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Introduction Buddhist people believe that there is action and reaction in the world. The word action is used in Pāḷi as “kamma”. There are three of action in bodily (kāyakamma) action verbally (vacīkamma) and action in mentally (manokamma). A good deed in bodily, verbally and mentally is called wholesome deed (kusalakamma) while a bad deed in bodily, verbally and mentally is called unwholesome deed (akusalakamma). And then, verbal conducts will be presented in this paper. A good word is very important for building a pleasant society. Therefore in order to build social relationship by four verbal good conducts, this paper with be presented by describing the nature the consequences and the factors of the four verbal good and bad conduce. Good Verbal Actions There are four kinds of good verbal actions in Buddhsit Literature. They are: 1. Musāvāda Viratī Sucarita (Abstaining from telling lies) 2. Pisuṇavācā Viratī Sucarita (Abstaining from slandering) 3. Pharusavācā Viratī Sucarita (Abstaining from speaking harsh words) 4. Samphappalāpavācā Viratī Sucarita (Abstaining from speaking vain words) Musāvāda Viratī Sucarita (Abstaining from Telling Lies) Musāvāda Viratī Sucarita means abstaining from telling lies. Lying to others by word, letter or gesture is a musāvāda ducatita.[1] Lying done by word of mouth is called evil verbal conduct (vacīducarita).[2] Benefits of Musāvāda Viratī Sucarita – One who refrains from telling lies will reach a good destination. Moreover, one will enjoy the following benefits:- clear pronunciation, even teeth, sweet smelling breath, a well-built physique, good eyesight and hearing, good features and fair complexion, influence on others, effective speech and calmness of mind.[3] The following story[4] illustrates the benefit of telling truth. Once upon a time there lived a hermit in a garden. A friend Upasakā came to the hermit with his wife and a small son. While they were talking, the some was bitten by a poisonous snake and he was unconscious. The parents brought the child to the hermit and entreated him to save their child. The hermit took a solemn vow and said words of truth as, “I have been a hermit for over 50 years. While in this holy life, I practiced Dhamma only for seven days. The remaining days and years I felt lazy and unhappy. If my asseveration of truth is true, may this child be free from poisonous effect now.” After the words of truth had been said, the child could be able to open his eyes a little bit and murmured words of mother. The poison shifted from the upper part of the chest downwards. The father took a solemn vow and said words of truth, “I always hate to give offerings. I totally hate the act of giving. When beggars and almsmen came to my house, I offer something to them although I do not love giving. I follow only traditional custom. If my asseveration of truth is true, may my son be free from poisonous effect.” After saying these words of truth the poison shifted from waist downwards. So the child rose up and sat silently by now. The mother, in order to save the child’s life spoke a vow like this: “Oh my only beloved son, I totally hate both your father and the poisonous snake. I totally despise both equally. Although I do not love your father, I continued to live with him in accordance with the wishes of my relatives to avoid shame. I have to practice patience in living with your father. If my words are true, may you be safe from harm and suffering now.” As soon as these words were spoken all the effects of the poison in the child’s body totally disappeared. This story illustrates the immediate benefit of truthful vows. Pisuṇavācā Viratī Sucarita (Abstaining from Slandering) Pisuṇavācā Viratī means abstaining from slandering.[5] Slandering means talking ill to the two person with the intention of causing a chasm between the two persons who are on good friendly terms at the moment. Talking what is not true with malicious intention to cause quarrel, animosity or disagreement between the two good friends or to win over someone is pisunvāsā.[6] Benefits of Pisuṇavācā Viratī Sucarita – One who abstains from slandering to cause disunity between the two friends on good terms will enjoy the following benefits:- never dying at the hands of others, having wealth and followers, no loss of faith in the Dhamma of the virtuous, no loss of friends and relatives, being loved by people, being free from wicked mentality and free from a troubled and restless mind.[7] As the Buddha abstained from slandering to cause disunity between two good friends in every life in Saṃsāra, he was possessed of two characteristics of the body, namely, Cattālīsadantatā and Aviraḷadantatā. Cattālīsadantatā means the possession of 40 perfect teeth. Ordinary human beings have only 32 teeth. The Buddha has the distinctive mark of the teeth numbering exactly forty. Aviraḷadantatā means having forty teeth perfectly set teeth without crevices between them. For ordinary people, some have their teeth with crevices between them. In eating meat bits of meat are left stuck in the crevices. But the Buddha’s teeth are regular and even. The teeth touch each other evenly without leaving crevices between adjoining teeth. This bodily a characteristic is called Aviraḷadantatā.