|
INTERMEDIATE PAPER 1 : WHAT WE SEEK IN LIFE |
||
|
MODULE 9: The Power of Speech (1) |
||
|
How
much time do we spend talking? A normal person speaks averagely 25,000 words a day. If we were to translate it, we can compile 105 volumes of book, each with 500 pages and 200 words per page in a year. We spend so much time
talking (some even talk in their sleep) and yet we don’t know what we
are speaking. The output
from the speech was not use effectively to create happiness to oneself and
others, and actually goes to waste. In communication, we
should always be aware of the 2 parties involved. 1. The
person who talk 2. The
person who listen One cannot be talking to
oneself unless he is doing a reflection or self-contemplation.
Therefore the person who speaks shall always consider the feelings
and situation of the party that listen such that they may clearly
understand the message and are not hurt by it. 2 Options The speaker must also understand their Right and the options in the process of talking. 1. The
option of silence 2. The
option to speak Many a time, we think
that we must voice up our opinion, our right to speak. We often forget the
other important option that is not to speak at all.
In
fact, this option of silence should be our
first consideration before we open our mouth to produce the sound that may
or may not be beneficial to one and others. We should always consider what
we intent to put forward are aligned with our personal principles and
self-values. Beside having the
Right to speak or Freedom of speech, one must also consider the Right of
others not to listen or the Freedom of being alone. 2 Characteristics Next
we must understand the characteristics or nature of speech. 1. Once spoken, it cannot be retrieved / taken back. (It travels to the ears
that will become the door to the heart.) 2. It reflects the credibility of the speaker. (People will judge /
measure by the manner / ways we speak) “
It is better to keep silence and to be thought a fool, A
Word is basically a vibration that one sends his intention or motive
across to another’s heart through their ear-sense. a.
Great words are equally powerful through out the time. b.
Good Words are known to be the oldest medicine in the world that cures
such as worry, fear and anger.
Therefore one should not under estimate its medical values. c. If one knows how make
to use it, it can create the happiness that money couldn’t buy. Once
there was a wise old man. After all the efforts failed to cure a very rare
sickness of a boy, the villagers approach him as the last resort. The
villagers gathered to see as he murmured some blessings.
Between the crowds there was a sceptic who was talking behind the
gathering. The wise man then stop and scolded the sceptic, "You stupid fool who know nothing about the power of speech!" The sceptic’s face immediately turned red and before he is able to utter a word, the wise man cut in. "See. Even with a simple word of insult, I am able destroy your ego and make you feel so angry. And with some good blessings what make you think I can’t make this little boy cure from his sickness." The
Power of Speech There
are two powers of speech that need to consider in our daily communication. The
Power to create A wise speech can create goodness for oneself, others or both while a bad speech can create evil in oneself, others or both. In the case of
Angulimala who chooses the Buddha as his last one thousand victims to be
killed for the finger he promised to bring back to his teacher: “Stop
thee. Oh saffron monk. Don’t run!” shouted Angulimala when he failed
to chase after the Buddha. “I do not run but you
run instead. Stop awhile and follow me,” said the Buddha as he uses him
psychic power to unable Angulimala to reach him.
As Angulimala was a learned pupil, he is able to understand that
simple utterance of the Buddha who advice him to stop from doing mistake
in his life by killing people which will eventually bring him to a
continued running or rebirth in the cycle of samsara (suffering world). He then repented and
became one of the leading disciples of the Buddha. As for the case of Kisa
Gotami who cannot accept the fact that her baby child has passed away,
begging for the Buddha to make miracle to resurrect her child: the Buddha
agreed with a condition, “bring me the mustard seeds from a home that
never experience death in the family.” Kisa
Gotami was confident that she could find the required mustard seed, went
around the villages but to find no avail and realized that death is part
of our life. The
Power to destroy Similarly
a skilful speech can destroyed sorrow in oneself, others or both and a
slander can destroyed the happiness of oneself, others or both. Often
if we are not careful with our words, we hurt ourselves most just like one
born with a pair of saw in one’s mouth. Sometime
when certain individual such as a minister give a statement of
controversial, two countries can get into trouble such a war or get their
tie cut. “What
is the sharpest sword? - Wrong speech.” The
Type of Speech There are two type of
speech mainly: Wrong
Speech 1.
Lying / falsehood 2.
Slandering 3.
Frivolous speech 4.
Harsh speech Sometime we think white
lies are harmless but in a long run it is actually creating unhappiness to
both oneself and others. White
lies may seem to be a short-term solution but a problem creator in a later
stage. Once there is a couple living alone, invited the elder brother and his wife to come over to their new house for a dinner. There was not much talking during the dinner and finally the sister-in-law decided to break the cold ice, “Wow, what a nice dish you have prepared.” And that’s a white
lie. That dish actually does not taste good at all. The couple’s face
were very please with that praises and you know what?
Each time the elder brother and his wife visited them that same
dish will definitely be served on the dinning table. Please
note that fables, stories, analogies that carry the message of Truth
should not be considered as wrong speech as the intention is to educate
for improvement. Sentences
such as “ I’m sorry.... or I regret to inform you....” that we write
in a letter which are considered as a norm should be reconsidered if you
don’t really feel sorry or regret about it. Right
Speech 1.
Truth 2.
Beneficial 3.
Polite &
pleasant The
4 types of people The
Buddha speaks about the four types of people as regards to speech. a.
When worthy they praise, when blame they keep quite b.
when worthy they keep quite, when blame they blame c.
when worthy they keep quite, when blame they keep quite d.
when worthy they praise, when blame they blame Who
among the four is considered the wiser one? The
Buddha recommended the fourth one as he has the ability to recognize good
as good, bad as bad and he has the courage to speak it out, wisdom to know
when and where to say it. When
we praise someone, we must be specific and sincere and when we “blame”
them, we must always observed not to use any of the wrong speech but gave
great consideration to the Right Speech. We
must always remember that the freedom to speak is not what you want to
speak. One should speak not
with wrong speech but rather filled with Right Speech.
|
||
Questions
|
||
| Mahindarama e-Correspondence Course |