Well-Spoken Words · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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Evaṁ me sutaṁ— eka samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti. “Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:
“Catūhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgatā vācā subhāsitā hoti, na dubbhāsitā, anavajjā ca ananuvajjā ca viññūnaṁ. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu subhāsitaṁyeva bhāsati no dubbhāsitaṁ, dhammaṁyeva bhāsati no adhammaṁ, piyaṁyeva bhāsati no appiyaṁ, saccaṁyeva bhāsati no alikaṁ. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi aṅgehi samannāgatā vācā subhāsitā hoti, no dubbhāsitā, anavajjā ca ananuvajjā ca viññūnan”ti. Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato, athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
“Mendicants, speech that has four factors is well spoken, not poorly spoken. It’s blameless and is not criticized by sensible people. What four? It’s when a mendicant speaks well, not poorly; their speech is principled, not unprincipled; they speak pleasantly, not unpleasantly; and they speak truthfully, not falsely. Speech with these four factors is well spoken, not poorly spoken. It’s blameless and is not criticized by sensible people.” That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“Subhāsitaṁ uttamamāhu santo, Dhammaṁ bhaṇe nādhammaṁ taṁ dutiyaṁ; Piyaṁ bhaṇe nāppiyaṁ taṁ tatiyaṁ, Saccaṁ bhaṇe nālikaṁ taṁ catutthan”ti.
“Good people say well-spoken words are foremost; second, speech ought be principled, not unprincipled; third, speak pleasantly, not unpleasantly; and fourth, speak truthfully, not falsely.”
Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ cīvaraṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti. “Paṭibhātu taṁ, vaṅgīsā”ti bhagavā avoca. Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso bhagavantaṁ sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi:
Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said, “I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!” “Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha. Then Vaṅgīsa extolled the Buddha in his presence with fitting verses:
“Tameva vācaṁ bhāseyya, yāyattānaṁ na tāpaye; Pare ca na vihiṁseyya, sā ve vācā subhāsitā.
“Speak only those words that do not hurt yourself nor harm others; such speech is truly well spoken.
Piyavācameva bhāseyya, yā vācā paṭinanditā; Yaṁ anādāya pāpāni, paresaṁ bhāsate piyaṁ.
Speak only pleasing words, words gladly welcomed. Pleasing words are those that bring nothing bad to others.
Saccaṁ ve amatā vācā, esa dhammo sanantano; Sacce atthe ca dhamme ca, āhu santo patiṭṭhitā.
Truth itself is undying speech: this is an ancient teaching. Good people say the teaching and meaning are grounded in truth.
Yaṁ buddho bhāsati vācaṁ, Khemaṁ nibbānapattiyā; Dukkhassantakiriyāya, Sā ve vācānamuttamā”ti. Subhāsitasuttaṁ tatiyaṁ.
The words spoken by the Buddha for finding the sanctuary, extinguishment, for making an end of suffering, this really is the best kind of speech.”
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