tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327503256965023132.post92830017106481207..comments2023-07-15T07:28:32.899-05:00Comments on North Shore Meditation and Dharma Center: Right SpeechNorth Shore Meditation and Dharma Centerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00322334814422504635noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327503256965023132.post-23872045074886227412009-08-16T13:45:11.509-05:002009-08-16T13:45:11.509-05:00In my past corporate environment, a motivational c...In my past corporate environment, a motivational consultant spoke about gossip as "the cancer of the workplace." Carl's posting gets to the heart of things: gossip destroys relationships, but, more destructively, it erodes compassion down to nothing.Nnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327503256965023132.post-67448955831506464322009-08-16T13:14:27.682-05:002009-08-16T13:14:27.682-05:00A friend and teacher used to talk about things lik...A friend and teacher used to talk about things like gossip as "delicious, guilty pleasures." And that it takes great discipline in not giving into the temptation, especially when we think just one little "Taste" won't do any harm. And then we turn around one day and we have put on ten pounds and don't know how it happened.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02603172388082603377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8327503256965023132.post-62242498072272193982009-08-16T11:43:28.549-05:002009-08-16T11:43:28.549-05:00As Xianyang stated at the beginning, much of our d...As Xianyang stated at the beginning, much of our dukkha is caused by wrong speech and this is reflected in the various sets of precepts, both Mahayana and Theravada.<br /><br />Is there anytime when what appears to be "wrong speech" is actually "right speech"?<br /><br />Yes... as also stated above, the determinative factor behind a “transgression” is the intention.<br /><br />A perfect example can be found within the sixth major precept of Bodhisattva practice:<br /><br />"A disciple of the Buddha must not himself broadcast the misdeeds or infractions of Bodhisattva-clerics or Bodhisattva-laypersons, or of [ordinary] monks and nuns -- nor encourage others to do so. He must not create the causes, conditions, methods, or karma of discussing the offenses of the assembly."<br /><br />There are actually cases when one must "broadcast" a misdeed, for if through our silence we have allowed others to suffer or be abused, then we have likewise become willing participants in that suffering or abuse.<br /><br />In this case we would be dealing with the issue of right/wrong speech within the context of violating a precept by recognizing the written letter of the precpt, but not the spirit in which it was first given.<br /><br />Unfortunately, it's just as easy to violate a precept by ignoring the spirit it was first given in as it would be to just toss it out the window in its entirety, so the determinative factor behind a “transgression” is always the intention.Dharmakarahttp://www.shantideva.netnoreply@blogger.com