Buddhist Hour
Script No. 411
Broadcast live on Hillside 88.0 FM
11.00am till 12midday.
On
Sunday 18 December 2005CE (2549 Buddhist Era)


This script is entitled:
“Applying the Buddha's Teachings to Everyday Life”
Class 4

Today we will talk about the third factor of the Noble Eightfold Path; Right Speech (samma vaca). It together with Right Action and Right Livelihood are the factors of the Buddhist Path that develop virtue or sila in Pali.

Using the simile of the bow and arrow we have seen that Right Understanding allows us to put the bow and arrow in the correct position so that what follows is the arrow flying to hit the target. If we have Right Understanding we recognise what our situation is and what method we need to practice to reduce and eventually to remove our suffering.

The goal of Buddhist practice for both monks and laypersons is nibbana or nirvana in the Sanskrit language - the state of no craving and no mental pain.

Right Thought follows from Right Understanding. Venerable K Sri Dhammananda writes that, "This factor is sometimes known as 'Right Resolution', 'Right Aspirations' and 'Right Ideas'. It refers to the mental state that eliminates wrong ideas or notions and serves a double purpose of eliminating unwholesome thoughts and developing pure thought".

From Right Thought can follow Right Speech and Right Action because thought precedes activity and speech.

Before we go on to examine Right Speech we need to look at these terms 'unwholesome' and 'wholesome' thoughts which we have been referring to in this course to find out how we can recognise whether our thoughts are unwholesome or wholesome.

From the Buddhist Canon which is called the Tripitaka in the section "Kindred Sayings" (Vol. 1 Chap. 111, Par 3) we read that King Pasenadi asked the Buddha:

"How many kinds of things, Lord, that happen in the world, makes for trouble, for suffering, for distress?"

The Buddha answered:

"Three things, sire, happen of that nature. What are the three? Greed, hate, and delusion - these things make for trouble, for suffering, for distress".

The Buddhist texts explain how these three factors appear on our mind. It is explained that there are fourteen different forms that greed, hate and ignorance manifest in our minds as mental states or mental objects.

These fourteen are referred to as unwholesome because the outcomes of these are all the sufferings we have ever experienced in all our lives. The unwholesome mental objects are creating all our unpleasant mental experience.

The list below is the fourteen unwholesome mental consciousnesses (cetasikas). Following that we have also listed the wholesome consciousnesses, the ones that lead to happiness. Interestingly there are twenty-five wholesome mental states we can develop.

Unwholesome mental consciousness.

1. Ignorance (moha).
2. Lack of moral shame (ahirika).
3. Lack of fear of unwholesomeness (anottappa).
4. Restlessness (uddhacca).
5. Attachment (lobha).
6. Wrong view (ditthi).
7. Conceit (mana).
8. Aversion (dosa).
9. Envy (issa).
10. Stinginess (macchariya).
11. Regret (kukkucca).
12. Sloth (thina).
13. Torpor (middha).
14. Doubt (vicikiccha).

These are the mind equivalents of the periodic table of elements for matter when examined from a scientific viewpoint. So far these fourteen are only the unwholesome 'elements' but the full list of cetasikas which totals fifty-two are the actual mental factors we experience in our mind.

It is the task of Buddhist practitioners to recognise these mental factors operating in our consciousness from moment to moment by knowing 'on sight' whether the ones arising are wholesome or unwholesome. With that knowledge then we can decide what to do with them; either cultivate them if they are wholesome or reduce them if they are unwholesome.

