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Right and Wrong Speech

Upāsakaśīla Sūtra

Sutra on Upāsaka Precepts (1994); translated by the Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research

There are three kinds of lying.

• To lie in order to gain benefit for one’s enjoyment is [an action of] greed.
• To lie to discredit one’s foe is [an action of] anger.
• To lie for fear of death is [an action of] stupidity.

There are three kinds of double-tongue.

• To use doubletongue to gain benefit is an action from greed,
• to speak of a foe’s faults is [an action of] anger,
• and to break the harmony of the heretics is [an action of] stupidity.

There are three kinds of coarse speech.

• To scold women or children is [an action of] greed.
• To speak of a foe’s faults deliberately is [an action of] anger,
• and to speak of the faults of previous generations is [an action of] stupidity.

There are three kinds of meaningless speech.

• To make resounding and noisy meaningless speech in order to have fun is [an action of] greed,
• to outdo others is [an action of] anger,
• and to increase deviant views is [an action of] stupidity.

⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿ ∴ ⦿

What are the eight wisdoms? They are

1. the wisdom of the Dharma,
2. the wisdom of meaning,
3. the wisdom of time,
4. the wisdom of contentment,
5. the wisdom of self and others,
6. the wisdom of the multitudes,
7. the wisdom of the spiritual faculties, and
8. the wisdom of superiority and inferiority.

One who perfects these eight wisdoms has the following sixteen characteristics of speech:

1. timely speech,
2. sincere speech,
3. speaking in sequence,
4. speaking harmoniously,
5. speaking in agreement with the meaning,
6. speaking joyfully,
7. speaking freely,
8. speaking without slighting the listeners,
9. speaking without scolding the listeners,
10. speaking according to the Dharma,
11. speaking to benefit oneself and others,
12. speaking with focus,
13. speaking according to the meaning,
14. speaking truly,
15. speaking without becoming arrogant, and
16. speaking without seeking worldly rewards.