R8_TransferTest

Part 3. Right Speech

Right Speech is the third aspect of the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. It is also the first of three aspects that concern themselves with ethical conduct. Simply put, practicing Right Speech means that we only say things that we know to be factual and true, as well as beneficial and agreeable to others. We should never lie, nor exaggerate. We should not say one thing to one person and something different to another. And we should never use insulting or abusive words towards each other. I’m sure this all sounds simple enough, but in real life it’s not always so easy to practice Right Speech.

One of my teachers, Thich Nhat Hanh, relays this story when talking about Right Speech:

“Many people have to lie in order to succeed as politicians, or salespersons. A corporate director of communications told me that if he were allowed to tell the truth about his company's products, people would not buy them. He says positive things about the products that he knows are not true, and he refrains from speaking about the negative effects of the products. He knows he is lying, and he feels terrible about it. So many people are caught in similar situations.”

For myself, the real test of Right Speech comes when I’m angry or frustrated. It’s in those moments that I need to understand my suffering and deal with it head-on. When I don’t deal with it, I explode and let it out on those around me, sometimes vocalizing in very unwise and hurtful ways. And that just creates more anger and frustration, something we certainly don’t need more of in this crazy world.