The twenty-five wholesome consciousnesses are:

1. Confidence (saddha).
2. Mindfulness (sati).
3. Moral shame (hiri).
4. Fear of unwholesomeness (ottappa).
5. Disinterestedness (alobha).
6. Amity (adosa).
7. Equanimity (tatramajjhattata).
8. Composure of mental states (kayapassadhi).
9. Composure of mind (citta kayapassadhi).
10. Lightness of mental states (kaya-lahuta).
11. Lightness of mind(citta-lahuta).
12. Pliancy of mental states (kaya-muduta).
13. Pliancy of mind (citta-muduta).
14. Adaptability of mental states (kaya-kammannata).
15. Adaptability of minds (citta-kammannata).
16. Proficiency of mental states (kaya-pagunnata).
17. Proficiency of mind (citta-pagunnata).
18. Rectitude of mental states (kaya-ujukata).
19. Rectitude of mind (citta-ujukata).
20. Right speech (samma vaca).
21. Right action (samma kammanta).
22. Right livelihood (samma ajiva).
23. Compassion (karuna).
24. Sympathetic joy (mudita).
25. Wisdom (panna).

There are many stories in the Buddhist Canon of how the Buddha practiced in his former lives to make the causes to become a Buddha.

The stories also demonstrate how strongly he cultivated his wholesome minds without falling back to the unwholesome minds no matter what the circumstances were. They are an excellent example to us.

In the Jataka Tales from the Tripitaka the Buddha told his disciples of one of his former lives when he was practicing patience and forbearance as a Bodhisattva. The tale is told here by Bhikkhu Visuddhacara from his book 'Curbing Anger, Spreading Love'.

In that story the evil king Kalabu of Kasi confronted the Bodhisattva, who was then an asthetic, and asked: "What do you recluse, teach?" The Bodhisattva replied: "I teach forbearance, Sir."

"What is this forbearance?"

"It is being without anger when people curse or strike or revile you."

The King, saying: "Now I will see the reality of your forbearance," summoned and ordered his executioner to flog the Bodhisattva. The executioner flogged the Bodhisattva until his skin was split and the blood flowed forth. Again the kind asked the Bodhisattva: "What do you, monk teach?"

The Bodhisattva replied: "I teach forbearance, Sir, but you think my forbearance is only skin deep. My forbearance is not skin deep, but it could not be seen by you, for my forbearance, Sir, is rooted firmly within my heart."

The King, who was then angry with the Bodhisattva because of jealousy over attention paid to the latter by some palace women, ordered the executioner to chop off the Bodhisattva’s hands and feet. The executioner did so and the Bodhisattva bled profusely.

Again the King taunted the Bodhisattva: "What do you teach?"

"I teach forbearance, sir. But you think forbearance is in my hands and feet. Forbearance is not there, it is firmly rooted in a deep place within me."

The King ordered: "Cut off his ears and nose." The executioner complied. The Bodhisattva's whole body was covered with blood. When questioned again by the King, the Bodhisattva replied: "I teach forbearance, sir. But don't think my forbearance resides in my ears and nose. Forbearance is firmly rooted in a deep place within my heart."

The King saying, "You can sit down and extol your forbearance", kicked the Bodhisattva over the heart and walked off.

The Commander in Chief of the army, who was at the scene at that time, wiped the blood from the Bodhisattva's body, bandaged the ends of his hands and feet, ears and nose, and begged forgiveness. "Oh ascetic, if you would be angry, be angry with the King and not with the Kingdom."

The Bodhisattva replied that he bore no anger towards anyone, not even towards the King who had mutilated him. Nay he even wished: "Long live the King, ones like me do not get angry." The Bodhisattva died that day, while the King, it was said, was swallowed up by the Earth for his heinous deed and was reborn in avici, the Great Hell.

Now let us move on. After Right Thought in the Buddha's Eightfold Path of training comes Right Speech.

Right Speech is one of the three factors of moral conduct in the Eightfold Path. Venerable K Sri. Dhammananda writes "Right Speech involves respect for truth and respect for the welfare of others. It means to avoid lying, to avoid back biting or slander, to avoid harsh speech, (angry speech) and to avoid idle talk."

Right Speech includes no divisive speech and no flattery.

K Sri Dhammananda comments, "We have often underestimated the power of speech and tend to use little control over our speech faculty. But we have all been hurt by someone's words at some time of our life and similarly we have been encouraged by the words of another. It is said that a harsh word can wound more deeply than weapons, whereas a gentle word can change the heart and mind of the most hardened criminal. So to develop a harmonious society, we should control, cultivate and use our speech positively. We speak words that are truthful, bring harmony, kind and meaningful. The Buddha once said, pleasant speech is sweet as honey, truthful speech is beautiful like a flower, and wrong speech is unwholesome like filth.

