You’ve got to catch that, throw the light of your awareness on it, highlight it to yourself. You have to develop a sense of how much you should say to make people feel at ease, and then when to stop. More from: Joseph Goldstein But with yourself, you should be a lot more frank about where your friendship with your various ideas and attachments really is leading you. You don’t realize how much focus you put on making small talk – on filling up silence, on trying to look good in front of other people - until you can’t. . Buddhist bhavana is not a relaxation practice, nor is it about having visions or out-of-body experiences. The classical understanding of Right Speech is reviewed, which is coordinated with previously posted reviews of Hiri, Moral Shame  and Ottappa, Respect for Consequences, two other Wholesome Cetasikas, those factors that condition the organizing of the experience of selfing. You see yourself giving in to unskillful habits again and again and again, and there comes a time when you’ve got to say, “Hey, look, this is foolish; this is stupid.” Use whatever language you find is effective to get the message across. For episode 142 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with mindfulness and meditation teachers Devon and Craig Hase. The classical understanding of Right Speech is reviewed, which is coordinated with previously posted reviews of Hiri, Moral Shame and Ottappa, Respect for Consequences, two other Wholesome… This talk reviews the Wholesome Cetasika of Sammavaca, translated as Right Speech, which is also an important element of the Noble Eightfold Path. The way we talk to ourselves has a lot to do with the way we’ve heard other people talk, and the way we’ve been talking to others. You can change the world, or at least your experience of it, by discovering how mindful speaking can change our realities. Very few people would like to admit that they’re operating on corrupt intentions. One, is it true? So if … In other words, you have to encourage yourself, say nice things about yourself, remind yourself of all the good things you’ve done in the past. There are times, for instance, when harsh speech is necessary. Then as the wellbeing gets more and more firmly established and the mind gets more centered, you can drop a lot of the chatter, because it’s served its purpose. And you don’t learn new habits simply by stopping and not talking at all. This talk reviews the Wholesome Cetasika of Sammavaca, translated as Right Speech, which is also an important element of the Noble Eightfold Path. "And what is right speech? Is this the time to pry it away from its friendship with greed, anger, and delusion? A study from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that it may even protect the brain from aging. This is why right speech is a factor of the path. During formal meditation, however, you can think about your habits of speech and try to convert the thoughts that arise to skillful thoughts—those motivated by generosity, loving-friendliness, and compassion. Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, and from idle chatter: This is called right speech. So there are those areas you just leave alone. If not, don’t think it. by Peter Carlson | Oct 22, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks. One of the ways you learn how to be skillful in your internal chatter is to be skillful in your external chatter. But learn how to do it in a way that shows that you’re operating with the mind’s best interest at heart. You’ve probably noticed that, as you sit here meditating—thinking about the breath, evaluating the breath—you’re talking to yourself. "Right Speech" is more than just "correct" speech. It is the wholehearted expression of our Buddhist practice. Divisive speech is done with the intention of breaking up or preventing friendships. So it’s good to think about how the Buddha defines right speech. People are exposed to a lot of negativity. A short meditation exploring the hindrances of sensual desire and aversion or ill will, together with their antidotes Auckland Insight Meditation : Introduction to Insight Meditation Content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . This, monks, is the middle path, by which the one who has thus come has gained enlightenment, In Sanskrit and Pali, the word for meditation is bhavana , which means "mental culture." Lying is speaking with the intention to misrepresent the truth. You want to divide yourself from them. You’ve got to figure out a way to change the topic. What this means is that you apply the same three questions to your thoughts that you do to your speech. You’re reminding yourself, “Now stay here,” commenting on how the breath is, and trying to think up ways that the breath could be better, where to focus, what you find interesting, what you find useful. The person who follows right speech speaks the truth, is devoted to it, is reliable and does not deceive men. — SN 45.8 "Monks, a statement endowed with five factors is well-spoken, not ill-spoken. This requires real discernment, which is why there’s no precept with this particular type of wrong speech. Following the precepts ensures the path is whole; they are seen as protective, so meditation and daily life will be safe and not cause harm or This is one of the reasons why people find it hard to see their intentions: because they’re used to lying to themselves about their intentions. It tends to yield right speech. Right intention figures strongly, too, because Right Speech should be kind and loving. