Venerable Sir, what is it that becomes strong as a result of Right View and Right Thought developing?

As a result of ‘Right View’ and ‘Right Thought’ developing, the three steps ‘Right Speech’ (sammā-vācā), ‘Right Bodily Action’ (sammā-kammanta) and ‘Right Livelihood’ (sammā-ājīva) coming under morality will become stronger.

Right Speech means virtuous speech, correct speech. Put another way, it means to abstain from lying, telling tales behind somebody’s back, speaking harsh language, and engaging in foolish babble. Buddha avows that the person who lies deteriorates both in this life and the next. Buddha advises Venerable Rāhula that the one who lies, just like the smidgen of water tossed away after washing one’s feet, or the drop of water left in the basin after washing the feet, is of no value, gets no recognition.

Some people living in society talk a lot, express opinions a lot. But no one ever accepts those opinions or things they say. Why is that so? As a result of lying in the previous life. Due to karma-results (vipāka) of lying, the words they speak don’t exert a pull on anyone. Nobody is drawn to what they say. No one accepts those words.

The more innocent the person about whom the lie is, the more potent its karma-result gets. A lie about worthy venerable monks who are loftier in qualities will give rise to the most gruesome unwholesome karma-results both in the present life and the next. If someone who lies happened to be reborn in the human plane of existence, owing to the karma-results of lying he or she could become deaf, blind, or mute, or their faces could be ugly. If such a person were to fall onto the peta-ghost plane, they could be a peta-ghost with a rotted mouth or tongue. If such a person plummeted into the lowest hell niraya, sentries of hell would pour molten rock and fire into their mouths. The very mouth that lied is subjected to pain. Once a puthujjana-monk falsely accused the great arahat Venerable Sāriputta. He told a lie claiming Venerable Sāriputta struck him with the robe. On that occasion Venerable Sāriputta makes an irrefutable declaration about his worthy qualities. The Buddha hears this declaration. Tells that particular lying puthujjana-monk to beg for forgiveness from Venerable Sāriputta. Says, “If you didn’t beg for forgiveness, your head would burst apart into seven pieces.” The lie told against people who have moral qualities and are virtuous is so powerful a force that your head would burst apart into seven pieces. Here, the head bursts apart into seven pieces means one would be mentally unhinged, deranged, psychotic.

If lying is prevalent in society, or society diverges from Right Speech, or doesn’t use words pertinent to wholesome karma, then it is the reason behind humans straying away from Right Speech that we must look for. If someone in society is lying, Right Speech hasn’t formed in them. Why does one become lacking in Right Speech? Because Right View is lacking. If Right View is lacking, and simply because of it lying abounds, then there’s no point even if you hold tuition classes at every street corner telling people not to lie. Nor does it help, to punish them in a court of law. It is Right View that we need to reinforce and strengthen in people. Without the strengthening of Right View, lying in society cannot be stopped. Adopting any other solution will be a fools errand―much like stashing jaggery in a rivulet.

Venerable Sir, how can Right Speech be turned into supermundane Right Speech (lokuttara sammā-vācā)?

Now you think; however much you abstain from lying, tattling behind one’s back, harsh language, and foolish babble, what is it that forms in you as a result? Wholesome-saṅkhāras (wholesome karma-formations). Are those wholesome-saṅkhāras permanent or impermanent? Impermanent.

Seeing the impermanence of the wholesome-saṅkhāras that accumulate through Right Speech, where you keep yourself from becoming attached to those saṅkhāras: there, arises supermundane Right Speech comprising attributes of penetrative insight. When you’re at leisure, reflect with wisdom: Owing to righteous, pleasant words spoken throughout the round of rebirths past, as karma-results of those wholesome-saṅkhāras, suppose you receive an impressive physique, a pleasant face, a mouth exuding fragrant breath, or a good name spreading far and wide. Then, seeing the impermanence of each such saṅkhāra, let disenchantment (nibbidā) about future saṅkhāras set in. Having incorporated Right Speech in your life, behold the impermanence of those saṅkhāras.