Maha Upsaka U Nu in his article 'The Five Precepts - Panca Sila' noted that:

"The beneficial results of refraining from speaking falsehood: The person who vigilantly and steadfastly observes this Musavada Precept reaches the World of Devas on his death. When he expires in the world of Devas, and is reborn in the world of human beings, he is endorsed with the following qualities:

l. having an open-hearted and radiant appearance;
2. having sweet and faultless speech;
3. having even and white teeth;
4. being not too fat;
5. being not too thin;
6. being not too short;
7. being not too tall;
8. having a body that is pleasant to the touch;
9. having a fragrant mouth like the sweet smell of a lotus;
10. being listened to with regard and esteem by others;
11. having a significant and impressive way of expression;
12. having a soft, thin, red tongue like a lotus petal;
13. being free from disappointment or failure;14. being free from shocks and alarms."

To keep the precept of refraining from lying is fundamental to learning and developing good understanding.

Through Buddhist practice we wish to be able to understand the truth of the way things are. The act of lying is an act of distorting the truth or distorting the reality in a way that suits the person lying. The act of distorting the truth creates kamma for the person lying so that in the future they will find it more difficult to receive the truth in their own minds.

Either people lie to them, or they get poor information about things they wish to know, or if they are told the correct information they will tend to not believe it, discount it or mistake what they heard. Even in a worldly sense it is important to find out the truth about things.

It is a common occurrence to find that a person has believed you said something; but it wasn’t what you actually said. Quite frequently we find out we have acted on some incorrect information about something and so we have wasted a lot of time, or bought something we didn’t need, or went somewhere to meet someone and got the time or place wrong, and so on. It happens to us regularly.

These types of examples of mis-information we get in our minds are caused by giving out mis-information or lying to others in the past.

Not lying also includes lying by omission.

As Bhante Henepola Guneratana observed in 'The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya:'

Occasionally we may be asked a question to which a response of silence indicates a particular answer. If our silence would convey a lie, then we must speak. We can also lie with our body language. Sometimes a shrug or a raised eyebrow may convey 'I don’t know'. But if you do know, your shrug is a deception.

Bhante Guneratana notes that:

The most important resolution you can make is to think before you speak. People say 'watch your tongue!' But it is more important to watch your mind. The tongue does not wag by itself. The mind controls it. Before you open you mouth; check your mind to see whether your motivation is wholesome. You will come to regret any speech motivated by greed, hatred and delusion.

The key points for preventing unhappiness by way of skilful speech are:

Skilful speech requires that you abstain from lying, malicious words, harsh language and useless talk.

Lying by omission is still lying.

Malicious talk is speech that destroys other peoples friendships or damages their reputations.

Verbal abuse, profanity, sarcasm, hypocrisy and excessively blunt or belittling criticism are all examples of harsh speech.

Harsh language hurts others and debases you.

Gossip and idle talk lead to quarrels and misunderstanding, waste you time and create a confused state of mind.

All unnecessary speech not motivated by generosity, loving friendliness and compassion is harmful.

The test of skilful speech is to stop and ask yourself before you speak: Is this true? Is this kind? Is this beneficial? Does it harm anyone? Is this the right time to say something?

Using mindfulness to strengthen your resolution to say nothing hurtful and to use only soft, well-chosen words can bring harmony to any difficult situation.

Thanissaro Bhikkhu comments on Right Speech in the introduction to the Abhaya Sutta from the Majjhima Nikaya or The Middle-length Discourses noting:

In this discourse, the Buddha shows the factors that go into deciding what is and is not worth saying. The main factors are three:

Whether or not a statement is true, whether or not it is beneficial and whether or not it is pleasing to others.

