Wrong speech ☁️ dark

13 discourses
Synonyms: false speech, lying, slanderous or defamatory or malicious speech, abusive or rude or unkind way of speaking, meaningless talk or idle chatter or gossip Pāli term: musāvāda, pisuṇavācā, pharusāvācā, samphappalāpa

In The Path of Dhamma (Dhammapada)

Dhammapada verses 167-178 emphasize living in accordance with the Dhamma, avoiding negligence, not embrace wrong view, and not indulging in the world. One should rise up, live with good conduct, and not live with unwholesome conduct. The world is blind, and only a few see clearly. Swans travel the pathway of the sun, and the wise are emancipated from the world.

Dhammapada verses 235-255 emphasize on the urgency of striving swiftly, not being negligent, discerning gradually, stains of various qualities. A contrast is drawn on the lives of one who is shameless and one with a sense of right and wrong, on finding the faults of others and one's own, and on the path of the Tathāgatas.

Dhammapada verses 306–319 warn of the suffering that follows false speech, misconduct, and wrong view. The verses highlight the danger of negligence, hypocrisy, and slack effort in spiritual practice. Those who cultivate right view, ethical conduct, and firm effort attain a good destination, while those who embrace wrong views and harmful actions fall into misery.

In As It Was Said (Itivuttaka)

Three kinds of children - 1) one who surpasses their parents, 2) one who follows in their footsteps, and 3) one who falls below them.

The Buddha explains how Devadatta, overcome by evil desires, bad friendship, and abandoning the training, fell to Avīci hell. Though once esteemed, his envy led to ruin. The wise should associate with those whose path leads to the end of suffering.

The Buddha describes the qualities of true disciples, and those who do not grow in the Dhamma.

In Middle Length Discourses (Majjhima Nikāya)

The Buddha expounds the noble right collectedness complete with its supporting conditions, clarifying how the factors of the noble eightfold path give rise to either mundane or supramundane fruits. He shows how right view leads to the sequential development of the path, culminating in right knowledge and right liberation.

Prompted by a misquotation of the Buddha regarding mental versus physical and verbal actions, the Buddha clarifies the nature of kamma and its results. He explains, through a framework of four paradoxical cases, how actions may lead to unexpected outcomes based on prior deeds or conditions at death.

In Numerical Discourses (Aṅguttara Nikāya)

The Buddha explains the importance of the Perfectly Awakened One and the wheel-turning monarch, shares about the two types of Buddhas, who does not tremble when a thunder strikes, how living with the unvirtuous and virtuous occurs, and the consequences of not internally settling contention of views and resentment arising from a disciplinary issue.

The Buddha shares in brief the four kinds of verbal misconduct - 1) lying, 2) divisive speech, 3) harsh speech, and 4) frivolous chatter.

The Buddha explains seven things that lead to the decline of a trainee bhikkhu and seven things that do not.

In Inspired Utterances (Udāna)

The Buddha expresses an inspired utterance about the qualities of a person who falls under the sway of Māra and of one who overcomes all bad destinations.

The Blessed One sees a group of young brāhmaṇas passing by, appearing to be mocking.

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