"Abstaining from false speech, abstaining from slanderous speech, abstaining from frivolous speech. This, monks, is called Right Speech."
Abstaining from false speech is not simply a matter of not making an untrue statement. Lying goes much deeper than that. The awareness of what we say is a study in itself, not only about what we say, but the inference and the inflection of what we say. We can lie by many means other than speech - by writing, gestures, remaining silent, breaking promises, and telling little white lies. We can lie with our eyes, or with an insincere smile.
We can lie when we repeat something that we heard, but aren't sure is true, yet we act as if it is true. Is that a lie? Yes it is. We mislead other people into believing that it is absolutely true, when it is only hearsay. The way we avoid this is to preface our comments by saying, "I've read this, or I've heard this," because unless it is our own experience that we are talking about, it's safest to preface. When we do this, we will notice that our ego takes less delight. This is the beauty of not lying; keeping an ego from going out of control, and when an ego is subdued, we come closer to enlightenment.
Another indication of false speech is backbiting; a complex psychological process. Let's say that we hate our coworker but to her face we pretend to be friends. Then, when we get alone with the boss, we talk about how awful she is. Is this lying? Yes it is. There is a way to avoid this; if we can't tell a person to his or her face what we think of them, then we should either be quiet about them to others, or find things about them that we can admire.
When we gossip, this is false speech as well. This is the runaway tongue, a combination of backbiting, and pretending that hearsay is fact. Gossip is an attempt to feel powerful by passing along information that mesmerizes others, and can also be an attempt to boost our own ego by tearing down someone or something else. The way we avoid this is to be aware that if we gossip, that means that we are insecure and feel powerless.
Speaking quickly or writing inaudibly in order to deceive is lying, too. This is the used car salesperson's ploy, and the fine print that we can't read or is so voluminous that a battery of attorneys couldn't read it in less than three hours! This is a form of lying. The way we avoid this is to refuse to work for individuals who use these tactics. You might make less money, but if you are spiritually inclined, things will work out, maybe even better.
One other way to lie is to humiliate someone. This falls into the areas of race, social status, class, name, family or lineage, nationality, occupation, religion, disease or handicap, physical characteristics, and past mistakes. This is an insult made with malicious intent to defame, and not simply stating a fact. It is usually done for revenge, and involves anger or jealousy.
The way we can avoid this is to be aware whenever we attempt to discredit someone. What is our reason for doing this? If it is to tear them down in order to puff ourselves up, or justify ourselves in some way, then don't do it. The karma of this type of lying is far reaching, and can boomerang when we least expect it, because it indicates our small state of mind. Building our own ego always tears down our bridges to enlightenment; there are no exceptions.
Simply saying things that are true, that encourage harmony and not division among people, and that are gentle and have meaning is the best policy. Talking only to talk wastes everyone's time and is merely entertainment. You could be spending the time silently in contemplation. The Buddha said, "Speak, only when silence is not better."
E. Raymond Rock of Fort Myers, Florida is cofounder and principal teacher at the Southwest Florida Insight Center, http://www.SouthwestFloridaInsightCenter.com His twenty-eight years of meditation experience has taken him across four continents, including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote northeast forests as an ordained Theravada Buddhist monk. His book, A Year to Enlightenment (Career Press/New Page Books) is now available at major bookstores and online retailers. Visit http://www.AYearToEnlightenment.com
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