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【The Basics】The Buddha’s Teachings on Speech I

Lesson 1: Silence
 
Those who have gone forth should practice two things: first, noble silence; and, second, discussion of the Dharma text. When you gather in the lecture hall, you should likewise either maintain noble silence or engage in discourse on the Dharma.
Dirgha Agama, Fascicle 18, Chapter 1: Jambudvipa
 
The Madhyama Agama records an occasion at the Peacock Grove near Rajagṛha, where a group of non-Buddhist practitioners had gathered, engaging in loud conversations about affairs of state, social events, clothing, food, women, and various forms of idle chatter. As their discussions grew increasingly animated, they paid little regard to those around them, and their voices became louder and more disorderly. Suddenly, the leader of the group asked everyone to quiet down, for the Buddha was approaching with the disciples to rest nearby. The leader of the group described the Buddha's assembly: “The assembly abides in noble silence, delights in noble silence, and extols the virtues of noble silence.” This passage vividly portrays the silent mindfulness of Buddhist practitioners.
 
The Buddha repeatedly emphasized two important principles governing speech that all monastics and Buddhist practitioners should cultivate: noble silence and discussion of the Dharma. As Nagarjuna explains in the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom, “The silence of the noble and wise is the manifestation of prajna.” Noble silence is the expression of a mind abiding in wisdom, while discussion of Dharma is the articulation of that wisdom. Hence, the first lesson on speech for Buddhist disciples is not how to speak, but how to cultivate silence. Only then should they consider what to say. If one's words do not accord with the Buddha's teachings, it is better to remain silent.
 
Regarding excessive speech, the Buddha cautioned in the Madhyama Āgama: A Senior Elder’s Drowsiness: “When there is excessive speech, agitation naturally follows. Where there is agitation, the mind cannot come to rest. And when the mind is not at rest, it is separated from meditative concentration.” This explains that excessive speech agitates the mind, giving rise to distraction and restlessness. A disturbed mind cannot remain established in mindfulness, clarity, and awareness, and therefore cannot cultivate concentration and wisdom. Such a state also makes one more likely to speak carelessly, exercise poor judgment, and commit verbal mistakes; hence the common saying, “Too much talk leads to mistakes.” The Buddha further analyzed the harmful consequences of excessive speech in human relationships. A person who speaks excessively is likely to: first, lose the trust and confidence of others; second, become someone from whom others are unwilling to learn; third, become unwelcome in social settings; fourth, be more prone to false speech; and fifth, give rise to disputes and contention.
 
Thus, if we aspire to communicate skillfully, we should first learn not to speak impulsively. Instead of rushing to respond, we can begin by relaxing both body and the mind as well as observing whether unwholesome mental states such as greed, anger, ignorance, pride, or doubt have arisen. At the same time, we should mindfully examine what we truly intend to express, while remaining attentive to the condition of the other person and the circumstances. By cultivating noble silence and awareness to refrain from impulsive reactions, we create the conditions for wisdom to guide our words to enhance the quality of our communication with others.
 
Lesson 2: Listening
 
The Buddha said to the monks, "Listen carefully! Listen carefully! Reflect deeply on these teachings, and I will now explain them to you."
Saṃyukta Āgama, Discourse 15
 
In the scriptures, whenever a monk or lay Buddhist came to request Dharma teachings, the Buddha would often exhort the audience before expounding the Dharma: “Listen carefully! Listen carefully! Reflect deeply on these teachings, and I will now explain them to you.” This reminds the listeners to listen carefully and reflect deeply so that they can fully understand the true meaning of the Buddha’s teachings.
 
Listening is one of the most essential skills in the practice of skillful communication. If a person is eager only to speak but unwilling to listen, such an attitude often reflects greed. To listen to another person with wholehearted attention is one of the greatest gifts we can offer. The American family therapist Virginia Satir observed, “I believe the greatest gift I can conceive of having from anyone is to be seen by them, heard by them, understood, and touched by them.” When we interact with others respectfully by maintaining appropriate eye contact and setting aside distractions, we demonstrate our willingness to be fully present and to understand what they have to say. In this way, we convey our appreciation and care for the other person, thereby making communication smoother.
 
