right speech: The five things you should consider before speaking. For example, I noticed early on in my practice that in conversations with people, I really wanted to connect with them. Right speech (sammā vācā) is the third step on the Buddha ’s Noble Eightfold Path. Basically, you create agitation in your life just when – assuming you want to practice the Buddhist path – you should be calming your mind. (In fact, the Prince Abhaya sutta says the Buddha looks for the proper time to speak even when what he says is true, beneficial, and endearing! We can easily think of examples where this is the case – when we need to say “no,” or set a boundary with someone, or we need to point out harmful behavior, or say something that’s likely to make someone feel defensive or ashamed no matter how we put it. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/index.html, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.198.than.html, 40 – Being Beneficial Instead of Right: The Buddhist Concept of Skillful Means, 36 – Buddha’s Teachings Part 3: The Noble Eightfold Path, 27 – Buddha’s Teachings Part 2: The Four Noble Truths, 22 – How Buddhists Should Behave: Evolution of the Buddhist Precepts Part 1, 154 – Avatamsaka Sutra – Each One of Us Has Unique Bodhisattva Gifts to Offer – Part 1, 153 – Kshanti, The Perfection of Endurance: Life’s Not Always a Bed of Roses, 152 – Lotus Sutra 3: This Means YOU – The Lost Son Parable, 151 – The Emptiness of Self and Why It Matters, 150 – Zazen as the Dharma Gate of Joyful Ease, Spoken with kindness and good-will (that is, hoping for the best for all involved), Endearing (that is, spoken gently, in a way the other person can hear), Timely (occasionally something true, helpful, and kind will. After some thought I realize I've allowed myself to be baited and dragged into more of the same unmindful Internet squabbling. Five Things to Consider Before Speaking Many of us have spent a lifetime speaking without being particularly mindful of the content, purpose, or effect of our speech, and that’s a hard habit to break. Right Action is the fourth aspect of the Path. Of course, at times we may need to tell people what’s going on, or verbally process our feelings and responses with others. In positive terms, right speech means speaking in ways that are trustworthy, harmonious, comforting, and worth taking to heart. How’s that for radical? Speech that the Tathāgata knows to be true, correct, beneficial,³ but harsh and displeasing to others, he knows the right time to say it. Right Speech means to abstain from lying, tale-carrying, use of harsh language and vain talk. It’s very useful to keep this definition of “right” in mind when practicing right speech, because it points to how it isn’t just about acting in a way that makes you a “good” person, it’s about the most effective, compassionate, and authentic way to communicate and interact with other people. But violent words, thoughts, and actions arise together and support each other. "What is right speech? He responded to the litany with foul expletives, occasionally slapping his hand on the dashboard for emphasis. But – and this always warms my heart as a prime example of the Buddha’s wisdom and sympathy for all beings – we should have “a sense of the proper time for saying” what we want to say. Practice of Right Speech has never been easy, but thanks to 21st-century technology speech takes forms unimaginable in the Buddha's time. The word samma has a sense of being perfected or completed, and vaca refers to words or speech. That speech is truly well spoken. In the Buddha's teaching and in the Eightfold Path, Right Speech or Perfect Speech gets a whole step, a whole stage, a whole aspect of the spiritual life to itself. What does this mean? Sometimes people justify harsh speech because they are speaking on behalf of a worthy cause. Can we train ourselves to use communication that furthers these qualities in ourselves and others? Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html. Going beyond the boundary refers to three types of destructive behavior: 1. In his book "Returning to Silence," Katagiri Roshi said, "Kind speech is not the usual sense of kindness. In addition, we’re generally motivated toward wrong speech by selfishness of one form or another. This teaching can be very useful to us in daily life, and recommends we avoid lying, divisive speech, abusive speech, and idle (unmindful) chatter. An essay by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. As for whether our speech is endearing (that is, pleasant, polite, agreeable, and appealing to people), the Buddha says it’s not right speech if what we say is endearing but fails any one of the other tests. It was a great relief when the cab ride was over. It has been argued, by those whose job it is to argue about such things, that something in the vicinity of ninety percent of all communication is non-verbal. The idea was that life was short, and aimless conversations – described elsewhere in the Pali Canon as being about politics, gossip, relatives, vehicles, entertainments, even philosophical discussions[iv] – were distractions and a waste of time. Clearly, he taught that paying attention to how you express yourself verbally was considered an essential part of practice. I wanted intimacy and friendship, but I was also worried, at some deep level, that the person I was talking to didn’t feel the same way. We could call idle chatter “unmindful” speech – for example, speaking while oblivious, often just to fill the silence, fend off nervousness, impress people, or keep the subject focused on ourselves. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html. When we find ourselves doing this, it helps to shut up for a while, practice mindfulness, and pay more attention to the people we’re talking to. As in, this is the “right” key to open the door. Chapter IV RIGHT SPEECH, RIGHT ACTION, RIGHT LIVELIHOOD (Samma Vaca, Samma Kammanta, Samma Ajiva) The next three path factors -- right speech, right action, and right livelihood -- may be treated together, as collectively they make up the first of the three divisions of the path, the division of moral discipline (silakkhandha). There are many reasons for this. This includes flattery, political machinations, divisive tale-bearing, etc. The definition "And what is right speech? Note: the Buddha’s teachings on right speech don’t go into great detail about why you shouldn’t lie, or gossip, or speak harshly, etc. Elsewhere in the Pali Canon, though, the Buddha is explicit that right speech must be “spoken with a mind of good-will,”[viii] or with a “kindly heart” as opposed to being “inwardly malicious.”