The Buddha himself would state only those things that are true and beneficial and would have a sense of time for when pleasing and unpleasing things should be said. Notice that the possibility that a statement might be untrue yet beneficial is not even entertained.

From the Discourse we read: I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Sanctuary.

Then Prince Abhaya went to Nigantha Nataputta and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Nigantha Nataputta said to him, "Come, now, prince. Refute the words of the contemplative Gotama and this admirable report about you will spread afar: 'The words of the contemplative Gotama - so mighty, so powerful - were refuted by Prince Abhaya!'"

"But how, venerable sir, will I refute the words of the contemplative Gotama - so mighty, so powerful?"

"Come now, prince. Go to the contemplative Gotama and on arrival say this: 'Lord, would the Tathagata say words that are unendearing & disagreeable to others?' If the contemplative Gotama, thus asked, answers, 'The Tathagata would say words that are unendearing & disagreeable to others,' then you should say, 'Then how is there any difference between you, lord, and run-of-the-mill people? For even run-of-the-mill people say words that are unendearing & disagreeable to others.'

But if the contemplative Gotama, thus asked, answers, 'The Tathagata would not say words that are unendearing & disagreeable to others,' then you should say, 'Then how, lord, did you say of Devadatta that "Devadatta is headed for destitution, Devadatta is headed for hell, Devadatta will boil for an eon, Devadatta is incurable?" For Devadatta was upset & disgruntled at those words of yours.' When the contemplative Gotama is asked this two-pronged question by you, he won't be able to swallow it down or spit it up. Just as if a two-horned chestnut were stuck in a man's throat: he would not be able to swallow it down or spit it up. In the same way, when the contemplative Gotama is asked this two-pronged question by you, he won't be able to swallow it down or spit it up."

Responding, "As you say, venerable sir," Prince Abhaya got up from his seat, bowed down to Nigantha Nataputta, circumambulated him, and then went to the Blessed One. On arrival, he bowed down to the Blessed One and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he glanced up at the sun and thought, "Today is not the time to refute the Blessed One's words. Tomorrow in my own home I will overturn the Blessed One's words." So he said to the Blessed One, "May the Blessed One, together with three others, acquiesce to my offer of tomorrow's meal."

The Blessed One acquiesced with silence.

Then Prince Abhaya, understanding the Blessed One's acquiescence, got up from his seat, bowed down to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and left.

Then, after the night had passed, the Blessed One early in the morning put on his robes and carrying his bowl and outer robe went to Prince Abhaya's home. On arrival, he sat down on a seat made ready. Prince Abhaya, with his own hand, served & satisfied the Blessed One with fine staple & non-staple foods. Then, when the Blessed One had eaten and had removed his hand from his bowl, Prince Abhaya took a lower seat and sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "Lord, would the Tathagata say words that are unendearing & disagreeable to others?"

"Prince, there is no categorical yes-or-no answer to that."

"Then right here, lord, the Niganthas are destroyed."

"But Prince, why do you say, Then right here, lord, the Niganthas are destroyed?"

"Just yesterday, lord, I went to Nigantha Nataputta and... he said to me...'Come now, prince. Go to the contemplative Gotama and on arrival say this: "Lord, would the Tathagata say words that are unendearing & disagreeable to others?"... Just as if a two-horned chestnut were stuck in a man's throat: he would not be able to swallow it down or spit it up. In the same way, when the contemplative Gotama is asked this two-pronged question by you, he won't be able to swallow it down or spit it up.'"

Now at that time a baby boy was lying face-up on the Prince's lap. So the Blessed One said to the prince, "What do you think, Prince: If this young boy, through your own negligence or that of the nurse, were to take a stick or a piece of gravel into its mouth, what would you do?"

"I would take it out, lord. If I couldn't get it out right away, then holding its head in my left hand and crooking a finger of my right, I would take it out, even if it meant drawing blood. Why is that? Because I have sympathy for the young boy."

"In the same way, Prince:

1.   In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing & disagreeable to others, he does not say them.

2.  In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, unendearing & disagreeable to others, he does not say them.

3.  In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing & disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.

