Understanding Right Speech

Understanding Right Speech

Upanishads, Yogasutra of Patanjali and Gautam Buddha teachings all talk about “the right speech”. As per Gautam Buddha, it has three components:

i. It should be based on truthfulness.
ii. It should be necessary.
iii. It should be kind

All three have to be in the same sequence with truthfulness being on the top. For example, if a patient asks a doctor, “Am I going to die in the next few weeks or will I survive longer?”; the truth may be that he is serious enough and may not survive but it is not necessary to speak the truth and  also it is not kind. Therefore, that truth should not be spoken.

Lord Krishna in Mahabharata explained when not to speak the truth and when to speak a lie. The truth which is going to harm the society may not be spoken and a lie which can save the life of a person without harming others may be spoken.

i. A truth which is necessary and kind may be spoken.
ii. A truth which is not necessary but kind may not be spoken.
iii. A truth which is necessary but not kind may not be spoken.
iv. A truth which is neither necessary and nor kind may not be spoken.