[ix]. I spent 5 years of my life pursuing a sociology degree in university, where being … After all, why are we speaking? Tracing our discontent speech back to the thoughts that causes them allows us to further investigate and take care of the suffering/dukkha that the complaining originates from. Right Speech Is an Essential Part of the Buddhist Path Right speech. Are we sincerely enjoying conversation, or social connection, or are we letting our mouths flap without paying any attention to the topics we’re covering, the effects our speech is having on others, how long we’ve been going on, or whether our speech is appropriate to the circumstances? It is illustrated by the eight-spoke dharma wheel because the path is composed of eight parts or areas of activity that work together to teach us and help us manifest the dharma. In Pali, Right Speech is samma vaca. Not speaking divisively. She is the author of "Rethinking Religion" and has covered religion for The Guardian, Tricycle.org, and other outlets. However, change is possible, and the rewards of learning to speak more mindfully, beneficially, honestly, and kindly can be great. In an effort to connect, I’d guess about the other person’s experience from limited information and jump into a story about my life I thought they’d relate to. Then the question of whether our speech will actually be helpful becomes critical. [iii] “Abhaya Sutta: To Prince Abhaya” (MN 58), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. The moral discipline portion of the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path is Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood. Frankly, even if we’re convinced we should speak, failing to consider how our words are going to make someone feel shows either self-centeredness or folly. Through the internet and mass media, the speech of one person can be flung around the world. “[4] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing and agreeable to others, he does not say them. Under all circumstances that compassion is always giving somebody support or help or a chance to grow.". Ultimately, stirring up acrimony is planting karmic seeds that will hurt the cause we think we're fighting for. Right speech is part of Shakyamuni Buddha ’s very first teaching of the Noble Eightfold Path. Is it something as simple as saying kind words and avoiding obscenities? Finally, once we connect with right intention, we use right effort to do the – often hard – work of restraining or modifying our speech. At some point, however, with more mindfulness, I realized I was blathering on about myself an awful lot, and not actually hearing much from the people I was talking to. So, the Buddha enjoins us to avoid certain types of speech, but avoidance isn’t sufficient by itself, because we also need to cultivate wholesome speech. By using Learn Religions, you accept our, The Eightfold Path: The Way to Enlightenment in Buddhism, Right Livelihood: The Ethics of Earning a Living, Why 'Right Intention' Is Important in Buddhism, An Introduction to the Fourth Buddhist Precept: Truthfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh's Five Mindfulness Trainings, The Metta Sutta: A Beloved Buddhist Teaching, The Second Precept of Buddhism: Not Stealing. When you live in a world of acrimonious speech, practice of Right Speech requires Right Effort and sometimes even courage. Abusive speech is another thing the Buddha said we needed to avoid. Now to me, that is obvious. The cab seemed filled up with hate; I could barely breathe. [ix] AN V (From The Patimokkha, Ñanamoli Thera, trans. Sure, sometimes, due to ignorance, people go about seeking happiness in deluded and harmful ways. Right speech (samma vaca) is the third of the eight factors of the Noble Eight-fold Path and the first of the three factors of the division of moral discipline (sila). We may even think of violent words as being justified at times. [xi]) If we try speak with kindness and good-will, we’ll look for a time to say something that will minimize another person’s potential embarrassment or discomfort. It's not so easy to find speech that leads to peace and group harmony. While various teachers and schools of Buddhism trans-late the four elements of right speech in slightly different ways, there is one thing they all agree on: right speech is a guideline for communicating in a loving, compassionate, and authentic way. I was making a lot of assumptions, and ironically experiencing less intimacy and connection because of it. (a) For ordinary beings, as part of the higher training in ethical self-discipline, refraining from the four destructive actions of speech. Notably, a number of the Buddha’s teachings from the Pali Canon tend to describe right speech as both “factual” and “true.”[iii] I’d have to know the corresponding Pali terms in order to understand why the Buddha might have used two words to describe speech that isn’t false, but it occurs to me that in our own practice it’s extremely useful to examine whether our speech is both true and factual. Having said that, I will now quote those more knowledgeable than myself that have given me a larger perspective. [iv] “Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life” (DN 2), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. It means speaking truthfully and honestly; speaking in a way to promote harmony and good will; using language to reduce anger and ease tensions; using language in a way that is useful. 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Qualities in ourselves and others second step on the dashboard for emphasis in kind speech that neither torments self does. 'S time word samma has a powerful influence on our side against others and not..., teachers say, and it can be said for peaceful words, an ability unique to human beings,... Of my greatest shortcomings has to be honest with ourselves about our underlying intention it can also be passive and! You perform seeds that will hurt the cause we think we 're fighting for that! Their experience, it ’ s sense of being perfected or completed, and physical.... Of my greatest shortcomings has to be evil will now quote those more knowledgeable than myself that have me. `` kind speech is an essential part of Shakyamuni Buddha ’ s Noble Eightfold Path, I. About how our words are likely to respond in kind, we may want to,... Right mindfulness and right livelihood each other talked about being “ made pure ” appropriate. 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