The same principle applies to listening to the Dharma. If one wishes to truly benefit from the Buddha’s teachings, one must listen with wholehearted attention, contemplate what has been heard, and retain it in one’s mind. In The Way to Buddhahood by Master Yinshun, he employs the analogy of a bowl collecting rainwater to illustrate the three faults of hearing the Dharma that practitioners should avoid:
 
1. An overturned bowl cannot receive even a single drop of rainwater. Likewise, if a listener is inattentive and distracted, although the Dharma is heard externally, it is as though it has never been heard.
 
2. If a bowl is filled with poison, the rainwater it receives becomes contaminated and harmful. Similarly, even when one listens attentively, if the mind is filled with prejudice, doubt, and wrong views, one cannot receive the true Dharma as it is. Instead, one may distort the teaching through erroneous understanding and thereby create the unwholesome karma of slandering or undermining the Dharma.
 
3. A cracked bowl cannot retain the rainwater it receives. In the same way, even if a listener approaches the Dharma without prejudice or doubt, a scattered and distracted mind preoccupied with worldly concerns and daily affairs may soon forget the Dharma that has been heard.
 
The Dhammapada Stories recounts an occasion when the Buddha was expounding the Dharma at Jeta Grove. Among those in attendance were five lay Buddhists: one sat in sleep; another scratched the ground with his fingers; a third shook a tree; a fourth gazed up at the sky; and only the fifth listened attentively with reverence. Observing these contrasting behaviors, Ananda asked the Buddha why people who were listening to the same Dharma discourse displayed such different attitudes.
 
The Buddha explained that their behavior arose from deeply ingrained habitual tendencies carried over from their past lives. In their past lives, the first person had been a snake and retained the habitual tendency to remain curled up in sleep. The second had been an earthworm and instinctively burrowed into the ground. The third had been a monkey, restless and agitated by nature. The fourth had been an astrologer who was accustomed to looking up at the sky. Only the fifth person, who listened with unwavering attention, had been a learned Brahmin and therefore possessed the habit of listening carefully to the teachings. The Buddha then said to Ananda, “Ananda, remember this well: only by listening attentively can one truly understand the Dharma.”
 
Lesson 3: Understanding
 
How do you know that I teach in this way? From whom did you hear that I teach in this way?
Madhyama Āgama , Fascicle 54
 
The Buddha taught according to the needs of his audience and also valued his disciples' true understanding of the Dharma. When someone misunderstood his teachings and he refuted them, he would patiently explain the meaning again to ensure that his disciples established a correct understanding.
 
A dialogue recorded in Discourse 18 of the Saṃyukta Agama clearly illustrates the Buddha's careful and rigorous approach to guiding his disciples. On one occasion when the Buddha was expounding the Dharma at Jeta Grove in Sravasti, an unnamed bhikkhu approached the Buddha, paid homage, and expressed his aspiration: "I wish to dwell alone in a quiet place, devote myself wholeheartedly to contemplation, abide diligently without negligence, and ultimately realize for myself the state beyond future rebirths." Upon hearing this, the Buddha repeated the bhikkhu's words and asked whether this was truly his intention. The bhikkhu replied, "Yes, Bhagavat." Having confirmed his motivation, the Buddha then offered guidance for his future practice: "Any teachings that are unsuitable for you or for anyone else should be abandoned without delay. Once they are abandoned, they will bring benefit and well-being, leading to peace and happiness for a long time."
 
After hearing the Buddha's brief instruction, the bhikkhu immediately indicated that he understood. To confirm that the disciple had truly understood, the Buddha asked, "How do you understand the deeper meaning of this brief teaching I have given?" The bhikkhu replied that form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are not self, not what belongs to the self, nor what belongs to anyone else. Therefore, they should be abandoned without delay. Once they are abandoned, they will bring benefit and well-being, leading to long-term peace and happiness. The Buddha commended the bhikkhu for his correct understanding and further elaborated on the teaching. Filled with great joy, the bhikkhu paid homage to the Buddha and departed. Practicing diligently in accordance with the Buddha's instruction, he eventually achieved the state of Arahantship.
 
Why did the Bhagavat take such great care to repeatedly confirm his disciple's understanding? According to findings from modern neuroscience and communication studies, once a message is conveyed, the process of "decoding” is often influenced by the listener's physical and psychological condition, as well as by factors such as cultural background and personal experience. As a result, messages can easily be misunderstood or misinterpreted. Precisely because genuine understanding between people is so difficult to achieve, many individuals fear being misunderstood. Rather than expressing themselves openly, they choose to remain silent, building walls around themselves and isolating their hearts from others.
 
