In today's fast-paced world, practicing Right Speech is more important than ever. Social media, gossip and digital outrage have made idle and harmful speech commonplace. The Buddhist principle of Right Speech urges us to speak only when necessary, truthfully, kindly and in a way that benefits others.
As part of the Noble Eightfold Path, Right Speech (Samma Vaca) is not merely about refraining from lies, slander or harsh words, it is a form of mental discipline. According to the Sutta Pitaka, the Buddha instructed his disciples to avoid "false speech, malicious speech, harsh speech and idle chatter". He encouraged communication that is timely, factual and spoken with goodwill.
In a time when words can go viral within seconds, mindfulness in speech becomes a daily spiritual practice. Choosing silence over reaction, or empathy over sarcasm, is not weakness but wisdom. Thich Nhat Hanh, a modern Buddhist teacher, said, "Speak in such a way that others love to listen to you. Listen in such a way that others love to speak to you".
Right Speech is ultimately not just about what we say; it is about creating peace, one word at a time.
Tailpiece.
Tomorrow begins the second week of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. As usual, "sounds" have emanated from none other than the loudmouth, Donald Trump about the number of aircraft destroyed during Operation Sindoor sometime before the beginning of this session, setting a scene for the opposition to create ruckus and disrupt Parliament, all over again!
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