[8] Pharusavācā Viratī Sucarita (Abstaining from Speaking Harsh Words) Pharusavācā viratī means abstaining from speaking harsh words. Unpleasant words to the listener, miserable words, abusive words, and words used in curses are all pharusavācā. Benefits of Pharusavācā Viratī Sucarita - One who refrains from speaking harsh words will enjoy the following benefits:- being loved by human beings, delighting human beings and making them appreciate him, ability to live in peace and happiness, saying pleasant words to others, being praised by many and possession of a pleasant voice with eight fine qualities.[9] Moreover, the Bodhisatta avoided speaking harsh words but spoke pleasant and sweet words in the past existences while he was fulfilling pāramīs. Therefore the Bodhisatta was reborned in the celestial abode and enjoyed longer life span and five physical features, eight fine qualities of the voice.* After passing away from celestial life, he became a Buddha in human world and came to possess two characteristic features called Pahūtajivhatā and Brahmassaratā. Pahūtajivhatā means the mark of possession of a long, tender, wide and reddish tongue. Ordinary people have thick tongue, small tongue, short and coarse tongue. But the Buddha has a long, tender, wide and reddish tongue. The tongue can be rolled like paper and put it in the nostril. The tongue can lick the ears and the nose. The tongue can cover the forehead. This excellent quality of the tongue is called Pahūtajivhatā. Brahmassaratā means the characteristic mark of possession of a sublime and pleasant voice like that of a Brahmā King. Some people have hoarse, interrupted voice. Some have small voice. Some have short and coarse voice. Some have unpleasant voice like that of crows. The voice of the Buddha is as pleasant as that of Brahmā King. The voice of the Brahmā King is free from the defects of phlegm and bile. The voice that issues from the Buddha’s mouth is very clean and so it possesses eight fine qualities. It is clear, pleasant, intelligible, pleasing to the ear, cohesive, not going beyond the audience, deep and resonant. Because of possession of such an excellent voice this characteristic mark is called Brahmassaratā.[10] The above mentioned evidences show the benefits of abstaining from talking abusive and harsh words. So, one should refrain from speaking abusive and harsh words. Samphappalāpavācā Viratī Sucarita (Abstaining from Speaking Vain Words) Samphappalāpavācā viratī means abstaining from speaking vain words.[11] Words which are time wasting, unprofitable or detrimental to economy constitute samphappalāpavācā.[12] Benefits of Samphappalāpavācā Sucarita - One who abstains from speaking vain talks will enjoy the following benefits:- being trusted by others, being respected by others, winning the affection of people, capable of speaking to invoke trust in him, having power, authority and influence on others, and ability to solve problems for being endowed with wisdom.[13] As the Buddha abstained from speaking unprofitable words, he came to possess the characteristic feature called Sīhahanutā when he became the Buddha. Sīhahanutālakkhaṇā is the possession of a well-developed jaw like that of a lion. It resembles the shape of the moon shining on the twelfth waxing night of the month.[14] Therefore according to the examples shown previously, one should avoid speaking vain talks but speak words which are related to mundane and supramundane affairs. We should not speak words which are unprofitable to social and economic affairs and also unprofitable for the supramundane affairs. It is better to remain silent. Bad Verbal Actions There are four kinds of bad verbal actions in Buddhsit Literature. They are: 1. Musāvāda Ducarita (Telling Lies) 2. Pisuṇavācā Ducarita (Slandering) 3. Pharusavācā Ducarita (Speaking Harsh Words) 4. Samphappalāpavācā Ducaritad (Speaking Vain Words) Musāvāda Ducarita (Telling Lies) The intention at the time of lying to others by word, letter or gesture to cause false impression is called musāvāda.[15] As this action is done mostly by word of mouth, it is called musāvāda.[16] The categories of musāvāda kamma are failure to keep promise, breaking one’s word, failure to keep the appointment, cheating others, pretention to be a man of honour, speaking and acting to impress others. Factors of Musāvāda Ducarita – There are four factors which decide whether a musāvāda kammapatha is accomplished or not. The four factors are: (1) The statement is not true. (2) There is an intention to lie. (3) It is actually spoken. (4) Other understands what has been spoken. If these four factors are present the offence of telling lies is accomplished. If one of these four factors is absent, the offence of telling lies is not accomplished.[17] For monks it incurs Pacittiya āpatti if the two factors are present - 1. the intention to lie and 2. actual telling lies. Evil Consequences of Musāvāda Ducarita - Telling lies with malicious intent can lead one to apāyas – miserable abodes. Telling lies in mockery, telling lies to prevent one’s children from going to festivities are not grave offences. Telling lies causing little destruction to property is a minor offence. The offence is given when the destruction is large. If the economic ruin is equal, the offence is greater to cause ruin to a man of morality. The offence is smaller to cause ruin to a man of deficient morality.