Sky Dancer
Rookie
- Jan 21, 2009
- 19,307
- 1,320
- 0
- Banned
- #1
In a discourse with one of his disciples, the Buddha says the following:
"Potaliya, four kinds of people exist and can be found in the world. What four kinds?
1) Some people blame those who should be blamed, according to the truth, at the proper time, but do not praise those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time.
2) Some people praise those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time, but do not blame those who should be blamed, according to the truth, at the proper time.
3) Some people do not blame those who should be blamed, [...], and do not praise those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time.
4) Some people blame others who should be blamed, [...], and praise those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time.
Potaliya, of those four kinds of people, whichever blames those who should be blamed, according to the truth, at the proper time, and praises those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time, this kind of person is the most beautiful and refined of these four kinds of people."
The Buddha, contrary to what some believe, does not teach pleasing, truthful speech to the exclusion of disagreeable speech. To the contrary, he makes it clear that "whistle-blowing" is important, if done truthfully and at the appropriate time. He indicates that silence in the face of wrong-doing is not an acceptable option. In this context, silence could be regarded as "wrong speech". If we knowingly withhold information about wrong-doing, we become complicit in those wrongful acts, we become enablers of those committing wrongful acts.
"Potaliya, four kinds of people exist and can be found in the world. What four kinds?
1) Some people blame those who should be blamed, according to the truth, at the proper time, but do not praise those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time.
2) Some people praise those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time, but do not blame those who should be blamed, according to the truth, at the proper time.
3) Some people do not blame those who should be blamed, [...], and do not praise those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time.
4) Some people blame others who should be blamed, [...], and praise those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time.
Potaliya, of those four kinds of people, whichever blames those who should be blamed, according to the truth, at the proper time, and praises those who should be praised, according to the truth, at the proper time, this kind of person is the most beautiful and refined of these four kinds of people."
The Buddha, contrary to what some believe, does not teach pleasing, truthful speech to the exclusion of disagreeable speech. To the contrary, he makes it clear that "whistle-blowing" is important, if done truthfully and at the appropriate time. He indicates that silence in the face of wrong-doing is not an acceptable option. In this context, silence could be regarded as "wrong speech". If we knowingly withhold information about wrong-doing, we become complicit in those wrongful acts, we become enablers of those committing wrongful acts.