Dhamma Info (18)

The Buddha spoke only good speeches
The Buddha is honoured with the Virtue of “Sugato” because he spoke only the true and beneficial speeches.
In the matter of futility he had forsaken the four ways of speeches:

1. The speech that is not true, not beneficial and unpleasant to the hearer such as wrong accusatation, use of abusive language etc.
2. The speech that is true but not beneficial and unpleasant to the hearer such as calling the blind man as blind; calling the deaf man as deaf; calling the leper as leper and so on. 3. The speech that is not true and not beneficial but pleasant to the listener such as flattery.
4. The speech that is true and not beneficial but pleasant to the listener such as calling good killer, good thief, good drinker etc.

In the matter of truth he spoke only two ways of speeches:

1. The speech that is true and beneficial but unpleasant to the listener such as saying evil deed leads to Apaya; will be long in misery in Samsara; no remedy for Devadatta; he will go to hell etc.
2. The speech that is true, beneficial and pleasant to the listener such as saying charity brings happiness; morality brings longevity and absence of diseases etc.

Reference: Eindaka, Ashin (Nyaungkanaye Sayadaw). Fundamentals of Buddhism. 2008.

Posted by Aye Sat