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Noble Eightfold Path: Difference between revisions
→Ethical conduct
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==Ethical conduct== | ==Ethical conduct== | ||
For the mind to be unified in concentration, it is necessary to refrain from unwholesome deeds of body and speech to prevent the faculties of bodily action and speech from becoming tools of the defilements. Ethical conduct is used primarily to facilitate mental purification. | |||
===Right speech=== | |||
Right speech , deals with the way in which a Buddhist practitioner would best make use of their words. In the Pali Canon, it is explained thus: | |||
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, and from idle chatter: This is called right speech. | |||
The '' | The ''Samaññaphala Sutta'', ''Kevatta Sutta'' and ''Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta'' elaborate: | ||
Abandoning false speech... He speaks the truth, holds to the truth, is firm, reliable, no deceiver of the world... | |||
Abandoning divisive speech... What he has heard here he does not tell there to break those people apart from these people here...Thus reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing those who are united, he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys concord, speaks things that create concord... | Abandoning divisive speech... What he has heard here he does not tell there to break those people apart from these people here...Thus reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing those who are united, he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys concord, speaks things that create concord... | ||
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Abandoning abusive speech... He 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... | Abandoning abusive speech... He 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... | ||
Abandoning idle chatter... He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma, and the Vinaya. He speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal... | Abandoning idle chatter... He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma, and the Vinaya. He speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal... | ||
The ''Abhaya Sutta'' elaborates: | |||
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does '''not''' say them. | |||
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, yet unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does '''not''' say them. | In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, yet unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does '''not''' say them. | ||
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In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, but unbeneficial, yet endearing and agreeable to others, he does '''not''' say them. | In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, but unbeneficial, yet endearing and agreeable to others, he does '''not''' say them. | ||
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing and agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings. | In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing and agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings. | ||
In every case, if it is not true, beneficial nor timely, one is '''not''' to say it. The Buddha followed this, for example, when asked questions of a purely ''meta''physical nature, unrelated to the goal, path or discipline that he taught. When asked a question such as "Is the universe eternal?", the Buddha dismissed the topic with the response: "It does not further." (or: "The personal possibilities (goals) assigned you are not furthered by an answer to an ultimate question about the universe's fate.") | In every case, if it is not true, beneficial nor timely, one is '''not''' to say it. The Buddha followed this, for example, when asked questions of a purely ''meta''physical nature, unrelated to the goal, path or discipline that he taught. When asked a question such as "Is the universe eternal?", the Buddha dismissed the topic with the response: "It does not further." (or: "The personal possibilities (goals) assigned you are not furthered by an answer to an ultimate question about the universe's fate.") | ||
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# Business in intoxicants: manufacturing or selling intoxicating drinks or addictive drugs. | # Business in intoxicants: manufacturing or selling intoxicating drinks or addictive drugs. | ||
# Business in poison: producing or trading in any kind of poison or a toxic product designed to kill. | # Business in poison: producing or trading in any kind of poison or a toxic product designed to kill. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||