77 / 108 Gates of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

7 Quaint gate.jpg
一百八法明門
IPPYAKUHACHI-HOMYOMON
One Hundred and Eight Gates of Dharma-Illumination

[77] Right speech is a gate of Dharma-illumination; for [with it] concepts, voice, and words all are known as sound.
Right Speech, the third factor of the Noble Eightfold Path, is the practice of avoiding 4 specific types of harmful communication: lying (false speech), divisive speech, harsh language, and idle chatter. It emphasizes speaking truthfully, kindly, and only when necessary to promote peace and understanding.
Abstaining from:

• False Speech: Avoiding lies, misrepresentation, and deceit to foster trust and accuracy.
• Divisive Speech: Refraining from gossip or words that create conflict, instead using speech to encourage harmony
  
• Harsh Speech: Avoiding cruel, angry, or abusive language that harms others or oneself.

• Abstaining from Idle Chatter: Avoiding useless, frivolous gossip, and instead speaking at the right time and in a purposeful manner.

Right Speech applies both internally (how you talk to yourself) and externally (how you talk to others). It is closely linked to ethical conduct and karma.

What areas of this gate do you need to work on?

合掌,生開
gassho, Shokai
stlah
仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai
"Open to life in a benevolent way"

[Ryūdō-Liúdào]

Many people note how talkative Canadians are, and I’m no exception hahaha. So idle chatter is definitely something I keep an eye on, especially when I notice I’m using it to fill silence or smooth over my own discomfort.

Harsh speech tends to appear when I lose my balance and let anger get the better of me. Divisive speech can sneak in during those long table conversations when everyone is chatting and the wine is flowing... though I usually stay out of that territory.

False speech is the one I'm best at avoiding, although like most people, I’ve told the occasional “white lie” to spare someone’s feelings. To be honest, I also don’t see much harm in the occasional embellishment when someone’s weaving a good story, as long as it’s for entertainment and not self-promotion.

As a side note, my favorite theory for why Canadians talk so much is that, being an outdoorsy people, we need to make noise so the bears know where we are. That way we don’t startle them and get attacked. I have no idea if there’s any truth to it, but it’s a good one!

Gasshō,
流道-Ryūdō-Liúdào
Satlah

[Tenryu]

I am very fond of constructive communication, so the outer part of speech usually follows those lines quite naturally. But ironically, the area of this gate I most need to work on is how I speak to myself. The inner voice can be surprisingly harsh. One of my teachers once said, “If someone spoke to me the way I speak to myself, I’d have to call the police.” That stayed with me.

Since then I notice more clearly how the mind forms words about itself. The tone can be sharp, impatient, absolute. Practice here is simply recognizing that voice when it appears and allowing a bit more space around it.

Gasshō,
Tenryū
satt LaH

[Choujou]

The more I practice, the less I find I have to say. Idle chatter is almost painful to me now, and I do my best to avoid gossiping and speaking badly of others. While I still have much work and progress to do and make with how I speak to others, my glaring issue with this gate is with how I speak to myself internally. I am a drill sergeant to myself quite often. Relentless, unforgiving, and held to standards I wouldn’t even put upon the worst person I know. While this, in a way, has driven me to push myself, it hasn’t done very well for self esteem. I never feel “good enough”, so this is where I am trying to do a little more work lately, to be kinder and gently push myself. I find that over the last year, with the peaceful and quiet approach to life I have lead, this voice has begun to soften a little… I’ve even started to think encouragingly and positively towards myself, showing more love and support instead of a voice that is never pleased no matter what I do. Who knows, we might even become friends!

Gassho,
Choujou

sat/lah today

[Tairin]

Thank you Shokai

Well firstly, as a Canadian, this is the first time I’ve ever heard that Canadians are known as notably chatty. Ryūdō-Liúdào

But I have to agree that idle chatter is an area I could improve on. I am not a gossip. It is more from a tendency to tease and joke around with my friends. Nothing harmful (I think) but there are times when I wish I’d just kept quiet.


Tairin
sat today and lah

[Ryūdō-Liúdào]

Perhaps it's an expat Canadian thing Tairin ?

It's been 20 years since I left for Asia, so maybe things have changed too, but people often comment to me that Canadians are friendly, polite, and very chatty

Maybe it's just that they're trying to tell me that I'm chatty!

As an edited add in, I write a tanka form poem every day as a sort of creative exercise. Thinking of how two people can be from the same place, can also travel to the same place, and can even be at the same event, and yet have very different experiences, inspired today's poem

_________

Looking up or down
Two watch the same falling rain
Yet feel it alone
So many small human hearts
Each holding a different sky

[Seikan]

I'm actually quite intrigued by the wording of this Gate—in particular, the second part of the sentence:

Right speech is a gate of Dharma-illumination; for [with it] concepts, voice, and words all are known as sound.

I have some ideas as to how to interpret this, but I'm left with more questions than thoughts/opinions. So for help, I turned to the SZTP translation for additional perspective, and I find the following:

Correct speech is a gateway to the illumination of the dharma, for one knows that all words, sounds, and language are like echoes.

Interesting... Unlike most of the gates, this seems like an example of where the two translations deviate significantly (at least on the surface). The SZTP translation does resonate more clearly with me though. I read it as a reminder that all words (internal and external), no matter how hollow or profound, can have lingering effects (i.e., echoes) on myself and others. Therefore, it is a strong reminder to ground my words in the Dharma. At the same time, the notion of an "echo" also carries connotations of emptiness. If so, then this gate is also a reminder that all words are ultimately empty and unworthy of attachment. Therefore, I should both choose my words wisely (via Dharma) and economically (with restraint) and then once spoken or thought, simply let them go.

As others have mentioned, I also find that external dimension of speech to be easier to work with. My internal monologue, on the other hand, is full of attachment, bias, and occasionally things that I would never say out loud. As such, this is a gate that I continue to work on day in and day out as the river of thought is endless (i.e., "to transform all delusions though delusions inexhaustible).

Gassho,
Seikan
stlah

[Chikyou]

Seikan, I assumed “sound” in this case didn’t mean “sound waves” but more “firm, rooted, stable” in the same way that we say a horse is “sound”. The echos translation is entirely different and poignant as well. I’ll have to sit with that one a bit.

This gate is a continual practice for me, especially the “idle chatter” part. I often catch myself engaging in idle gossip and chatter. When I do, I remind myself of Right Speech and change course.

Like others, I, too am my own worst critic and also say things in my head that I (hopefully) never would out loud. I should also work on this.

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō

[Seikan]

Seikan, I assumed “sound” in this case didn’t mean “sound waves” but more “firm, rooted, stable” in the same way that we say a horse is “sound”. The echos translation is entirely different and poignant as well. I’ll have to sit with that one a bit.

I don't disagree. That's why I said I had more questions about this gate when first reviewing the Nishijima translation. Reason would seem to indicate that "sound" was being used as you describe, but the fact that it was juxtaposed with "speech" in this gate's description was leading to some head scratching on my part. And then to read the SZTP's translation made me question if the word being translated actually DID have more to do with audible "sound".

Either way you you approach it, there seems to be much to consider and reflect upon. Such are these wonderful mukti-faceted Dharma Gates!!!

Gassho,
Seikan
stlah