Importance of Right Speech

Buddha is very scientific in the religious field. He adopted the middle mean. Try to understand three things. One is the periphery of our life. Another is the center of our life. Between them is the matter of mind. Actions are the periphery of our life. Soul is the center of our life. And speech is between both of them. Thoughts within us today will convert into speech tomorrow. Day after tomorrow it will get converted into actions. Person who has to observe his thoughts and actions should hold the middle; both the ends will come into his hands. Practice the mid-way. Buddha has said in every aspect of life – Practice the golden mean, the balance, remaining two will get practiced by themselves. Why? Try to understand that thoughts going on within you are unexpressed speech. They will convert into speech in future; and whatever you are speaking today, are your expressed thoughts.

So there is a relationship between thoughts and speech. Thought is like a seed, pressed in ground, cannot be seen now and speech can be expressed, the thought has sprouted. Action is such that tree has grown; fruits and flowers have grown in it. There is a series in this whole process from seed to flowers and fruits. You catch the mid, that is the sprout. Because when things are getting sprouted and if you wish they can easily be damaged. It is very difficult to uproot the Pipal tree; hundreds of wood-cutters will be required for that. Big crane will be required to lift it. Machinery will be required. But, if you want to destroy the small seed, damage the sprout, even a small kid will be able to do that. Even a small bird can do that. One who gets aware of his speech will consequently become aware deeply and finally he can be aware of his thoughts. He can become watcher of his thoughts. Then he will be able to know his consciousness; he will be able to know his soul. So Buddha walks gradually step by step.

From Gross to Subtle
First he says Samyak Action, then Samyak Vani, and later says Samyak Samadhi, samyak smriti. Gradually move inside from outside. Speech is in between and therefore one who becomes aware of his speech will gradually become aware of thoughts. If you say someone to become aware of your thoughts it may seem to be very difficult. Thoughts are very subtle. They cannot be observed easily, when they convert into speech then atimes we come to know that this was going within us. When we become aware of expressed speech, then we can become aware of even unexpressed speech, which are the thoughts of our mind.

For instance if anger rises within me, first of all my consciousness is shaken, then the thoughts of anger came and then I spoke some nuisance and after it I did action; fight and quarrel took place. Now the reaction of actions will take place. Reaction will be there from the other person; even he will say something. Now I have been trapped in a vicious circle from which I can’t come out easily. Now things are out of my control. I don’t know what other person is going to do. But till the things were within me, I was the owner. I wish I would have been aware when the feeling of anger, the thoughts of anger were surrounding my mind, then I would have been free from this bad action. Thoughts and feelings are very subtle. It would have been easy to return even from the moment when it got converted to speech. Once an incident is converted into action, then there is no way of coming back. Then we are caught in the vicious circle. Therefore there is so much emphasis on speech. Let your speech express love. Let your speech express Satyam, Shivam, Sunderam. Let them be the deciding factors for your speech. Is your speech true, authentic? Secondly, is it constructive? And third- is it beautiful, sweet, and appealing? If your speech succeeds in all these three deciding factors, then it is Samyak Vani - right speech. If sometimes you feel it cannot succeed in all the three, then at least take care of two. If you can complete even two conditions out of three, even then it is more than enough. At times it is possible that it may not be true but may be favorable. And when it is beautiful and pleasing, then don’t worry about truth. The speech which completes two conditions can be spoken. If it completes only one condition then stop for a while. There is no need to speak now. This speech can create problem for you. 90% of your life problems are due to some wrongly spoken words. You spoke one wrong word and you are caught in a trap. The great war of Mahabharata took place because of one small thing.

Pandavas had built a palace, which had shining floor. Then they called Duryodhan, to show their palace. Duryodhan was not aware that there is a shining floor just like a glass. He saw his reflection and thought that there is some water on the floor. He pulled his dhoti a bit, by watching this, Dropadi started laughing and gave taunting comment. She commented that the son of blind is also blind. If the prank would have been between brother in law and sister in law it would have been ok, but now the matter had reached to father in law. Then the same Duryodan takes revenge one day. When he unveils Dropadi in front of all, he says now this son of blind wants to see you naked. The matter goes on extending. It had started from one harsh word and due to useof wrong words the matter reached up to Mahabharata. Lord Krishna, who is called reincarnation by Hindus, even he was present, even he tried but couldn’t stop this war. Then this matter was out of even God’s control. You yourself watch your life. All your quarrels and fights have taken place, maximum arguments have taken place due to some words. I wish if you would have remained silent, at times remaining silent is more useful. I promise you that you won’t regret your silence. You would have regretted thousand times for your speech that I wish I should not have spoken such words. Try to control your speech, only speak what is required. and I have given you three deciding factors.

Three Criteria: Truth, Beneficiary and Beautiful
Therefore your speech should succeed in three deciding factors. Some people say that we are truth speakers, we always speak truth but usually they too use Asamyak vani, wrong speech. They try to hurt others in the name of truth. Now if you ask some blind person, hey blind person, what are you doing? You will say that am I wrong? Am I lying? I always speak truth. If I won’t call blind person as blind then what will I call him? You are speaking truth but it’s not constrctive and pleasing. It would have been better if you would not have spoken. You could have said this in a better way; you could have said “Surdasji, how are you”? Matter is the same but words have changed. If you say to some lady that you are lavanyamayi - it will seem to be poetic, it will seem to be pleasing, and it will seem as appreciation of her beauty. And if you say her that you are very salty, then you may get beatings from her. In linguistic way both words, lavanyamayi and salty have the same meaning. Lavan means salt. But the way of telling makes a great difference.

I have heard that an astrologer came into the kingdom of the emperor. He did the palm reading of that king and said that you are very unlucky, you will have to face death of all your four queens and not only queens, you will have to face the death of all your princes. All will die in front of your eyes. Your mother, father, brothers, sisters all will die in front of your eyes. All the members of the family present in the kingdom will die in front of your eyes. Emperor got upset and locked him behind the bars, and thus decided to give judgment for punishment on the next day. Then after some time another astrologer came, emperor asked him to watch, read his palm and describe his future. He even told that first astrologer has said some rubbish things about my future and I will punish him tomorrow. When the second astrologer read his palm he said, you are the luckiest person, you have a long life, and you are going to live for 125 years. Emperor rewarded this astrologer. Even this astrologer said the same thing if emperor will live for 125 years then definitely he will have to face the death of all his family members. But there are two ways of telling the same thing.

Use of right speech can be very helpful, especially for a person practicing meditation. It will save you from unwanted confusions and if energy will be saved only then can it be used for practicing meditation. The energy of a common man is simply spent. Nothing is left for the inner journey. Meditation is the biggest journey. For that energy has to be conserved. Don’t waste your energy unnecessarily. Don’t get involved in the useless quarrel, fights, and meaningless discussions. Speak what is worth speaking and hear what is worth hearing. Then the inner journey will take place easily in your life.