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Don’t try to criticize them or point out the fallacies in their meditation, because that would just make them even more defensive. a. So you’ve got to figure out skillful ways of avoiding issues without letting the other person know you’re avoiding them. Additionally, insights are included that reference contemporary psychological concepts that help in understanding the manifestation of “Fake News” and “Misinformation” narratives that create much distress and confusion in contemporary life, particularly regarding politics and conflicts regarding global warming and how to protect oneself and others from covid-19. It hurt Devadatta’s feelings.” And if the Buddha said Yes, he would say harsh things to other people, then the response would be, “Well, what’s the difference between you and other ordinary people?” So the Buddha’s enemies put the question to the Buddha, but he replied that the question didn’t deserve a categorical answer; it deserved an analytical answer instead. A lot of conceit can build up around this. The Buddha called these precepts for ethical conduct The F… You learn new habits by actually engaging with other people with right speech. And as for idle chatter, you try to turn it into purposeful chatter. Meditation, The Speech Series A different format As much as I believe the college system is simply a business, I do believe you can take massive learning experiences away from some of the great classes in school. Along with Action and Livelihood, it is interconnected to the other parts of the Eightfold Path -- Right Mindfulness, Right Intention, Right View, Right Concentration, and Right Effort. The bottom line of the Tantric teaching on words is this: Since everything in existence, including rocks and planets, is made out of different densities of vibration—that is, out of coagulated sound—words are not merely signifiers, but actual powers. You’ve got to do everything you can to get the glass out, even if it means drawing blood, because if the baby swallows the glass, the damage will be even worse. This principle applies to harsh speech, and it also applies to divisive speech, because there are times when you see one of your friends suddenly developing a friendship with someone you know is abusive, you know is corrupt, you know is going to harm your friend, and you’ve got to find the right way to protect your friend. If it wasn’t true, he wouldn’t say it. The way we talk to ourselves has a lot to do with the way we’ve heard other people talk, and the way we’ve been talking to others. “Right mindfulness” is one aspect of this path, alongside right view, right intention, right effort, right meditative engagement, right speech, right livelihood, and right action. b. Dhamma: Genuine Teachings of the Buddha and His Noble Disciples 1,163 views 10:02 Right Speech: Talking, Listening, and Singing 6/21/2020 am20200621.mp3 File Size: 7680 kb File Type: mp3 Download File Four Bodhisattvas: Hearing and … Right thoughts and understanding is the 3rd of the 8-fold path to awakening. The hindrance of skeptical doubt is woven into the conflicted narratives and seeking the support of well-informed and trustworthy sources of information is encouraged. You have to be sensitive to the needs of the situation. Or even if they know that what they’re doing is not quite right, they try to justify it in one way or another. Let’s take a … The goal of the talk is to support applying the insights and discipline that regular mindfulness of breathing meditation can provide for coping with these challenges. There are times when, in deciding what to say, he would ask, first, is it true? Thus these three states run and circle around right speech, that is, right view, right effort, and right mindfulness. This inner conversation is actually an important part of the meditation. In other words, there are times when you’ve got to learn how to put yourself in a good mood. There are nuances. Each of these is defined by the intention behind it. This is why right speech is a factor of the path. © Copyright 2011 - 2020 Orlando Insight Meditation Group. It 2020-06-21: Right Speech: Talking, Listening and Singing Talk given by Andrea Martin. Buddhism Right Speech For many of us, right speech is the most difficult of the precepts to honor. As for harsh speech, you don’t want to yell at yourself in a way that gets you discouraged on the path, but there are other times you have to come down hard on yourself. One of the reasons the other forms of wrong speech are not expressed as precepts is because they’re not as absolute as the case of lying. Two, is it beneficial? That way you can avoid answering the question. Right Conduct For Lay Buddhists Nirvana or Nibbana in Buddhism Buddhism - Objects of Meditation and Subjects for Meditation Buddhism - Right Speech and Mind Training Buddhism - Right Living On The Eightfold Path right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right attention, right concentration, and right meditation. This map emphasizes a three-fold training involving a deepening of understanding, integrity and steadiness of mind. Self-forgetfulness, harmlessness and right speech. Is this the time to come down hard on the mind, or is this the time to encourage and console the mind? It happens in dialogue, not silence. Sunday Talks from the Zen Meditation Center on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, MN. Do you suspect anything of your husband?” And get her to talk. Second, is it beneficial? RIGHT SPEECH, RIGHT ACTION, RIGHT LIVELIHOOD (Samma Vaca, Samma Kammanta, Samma Ajiva) The next three path factors -- right speech, right action, and right livelihood -- may be treated together, as collectively they make up the first of the