Careful in Speech, Controlled in Body

In this complex world we must know how to behave if we want to make progress. The world contains so many kinds of people and so many different levels of morality and wisdom, we must have some basic guidelines which can fit all situations. Being careful about what we say while controlling the urges of the body is a very good basic guideline for all situations.

Control of the body means that we know when to act, and when not to act and that we know how to behave with moderation.

If we see something that contradicts our understanding of the Dharma, it is usually best to ignore it because, in the first place, we might be wrong about what we think and, in the second place, we should always remember that every person must learn in his own way. When we do decide to speak or act, we should always be as compassionate as we are able. Compassion itself is a guide that always prompts us to be tolerant, patient and as wise as possible.

It is very important to be careful about speech. This is especially true nowadays since so many different cultures and groups are presently intermingling with each other. 

 What is inoffensive in your group may be very offensive in someone else’s. What is a joke to you may be a rebuke or an insult to someone else. The vast and ever-changing variety in the world does not allow us to stop at every moment and fully explain exactly what we meant and why we said it. In an ideal world, people would all understand each other perfectly. However, in this world misunderstandings are very common. For this reason, it is very important to be careful about what you say.

A good word melts the cold of March while a bad word can freeze the month of June.

We can cause great harm with our words, but we can also bring about great good through them.

In our practice of Buddhism, we should constantly try to bring positive energy into whatever situation we find ourselves in. Words are one of the best means we have to facilitate this process. Words should be used to encourage and help other people. They should be used to communicate deeply and warmly. And they should be used to spread the truth of the Dharma to all who will listen.

The Buddha taught that none of us should ever use words to lie, flatter, be harsh or mislead.

In the end, all acts of body and speech should be directed toward the greater welfare of all sentient beings. One can make samsaric gains through body and speech, but as the Buddha said:

Ananda, all the people in heaven only got there through ordinary decency; when their good karma is used up, they will re-enter the cycle of birth and death. In contrast, the bodhisattva makes steady progress through his explorations of samadhi, through his transfer of merit and through his cultivation of the Way which leads beyond all birth and death.

— Surangama Sutra

It was originally published in Being Good, written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun.

More Featured Articles

We all have our share of headaches and heartaches. Physically, we all have to face aging, sickness and death. Mentally, we have to deal with problems arising from greed, hatred and ignorance. The Chinese have a saying that aptly describes our predicament: “Heaven and hell sometimes end; the threads of Read more
Everyone in this world wants to have wealth and live a carefree life. They also want a good rebirth. Richness in this life and pleasure in the next are the hallmarks of a successful life.In the Sumati Sutra, the Buddha defined a "successful life" to be wealth in this life and happiness Read more
True stature is not created by form or ornament; words spoken out of jealousy and greed oppose it. Only when evil has been stopped at its roots, and when there is wisdom without anger is there true stature.— Dharmapadavadana Sutra The False Stature of This WorldEveryone wants to be well Read more
Humans are thinking animals! Since the beginning of time, there have always been people who fantasize, who have delusions, who dream—and many who have ideals. When we lie in our beds at night, we should be free from worry. Yet thoughts about our lives often arise then; thoughts about family, Read more
Offering lamps at Buddhist temples and stupas is a common practice. The Flower Adornment Sutra says, "The lamp of wisdom can break through all forms of darkness." As such, lamps represent the light of wisdom that pierces through the darkness of ignorance. This empowers sentient beings encumbered by confusion. The Read more
Music gives us the capacity to express deep emotions. Whether through holy hymns or chants of praise, music is capable of uplifting the mind to an almost sublime state. As such, it has a significant role in the promotion of religion.All Buddhas and bodhisattvas are very skilled in utilizing music Read more
Within the faith of Humanistic Buddhism, there is no opposition between time and space, nor is there any worry about life and death. What we seek to attain in passive terms is the absence of fear, confusion, and degradation, as well as the inability to become broken; in active terms, Read more
Chan is meditation throughout our lives. When we live with Chan, the taste of food and feel of clothes will change. We will not feel difficulty when dealing with our affairs. Any matter can be laughed away. The human world has its ups and down, but when we have a Read more
We should always try to see the good in others, not the bad. On the samsaric level of this saha world alone, back-biting and faultfinding are known by most people to be totally counter-productive. Not only does faultfinding produce nothing but anger and mistrust, but the effects of negative speech Read more
The Buddha often explained emptiness and impermanence by getting people to think about how phenomena arise, change, and decline. Read more
It is my hope that our Buddhist monks will all become monks who give support in all directions and not become monks who live off all directions. Whoever it may be, the monastic followers or the lay disciples, although we have not yet attained enlightenment, we can still broadly make Read more
People often ask me, “What ad­versity have you experienced in your life?” And for a moment, I can­not come up with an answer. I have always maintained the attitude of taking things as they come, as in the sayings “When the soldiers come, de­ploy the generals to fight back; when Read more