3.4. The Attitude to Abuse and Respect of Other

[Full title: Reflection of Mind on Language Behaviours (4): The Attitude to Abuse and Respect of Other ]

In the Sutta Alagaddūpama ‘The simile of the Snake’ (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 22), the Buddha instructs bhikkhus to have the proper attitude with other’s abusive and praised words.

Therefore, bhikkhus, if others abuse, revile, scold, and harass you, on that account you should not entertain any annoyance, bitterness, or dejection of the heart. And if others honour, respect revere, and venerate you, on that account you should not entertain any delight, joy, or elation of the heart. If others honour, respect, revere, and venerate you, on that account you should think thus: ‘They perform such services as these for the sake of what had earlier come to be fully understood’.

(Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 22.39)^[1]

In case a bhikkhu addressed with disagreeable words, the Buddha advises bhikkhu to train how patient and peaceful to such words.

Therefore, if anyone speaks dispraise of those bhikkhunīs in your presence, you should abandon any desires and any thoughts based on the household life. And herein you should train thus: ‘My mind will be unaffected, and I shall utter no evil words; I shall abide compassionate for his welfare, with a mind of loving-kindness, without inner hate’. That is how you should train, Phagguna.

“If anyone gives those bhikkhunīs a blow with his hand, with a clod, with a stick, or with a knife in your presence, you should abandon any desires and any thoughts based on the household life. And herein you should train thus: ‘My mind will be unaffected...’. If anyone speaks dispraise in your presence, you should abandon any desires and any thoughts based on the household life. And herein you should train thus: ‘My mind will be unaffected...’. If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a clod, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and any thoughts based on the household life. And herein you should train thus: ‘My mind will be unaffected, and I shall utter no evil words; I shall abide compassionate for his welfare, with a mind of loving-kindness, without inner hate’. That is how you should train, Phagguna. (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 21.6)

As the above Suttas shown we see clearly that the Buddha often advises bhikkhus to control the verbal action. When one wishes to state something, he should reflect whether his speech brings himself affliction, or brings affliction to someone or both or not (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 61.12). Before talking something, a bhikkhu is advised to reflect carefully. In that reflection, if he observes that talk is low, vulgar, coarse, ignoble, and unbeneficial and which does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, enlightenment, and nibbāna such talk he should not utter. On the contrary, however, in the reflection if he notices that the talk deals with effacement, as favours the mind’s release, and which leads to complete disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, enlightenment, and nibbāna; that is, talk on wanting little, on contentment, seclusion, aloofness from society, arousing energy, virtue, concentration, wisdom, deliverance, knowledge and vision of deliverance, such talk he should utter (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 122.12).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

For Not Yours see Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 22.40-41; and Six Standpoints for View see also Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 22.15-17.