Right speech? What is it and how to do?

A couple of weeks ago, from one of our former participants of a program, I got a story about right speech. Right speech? Isn’t that what we already learned? Don’t you think we know how tos peak? What to learn…?

Maybe much more than you are aware of right now. Triggered by her story I want to give some more background information about this ‘right speech’.

Right speech is one of the 8 guidelines the Buddha gave in his teachings called the “Noble Eightfold Path” or “Middle Path” which he himself discovered and which forms the essence of his teachings.

The Buddha encourages people to style their life according to this Middle Path. Following this eight guidelines opens sustainable freedom, peace and happiness.

Speech is ‘right’ when it can pass three sieves or filters.

The first sieve is connected with the personal question:

Are you for 100% sure that it is true what you want to tell?

Lots of times we only know parts of a story, hear only one side or half of it and create our own thoughts. To howl together with the wolves in the forest is not what is mend by right speech.
The size of the maze of the sieve also express; Do not make the story bigger than it is. It can only pass in its original true way without things added out of your thoughts or already a given direction to your personal understanding or wanted outcome. 

The second sieve is connected with the personal question:

Do you have a positive intention with your speech? Does it support a person, thing or situation in a positive way?

Without even knowing sometimes we hurt other people or situations on behalf of ourselves or our friends being afraid to lose them.  Gossip or slander for instance has nothing to do with right speech.

The third sieve is connected with the personal question:

Is it necessary to tell the story?

Is there any profit in it?

The story lines that pass all three sieves you can see as right speech.

To be honest, several times I did not succeed and still do not succeed this sieve test. Sometimes I missed a sieve but…

To help me telling this background and spreading this news as a metaphor I bought three sieves. A great and easy way for guests and myself to understand and be more aware of this guideline in the Noble Eightfold Path. The power is in repeating and explaining.

This way I try to share instead of hold the news for myself and learn from it.

Feel invited to do as well. 

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow in life and work. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com