Deep Commentary

This verse was taught by the Buddha at Bamboo Grove Monastery in connection with Venerable Pilindavaccha. According to the story, Pilindavaccha had a habit of using rough and uncultivated language. Whenever he spoke with others, even with elders, he used coarse words like those heard among careless and unruly people. Because of this, the other monks often complained and reported his disrespectful speech to the Buddha. The Buddha called him and asked about it, and Pilindavaccha admitted that he had spoken in that way and had made such mistakes. The Buddha then told the monks not to blame him too harshly, because this was not merely a habit from his present life. For five hundred past lives he had spoken in that same rough manner. It was the force of a deeply rooted habit. One who has destroyed the defilements does not speak from a cruel or harmful mind and does not intentionally use words to wound others. Therefore, the monks should understand and forgive one whose old tendencies were deeply ingrained and not yet completely abandoned in expression. This verse teaches us to be careful with speech. Speech is a sharp instrument in human interaction, and it can bring either great benefit or great harm. When used skillfully, gentle, kind, sincere words can encourage, comfort, and guide others. Such speech beautifies both the speaker and the listener. Yet kind speech must arise from a truthful heart. When the mind is truthful, words become truthful, because speech is the outward expression of thought. The Buddha taught that truthful speech is beneficial speech. A practitioner, whatever the situation, favorable or difficult, should speak softly and peacefully, never using cruel words that injure another person. As for the harmful side of speech, we should remember that every word and every action carries our own mark. Therefore, we must be as careful with speech as we would be when signing an important document. If we sign something carelessly without understanding it, the consequences may be serious. In the same way, once words or actions have wounded others, the results that come back to us, either now or later, may be difficult to measure. Once words are spoken, how can they be erased? A single word can bring benefit to many, yet a single word can also create great suffering for an individual or even an entire community. Therefore, those who follow the Buddha’s path should train themselves to speak and act with mindfulness, and to honor the truth. If we can do this, peace and happiness will be present in each moment. The story also shows how powerful long-standing habits can be. Because Pilindavaccha had used careless, harsh, and disrespectful speech through many lives, even after becoming a senior monk, that verbal habit still appeared. Reading this story helps us understand people whose harmful habits are deep and long-standing. At the same time, we should look carefully at our own habits. Even people who practice, give, chant, meditate, or do good deeds may still find that coarse and unwholesome habits cannot be abandoned overnight. Understanding this, we become more able to forgive and sympathize with others. This is an important lesson from the story. We should firmly resolve to remove the unwholesome habits that cause suffering, such as talking too much, speaking carelessly, using harsh words, addiction, excess, gossip, and delighting in the faults of others. Each bad habit we abandon makes us lighter and freer. At the same time, we should cultivate wholesome habits that benefit ourselves and others, such as recitation, recollection of the Buddha, bowing, sitting meditation, mindfulness of breathing, deep listening, speaking less, walking calmly, examining ourselves, and recognizing our own faults. By cultivating such good habits, we renew our life. Peace and happiness can then arise right here and now. Practice sincerely, and you will see the joyful and beneficial results for yourself.