The Buddha showed us how to break down this wall through his own example. The key to genuinely understanding another person is to ask questions and verify whether both parties truly understand one another. Moreover, asking questions itself is a means of cultivating wisdom. In the Fascicle 9 of Dirgha Āgama, at the Buddha's instruction, Venerable Sariputra taught the bhikkhus the Dharma according to the Dasuttara Sutta (Progressing by Tens). Among the eight factors for the growth of wisdom, the second is "asking questions at the appropriate time." We should never hesitate to ask for clarification out of fear of appearing ignorant. Whenever doubt arises, we should have the courage to seek clarification by asking questions. By doing so, we avoid being confined by our own preconceived ideas and prior knowledge, which can lead us to misunderstand others without even realizing it.
 
Lesson 4: A Mind of Loving-Kindness
　　　
With a mind of loving-kindness and gentle speech,
one cares for others as oneself;
when asked, one readily gives;
such a one is reborn in the Brahmakāyika Heaven.
Sutra of the Origins of Good and Evil
 
Long ago, in the Kingdom of Varanasi, a crown prince named Mupo was born. Deeply cherished by his parents, the prince nevertheless remained silent until the age of thirteen, never uttering a single word. The reason was that, because of wholesome roots cultivated throughout previous lives, he retained the memory of his former existence. In that past life, he had been a benevolent king who governed with compassion and cared for both his people and all living beings. His virtue was so widely admired that the rulers and ministers of neighboring kingdoms came together to pledge their allegiance to him. To welcome these distinguished guests, the king held a grand banquet. The royal chef informed him that preparing the feast would require the slaughter of a great number of cattle, sheep, and six kinds of poultry. Although the king felt deep compassion and reluctance, he gave his approval. Because of that single approval, countless animals lost their lives. After his death, the king was reborn in hell and endured immense suffering as the karmic result of his action. The memory of those hellish torments remained vivid in Prince Mupo's mind even in his present life. Fearing that careless speech might once again create harmful karma, he chose not to speak. He hoped that by guarding his speech throughout his present life, he would avoid repeating the mistakes of his past and ultimately attain liberation.
 
A single moment of failing to maintain mindfulness and a mind of loving-kindness, resulting in unwholesome speech, brought about such profound suffering. This reminds us of the vital importance of speaking with a compassionate heart. In Buddhism, compassion means relieving suffering and bringing happiness to others. To speak with compassion is to speak with the sincere wish that our words may benefit others and bring them peace and joy. Such speech, however, begins with compassion toward ourselves and a deep understanding of our own minds.
 
Only by cultivating compassion for ourselves and gaining a deep understanding of our own minds can we truly listen to and understand others. By doing so, we become able to recognize their needs, difficulties, and suffering, giving rise to a genuine wish to benefit them and relieve their pain. As stated in the Sutra of the Origins of Good and Evil, the essence of compassion is "cares for others as oneself." When we truly understand another person, we can put ourselves in their place, seeking their benefit and happiness just as naturally as we seek our own.
 
In the Alternative Translation of the Saṃyukta Āgama, Sutra 111, the Buddha further taught that the motivation and purpose of expounding the Dharma should be to help listeners become freed from birth, aging, illness, death, sorrow, lamentation, and suffering, and to enable them to hear the teaching and practice it in accordance with the Dharma. The Buddha also said that such teaching allows listeners to receive the Dharma, understand its meaning, gain its true benefit, and attain lasting peace and well-being. Only when the Dharma is taught with the intention of guiding others toward freedom from the suffering they most wish to be free from can it truly be called "the speech of purity and compassion."
 
In our daily interactions and conversations, we may not always be able to speak with the "the speech of purity and compassion" as exemplified by the Buddha and his noble disciples. Nevertheless, we can learn from the compassionate aspiration of Master Sheng Yen: "Wherever I go and whomever I meet, my first thought is: What benefit can I bring to this person? What hope can I offer? What does this person truly need?" When we respond to others according to their needs, seeking to relieve their suffering and bring them happiness, we are practicing the way of speaking that arises from compassion.


Related articles: 

Speak Well, Speak Right

【The Basics】The Buddha’s Teachings on Speech I

【The Basics】The Buddha’s Teachings on Speech II

[Q&A] Speaking Well in Daily Life


Resource: Issue 418 of Humanity Magazine, Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Photo: p17-《大師密碼U：懶惰大米袋》-冉綾珮繪
Translation: Brenda
Editing: Venerable Yan Hsiang (演香法師), Keith Brown