three divisions of the path, the division of moral discipline ( silakkhandha ). So there’s a skill to right speech, both inside and out. Chunda Sutta – (An-10:176) (1) "Here, someone speaks falsehood. Whenever he was asked to be a witness, he tells only the truth … That doesn’t mean he would lie, simply that he would avoid those topics. That’s a special case, but still even with special cases, you can’t misrepresent the truth, which is why that principle is a precept. It’s called verbal fabrication: the way the mind chatters to itself. “Skillful Speech is not something you practice on the cushion. "He [the enlightened person] speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate, that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing and pleasing to people at large." Here’s how to It tends to yield right speech. But taking a step back, it can also be viewed as how we communicate with other beings. So again you may end up saying something that may sound divisive, but it’s with compassionate intent. The third of the Eightfold Path is right speech is really about speaking and communicating your truth in a way that others can hear it. It freezes up, like an engine that has run out of oil. The Buddha gives an analogy: It’s like having a child, a young baby who still doesn’t know what to eat and what not to eat, and she’s put a sharp piece of glass in her mouth. Manifest a magnificent life RIGHT NOW…and for many years to come. That’s when the mind can really grow still. That was harsh. The Sanskrit word samyak —often translated as “right” or “perfect”—can also mean “complete.” [65] There of course will be tests of your ingenuity and your discernment in doing this, because there will be times when people ask questions and you know that answering those questions is going to give rise to problems. The process of learning to improve ourselves through language can be thought of as advanced right speech. At 5:00 PM each day thousands of people in their respective time zones around the world sound this affirmation – strengthening their inner link with the Source of Life and weaving closer connections among the global network of those who seek to serve the Common Good. Someone once called him on this, asking him, “Would the Buddha ever say anything harsh to anyone?” This was meant as a trick question, the idea being that if the Buddha said No, then they’d say, “What about what you said to Devadatta? Right Speech During Trying Times October 21, 2020 by Peter Carlson | Oct 22, 2020 | Listen to Dharma TalksThis talk reviews the Wholesome Cetasika of Sammavaca, translated as Right Speech, which is also an important element of the Noble Eightfold Path., which is … What you’re trying to do as you meditate is to learn how to make this chattering, which is often a problem, actually part of the path, an element of your concentration that helps the mind to settle down with a sense of interest, a sense of comfort, a sense of wellbeing. Suppose someone comes up and says, “Have you seen my husband with another woman?” And you have, but you don’t want to get involved. Getting rid of judgment allows one to is c. Right Concentration is most often associated with meditation. As they say in the sutta on mindfulness of breathing, there are times when you need to gladden the mind. One, you never lie to yourself. Right Speech means to abstain from lying, tale-carrying, use of harsh language and vain talk. And if it is beneficial, then three, is this right time for this kind of thinking? Remind yourself of what greed has done for you in the past; what lust has done for you in the past; anger, delusion: all the unskillful mental qualities. When you learn the nuances, then the verbal fabrication of your directed thought and evaluation really does become part of the concentration. Studies have shown that meditation has many health benefits, such as better sleep, less stress and more focus. Meditation In San Francisco In Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind In a fog you do not know you Are getting wet but as you keep Walking you get wet little by little. Comment by davidji meditation Artwork by Kari Anapol www.bloominglotusstudio.com 2017-01-29T23:27:10Z Buy Cultivating Right Speech Users who like Cultivating Right Speech Users who reposted Cultivating Right Speech As for idle chatter, there are times when simple social-grease conversation is necessary, to get a particular situation lubricated—as at work, when you want everyone to work smoothly together. Because sometimes, if you do it in an ineffective way, the mind gets more defensive. Next week’s topic will combine two of the remaining cetasikas, Right Action and Right Livelihood, particularly as applied to managing our responses to the demands of these stressful times. LEARN MORE >> Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training Classes begin online June 25, 2017 In-residence week October 9-15, 2017 If you want This technique abandons the concept of right/wrong, good/bad, and male/female. The Buddha himself said that he would not tell the truth in areas where it would give rise to greed, anger, and delusion. What’s the most effective way of doing that? So if most of the recordings in the mind are of unskillful speech, you’re going to find yourself engaging in unskillful speech in your meditation as well. Otherwise the meditation gets dry. Silanussati, remembering all the times when you’ve avoided doing harmful things; caganussati, remembering all the times when you were generous, not only with things but also with your goodwill, your compassion, your forgiveness. And idle chatter is basically speech without any real clear intention at all, just chattering away for the sake of having something to say. That’s why the rule against lying is one of the precepts, i.e., a rule you lay down for yourself and then try to hold to in all situations. The same with divisive speech: If you’re becoming friends with your defilements, you’ve got to point out their bad qualities. Learn how to breathe in such a way that helps you do that. All Rights Reserved |, Valuing Right Speech During These Trying Times, https://orlandoinsightpod.