Right Speech

Right speech is the first of three parts that make up the virtue and moral discipline aggregate of buddhist training of the noble Eight-fold Path. Right speech is the antidote to wrong speech as explained in the Majjhima Nikaya, as well as recognizing that knowing what is wrong- and right speech is part of right view:

“Therein, monks, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? One understands wrong speech as wrong speech and right speech as right speech: this is one’s right view.” — MN III.73

“And what, monks, is wrong speech? False speech, malicious speech, harsh speech, and gossip: this is wrong speech.” — MN III.73

In the same way that right intention was explained as being two-fold, the teachings on right speech follow the same way of explaining the two types:

“And what, monks, is right speech? Right speech, I say, is two-fold: there is right speech that is affected by taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions; and there is right speech that is noble, taintless, supra-mundane, a factor of the path.” — MN III.73

“And what, monks, is right speech that is affected by taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions? Abstinence from false speech, abstinence from malicious speech, abstinence from harsh speech, abstinence from gossip: this is right speech that is affected by taints... ripening in the acquisitions.” — MN III.74

Whereas the mundane type of right speech is exercised towards the four types of wrong speech that are being abstained from, in case of the supra-mundane path, a single method of right speech works as the four-fold function by cutting off the tendencies of the four types of wrong speech:

“And what, monks, is right speech that is noble, taintless, supra-mundane, a factor of the path? The desisting from the four kinds of verbal misconduct, the abstaining, refraining, abstinence from them in one whose mind is noble, whose mind is taintless, who possesses the noble path and is developing the noble path: this is right speech that is noble... a factor of the path.” — MN III.74

To tie in how right view, right speech, right effort, and right mindfulness are connected, the teachings explain how these are supports of each other:

“One makes an effort to abandon wrong speech and to enter upon right speech: this is one’s right effort. Mindfully one abandons wrong speech, mindfully one enters upon and abides in right speech: this is one’s right mindfulness. Thus these three states run and circle around right speech, that is, right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.” — MN III.74

The noble Eight-fold Path as a whole is regarded as a Middle Way (majjhima patipada), where this middle avoids the two extreme practices of over-indulgence and self-mortification. Other extremes to be avoided are the doctrines of eternalism (sassata-vada), annihilationism (uccheda-vada), partial eternalism (ekaccasassata-vada), and intellectual evasiveness (amaravikkhepa). Craving for existence is meant by the eternalist view, and craving for mortification by the annihilationist view. The teachings are clear that the type of speech, especially concerning what to teach as being the Dhamma, is important:

“The Middle Way discovered by the Buddha avoids both extremes; giving vision, giving knowledge, it leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. One should know what it is to extol and what it is to disparage, and knowing both, one should neither extol nor disparage but should teach only the Dhamma. One should know how to define pleasure, and knowing that, one should pursue pleasure within one-self. One should not utter covert speech, and one should not utter overt sharp speech. One should speak without hurry, not hurried.” — MN III.230

In explanations of right speech, it is often said that the virtuous person is “one who speaks what is beneficial (or ‘meaningful’), one who speaks on the Dhamma:

“Such a person, monks, is called one who speaks at the proper time, who speaks in accordance with fact, who speaks what is beneficial, who speaks Dhamma, who speaks discipline. And why is such a person called one who speaks at the proper time... who speaks discipline? This person does not inflict suffering upon another under a false pretext—by killing, imprisonment, confiscation, censure, or banishment— thinking: ‘I am powerful, I want power.’” — AN I.204

In the next post No. 4 of the path will be discussed: Right action.

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The Nikayas are Buddhist books that form the earliest Buddhist canon of scriptures containing the teachings of the Buddha.

Today we’re going to be examining the Eight Fold Path, and even more so, the Ten Fold Path that is not as well known.

First of all, it really helps to have these books in digital form, so you can search for a particular word easily and be able to read how it is mentioned and in what context it is placed in the teachings of the Buddha.

The following English translations of the primary texts are available and used:

• The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya (SN)
• The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya (DN)
• The Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya (MN)
• The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya (AN)

The Eight-fold Path consists of:

A. The Wisdom aggregate of training

1. Right view (samma-ditthi, but also samma-dassana)
2. Right intention / thought (samma-sankappa)

B. The Virtue and Moral Discipline aggregate of training

1. Right speech (samma-vaca)
2. Right action (samma-kammanta)
3. Right livelihood (samma-ajiva)

C. The Concentration aggregate of training

1. Right effort (samma-vayama)
2. Right mindfulness (samma-sati)
3. Right concentration (samma-samadhi)

The Ten-fold Path consists of two additional ‘folds’:

1. Right knowledge / wisdom (samma-nana)
2. Right liberation / release (samma-vimutti)

Note: Quotations follow the PTS (Pali Text Society) naming and numbering format:

• AN = Anguttara Nikaya,
• DN = Digha Nikaya,
• MN = Majjhima Nikaya,
• SN= Samyutta Nikaya); followed by book number in roman capitalized numerals and verse number (for example, AN I.30 = Anguttara Nikaya book 1 verse 30).

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Right View

Right Intention

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