Hoa Vo Uu (Buddha Dharma Education Association)
Venerable Shravasti Dhammika
The Buddha’s Words of Wisdom
The Lord said: “Words that have four qualities are well-spoken, not ill-spoken, faultless, not blamed by the wise. What four? Concerning this: one speaks words that are beautiful, not ugly; one speaks words that are right, not wrong; one speaks words that are kind, not cruel; one speaks words that are truthful, not false.”
The virtuous call beautiful speech the foremost,
Secondly comes right speech, not wrong,
Thirdly comes kind words, not cruel,
And fourthly comes truthful, not false speech.
Then Venerable Vangĩsa moved his seat, put his robe on one shoulder, joined his hands and said: “Something occurs to me, Lord.” Then Venerable Vangĩsa spoke these words in praise of the Lord:
One should utter only words
Which do no harm for oneself
Or cause harm to others,
That is truly beautiful speech.
♦♦♦
Speak kind words,
Words rejoiced at and welcomed,
Words that bear ill-will to none;
Always speak kindly to others.
♦♦♦
Truthful speech is of the Immortal.
This is an eternal law.
The virtuous stand firm on words
That are truthful, useful and right.
♦♦♦
The Buddha speaks words that lead
To the winning of security,
The ending of sorrow, and the attaining of Nivãna.
Truly, this is the speech supreme.