4.   In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing & agreeable to others, he does not say them.

5.  In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, but endearing & agreeable to others, he does not say them.

6.  In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing & agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings."

"Lord, when wise nobles or priests, householders or contemplatives, having formulated questions, come to the Tathagata and ask him, does this line of reasoning appear to his awareness beforehand - 'If those who approach me ask this, I - thus asked - will answer in this way' - or does the Tathagata come up with the answer on the spot?"

"In that case, Prince, I will ask you a counter-question. Answer as you see fit. What do you think: are you skilled in the parts of a chariot?"

"Yes, Lord. I am skilled in the parts of a chariot."

"And what do you think: When people come & ask you, 'What is the name of this part of the chariot?' Does this line of reasoning appear to your awareness beforehand - 'If those who approach me ask this, I - thus asked - will answer in this way' - or do you come up with the answer on the spot?"

"Lord, I am renowned for being skilled in the parts of a chariot. All the parts of a chariot are well-known to me. I come up with the answer on the spot."

"In the same way, Prince, when wise nobles or priests, householders or contemplatives, having formulated questions, come to the Tathagata and ask him, he comes up with the answer on the spot. Why is that? Because the property of the Dhamma is thoroughly penetrated by the Tathagata. From his thorough penetration of the property of the Dhamma, he comes up with the answer on the spot."

When this was said, Prince Abhaya said to the Blessed One:

"Magnificent, Lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed One - through many lines of reasoning - made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of monks. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life."

For a Buddhist who is trying to understand the truth and intending to create good causes for learning and clearly comprehending it is a necessity to keep the precept to not lie.

We use our speech in Buddhist practice to make good causes that help us develop our wholesome minds and to create causes to learn the Buddhist Teachings or the Dhamma again and again in the future.

If you tuned in at the beginning of the Buddhist Hour you would have heard us chanting before the commencement of the program: the Vandana for Buddha, the Five Precepts and the Refuge in the Triple Gem: Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. These are examples of how we use speech in Buddhist practice to make good causes, good kamma.

There are practices in Buddhism based on chanting which are designed to help us develop and improve our wellbeing in many ways.

Some chanting is done to create improved health, some to increase our long life, some to increase our wisdom, or compassion, or to improve the development of our loving kindness to others.

One sutta which we often chant in English on the Buddhist Hour is the Karaniyametta Sutta. This is translated as the Loving Kindness Sutta. It is a set of instructions given by the Buddha to his monks to help them develop loving kindness. Some of our Members have chanted this sutta as part of a daily practice to help them reduce their hate and develop their metta toward others. It is a very effective practice so please try it for yourself.

May you come to cultivate wholesome minds and not fall back to unwholesome minds no matter what the circumstances .

May you make good causes with your speech that develop wholesome minds and create causes to learn Buddha Dhamma again and again.

May you be well and happy.

May all beings be well and happy.

This script was prepared and edited by Julian Bamford, Anita Carter, Frank Carter and David Ley.

1.  Dhammananda, K Sri. 1999.  What Buddhists Believe .  Publication of the Yayasan Belia Buddhist Malaysia. 129 Jlan Seang Tek, 10400 Pulau Pinang. 10th Edition. P81

2. Bhikkhu Visuddhacara. 1998.  Curbing Anger, Spreading Love .  Sukhi Hotu Dhamma Book and Gift House. 42 – V, Jalan Matang Kuching, 11500 Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia. P17 - 18.

3. Maha Upsaka U Nu .  1982. The Five Precepts - Panca Sila.   Annual Journal of the Singapore Buddha-Yana Organisation (SBYO). The Young Buddhist.

4.  Guneratana, Bhante Henepola. 2001.  Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness . Wisdom Publications USA.

5. Bhikkhu Ñanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi.  1995.  The Middle Length  Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya.  Wisdom Publications.  Boston.

6. Online sources at  http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/majjhima

7. Online source at<http://www.accesstoinsight.org/outsources/books.html>

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