8. Speech (UV-KG8)

He who says he has not done that which he has done, and he who is a liar, will go to hell; both these men alike, having gone to the next world, will be in a degraded state.

Every man that is born, and who speaks wicked words, will cut himself with the axe of speech that has been born (with him).

He who praises a man who ought to be blamed, and who blames a man worthy of praise, brings sin (upon himself) with his mouth; he who is sinful will not find happiness.

He who in this world loses his wealth at dice is a little sinful; he whose mind is evilly disposed towards the Tathāgata is an extremely sinful person.

He who in this world uses his speech and mind in reviling an Ariya will go for ten millions (of lives) to the Nirabbudas hell, and for a thousand and forty-one to the Abbudas.

He who in the sinfulness of his mind accuses one who is not sinful of guilt, increases his own punishment in hell. He who has the might (of wisdom) makes no wrong use of his speech; not even in his mind does he imagine strife.

They whose minds are perverted by false doctrines (heresies), and who renounce the teaching and the mode of living of the elect (Ariyas) and Arhats, are destroyed on account of their wicked deeds as is the reed by its seed.

One must only speak what is right, and must not speak evilly; from wicked words comes evil, one ought consequently to use proper language.

The fool speaks wickedly, and it is by his speech that he is held in bondage; when one uses this kind of language and rejects the other, him I call not a sage.

The Bhixus, who watch over their speech, who speak leisurely and without arrogance, who, in possession of the Law, do teach its value, their speech is pleasing.

Well-spoken language is the principal thing, says the Ariya; to speak kindly and not unkindly is the second (best thing); to speak the truth and not lies is the third; to speak what is right and not what is futile is the fourth.

He who speaks words which bring him no grief and which will do no harm to his neighbour, speaks well.

Let one speak pleasing words, which, when he has spoken them, bring joy to his neighbour, and, being received with pleasure, cause him to commit no sin.

To speak the truth is (like) amrita; truth cannot be surpassed. The truth is holding fast to what is good and to what is right, say the righteous.

The words which the Buddha speaks and which remove all misery are words of truth; those that lead to nirvāṇa cannot be surpassed.

Chapter on Speech, the Eighth.

Translated by Woodville Rockhill.

1975, Udânavarga: a collection of verses from the Buddhist canon compiled by Dharmatrâta, Oriental Press, Amsterdam (reprint of original from 1883).

Translated (into Tibetan) by the Indian Pandit Vidyaprabhakara and the Lotsāva Bande-rin-tchen-mtchog; revised and arranged by the corrector, the Lotsāva Bande-dpal-brtsegs.

Original taken from University of Oslo, faculty of humanities.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Yasoj and Ayya Vimala.