[18] The evil benefits that can be encountered by telling lies with malicious intent are shown in Pañcaka[19], Aṭṭhaka[20], and Navaka Nipātas[21] in Aṅguttara Nikāya. One who tells lies with malicious intention will be reborn in one of the lower, miserable abodes, namely, hell, animal world, Peta world and the world of Asūras. When he is freed from the apāyas and is reborn in human world he can be falsely accused. There will be many enemies. He will physically and mentally suffer. He can be punished, imprisoned and expelled from one’s country. The evil benefits of telling lies are shown in Itivuttaka Aṭṭhakathā[22] as follows: (1) poor pronunciation, (2) uneven teeth, (3) foul breath, (4) unhealthy complexion, (5) poor eyesight and poor hearing, (6) defective appearance, (7) lack of influence on others, (8) harshness of speech, and (9) restlessness of the mind. As the saying goes, “Lying begins from Cetiya”, the evil benefits of a liar are shown in the story of King Cetiya.[23] At the beginning of the world, the word of King Cetiya called Uparava of Sotthiya city in Cetiya Kingdom is the first lie. King Cetiya was not an ordinary king. He was endowed with four powers, namely, ability to fly through the sky, being guarded by devas, fragrance of sandalwood from his body, and the scent of brown lotus from his mouth. While Cetiya was a student at the Taxila, he became friends with Korakalamba, the younger brother of Kapila, the Great Parohita. Cetiya gave his promise to appoint him in the position of Royal Parohita when he became a king. When Cetiya became a king, he could not deprive the old Parohita of his post. The old Parohita relinquished his post and became a hermit. But the position of Parohita was only concerned with the elder brother. The younger brother was not entitled to it. Therefore King Cetiya told lies that Korakalamba was the elder and Kapila the younger in order to appoint Korakalamba in the position of Prohita. When King Cetiya told lies, the king’s four great powers suddenly disappeared. Then the hermit admonished the king by showing his offence. The king told lies for the second without obeying the admonition of the hermit. As soon as he spoke lies for the second time his feet sunk into for the second time his feet sunk into the earth to the ankle. When the king spoke lies for the third time he sank into the earth knee-deep. When the king lied for the fourth time he was sunk to navel deep. When the king lied for the sixth time he was sunk to the breast level. When the king lied for the seventh time, the earth went asunder issuing flames and fumes. The king was borne down to the nethermost hell, Avīci. When Cetiya king spoke lies, it was the time when there was no one who told lies. All were established at truthfulness. At the time when truthfulness was firmly established, telling lies was a very distinctive and very grave offence. Not to mention the ordinary people, King Cetiya who was endowed with four great powers immediately fell to Avīci hell. The Buddha preached in Dukanipāta in Aṅguttara Nikāya[24] as: “Although Kinnarās and Kinnarās are able to speak human language, they avoid speaking human language with two objectives of not telling lies and not accusing others with falsehood.” As the kinnarās and kinnarās that are animals are able to guard the musāvāda kamma securely, the intelligent wise persons are preached to abstain from committing musāvāda kamma by speaking truths. Pisuṇavācā Ducarita (Slandering) Pisuṇavācā is talking ill of one person to another person in order to make him love him[25] or backbiting.[26] It means backbiting to cause disruption between two friendly persons, and telling things to cause animosity between the two friends. Attempting to win love by slandering the other is Pisuṇvācā. Causing disruption by gesture or by letter is also Pisuṇvācā. As the Pisuṇvācā is mostly a verbal action, it is included in vaciducārita.[27] Factors of Pisuṇvācā Ducarita - There are four factors by which the accomplishment of Pisuṇvācā kammapatha is decided. The four factors are:- (1) There are two persons who are on friendly terms. (2) One has the intention of causing a chasm between them and winning their love. (3) One makes the effort to cause a chasm. (4) The two persons understand what has been spoken. Although the four factors are present, and if the friendship is not broken, it does not accomplish kammapatha but it is only a misdeed. If friendship is broken, it achieves kammapatha.[28] Evil Benefits of Pisuṇvācā Ducarita - The gravity of the Pisuṇvācā offence varies according to the morality and virtue of the persons whose friendship is broken. If the person who is slandered is moral and virtuous, the offence is grave. If the person who is slandered is immoral and unvirtuous, the offence is light.[29] Those who commit the offence of slandering are reborn in one of the four Apāyas called hell, the world of animals, the world of Petas and the world of Asūras. After suffering in Apāyas for many years, they may be reborn in human world. Then they will be separated from their relatives and friends. The evil consequences of committing slander are shown in Cariya Piṭaka Aṭṭhakathā as follows:- dying at the hands of others, having few friends and followers, losing confidence in the dhamma of the virtuous, having to part from the beloved ones, lack of permanent friendship, and having a troubled and restless mind. Evil consequences of slandering can be known by obs |