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2020/Right-Speech-In-Trying-Times.mp3. It’s served a real purpose. The Buddha taught that ethical conduct is the foundation of meditation practice, and is also the ground upon which our life and our spiritual journey rest. And if it’s one of those rare cases when saying something harsh would be beneficial, then the next question is, is this the right time and place for that? You want to learn how to avoid these forms of speech, and also learn some of the nuances of right speech, because in some cases, it’s not very clear-cut. In this way internal right speech and external right speech all become part of the path. Now what counts as lying is clear-cut. Harsh speech is what you say with the intention of hurting someone’s feelings. In the Buddha’s case, he said harsh things about Devadatta, to his face: one, in hopes that Devadatta might come to his senses, and two, to warn all the other monks around that Devadatta had really gone off course. There are times when you need to release the mind from its attachments. And learn how to talk to the mind in such a way that helps you do that, too—to the point where you’ve said what needs to be said, and then you can fall silent. Now, you may find yourself, as you’re meditating, lying to yourself in subtle ways. Once you understand the nuances of right speech, you can start applying the same principles in your mind. And as a meditator you can’t engage in that sort of justification at all, because that’s precisely the ignorance that’s going to keep you suffering. Instead of the usual "abstention and refraining from wrong" terminology, a few texts such as the Samaññaphala Sutta and Kevata Sutta in Digha Nikaya explain this virtue in an active sense, after stating it in the form of an abstention. Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  Valuing Right Speech During These Trying Times  These notes include references to websites that provide resources for checking the validity of what might be encountered within social media. The Noble Eightfold Path: Right Speech, Action & Livelihood In this course, we will explore the teachings on the eightfold path as a relevant guide for our practice. Zen meditation is cited in Managing Stress as being developed from Zen Buddhism. You’ve got to be clear about the point at which it starts to become totally pointless, purposeless, where the grease is mucking up the works. But you’ve got to be very clear that this is your motivation, which means that it’s no longer purely idle chatter. There are four types of speech that you want to avoid: lying, harsh speech, divisive speech, and idle chatter. Right Speech is one of the Five Precepts for ethical conduct, along with protecting life and not killing, taking only what is freely offered and not stealing, using ones sexual energy in ways that do not harm oneself or others, and refraining from the use of intoxicants to the point that they cloud the mind. Only if he could say Yes to all three questions would he say those things. These support the ethical part of the eightfold path: right speech, action and livelihood. He will offer a guided meditation and dharma talk on Right Speech at Common Ground this Sunday, May 16, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:40 a.m., and from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and on Wednesday, May 19 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. We are continuing with our series of the Eightfold Path according to the Buddhist tradition, in celebration of our Thailand retreat and our Visionaries in Light Convergence. There is a rule Ajaan Fuang once gave, which is that if somebody has gotten really deluded in their meditation, and you’re not that person’s teacher, you don’t talk to them about it. In this practice, we become more consciously skilled with our words, aware of the effects they can have on ourselves and others, and alert to the ways that our thoughts and statements can grow into habits. Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech." Right Speech is not just a personal virtue. Turn the question on the woman and say, “Why? Right View, Dhamma Talk of Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Dharma, Meditation, Buddha - Duration: 10:02. You don’t want to misrepresent any truth to anybody, ever. You may find yourself dealing in that negativity as you meditate, so you’ve got to learn new habits. If it’s not true, don’t think it. Devon has been committed to meditation since 2000, spending years in retreat in the Insight and Vajrayana traditions, and has been mentored by Joseph Goldstein, Tara Brach, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Meditation retreats practice silence because we use up a TON (up to 80%) of our energy on speaking. Hence, we have given you this speech on the importance of yoga in our daily life to tell you how important and beneficial the yoga is for our health and disease-free life. Say to yourself, “Look, this is simply not true.” The mind tends to put up all sorts of walls of denial. This turns from idle chatter to what is actually a purposeful kind of meditation.