Appropriate Speech
When Talking Politics: The Buddha’s Five Conditions
Patheos November 16,
2016 by Domyo Burk
Most of us need to talk to
others about political matters. We need to vent and process, and
try to understand. We need to keep ourselves conscious of what’s
happening in our world so we can respond appropriately.
At the same time, our
conversations about politics can get exhausting, depressing,
agitating, repetitive, divisive, judgmental, and even hateful. They
can discourage us from staying politically engaged – right when we
need to stay engaged.
The Buddha laid out five
things to consider before speaking, and implied that if our
intended statement doesn’t meet all five of these conditions, we
should remain silent. These conditions are listed below,
along with short commentaries on how they apply when we’re talking
about political issues.
Keep in mind, these are
very strict instructions. You may think you’ll have to remain
silent forever, and be unable to enter into political dialogue when
it matters. Or that you’ll have to keep your feelings bottled up
until you get depressed, enraged, or sick. These outcomes are not
desirable; the best way to practice with these instructions is to
simply keep them in mind before, during, and after your
conversations and honestly ask yourself how well your speech met
the Buddha’s five conditions. Gradually, your speech will change.
Courageous speech that meets these conditions is incredibly
powerful – so let’s practice diligently so we can speak effectively
in this troubled world.
In the Vaca Sutta,
Shakyamuni Buddha teaches that a statement is well-spoken when it
meets all five of these conditions:
1. It is spoken in truth.
If you’re honest with yourself, there are very, very few political
statements you can confidently speak in truth – unless you stick to
“I” statements. “I read” or “I heard” or “lately I’ve been
wondering.” It’s best to avoid absolutes, broad generalizations, or
predictions about the future. For example, instead of saying,
“Corporate greed is going to destroy our planet,” I might say, “I
have heard so many stories about corporations prioritizing profits
over the well-being of people and ecosystems, I worry about the
future of our planet.” For more on speaking honestly or truthfully,
read my recent blog post on the subject.
2. It is spoken
beneficially. Wow, this is a hard one, right? Are you really going
to benefit the people you are speaking to with your statement? Are
you going to help them clarify their thoughts and feelings?
Encourage them? Support them? Inform them? If you hope to inform
them, are they open to being informed, or are you just going to
make them feel defensive? Are you preaching to the choir so you can
hear yourself speak? Are you just looking for people to agree with
you so you can feel more secure in your worldview? Remember to have
compassion for yourself here: You may need to speak in order to
process or vent, in which case the benefit is to you. That can be
okay, as long as you acknowledge this – out loud, so the people you
are speaking to understand the context of your speech. And then
watch carefully for the point at which the conversation stops being
beneficial either for you or for others.
3. It is spoken with a mind
of good-will. Sure, we experience anger. Maybe even outrage, or
hatred. These experiences tell you that you perceive something
needs to be protected from danger. Investigate that experience. But
when you speak, try to keep in mind that the bodhisattva vow is
about saving all beings. Some beings need to be saved from their
greed, hate, and delusion (including us). We’re all in this
together. If you’re not in the mood to feel sympathy or compassion
for your enemy, then keep in mind that ill-will only generates more
ill-will. At least speak as if you feel good-will for your enemy –
if for no other reason than you’re more likely to be heard, change
minds, and get your way.
4. It is spoken
affectionately. This about the flavor and character of your speech.
There are many different ways to say the same thing. Err on the
side of humility, gentleness, kindness, diplomacy, and compassion.
In the moment, this effort may feel contrived and less than
“honest,” but affectionate speech reflects the deeper truth of
interdependence. In the moment you may feel angry and judgmental,
but in reality your well-being is intimately connected with the
well-being of all, and what you really want is peace and real
happiness for everyone. Choose your words carefully in order to
water the seeds of your deeper aspirations instead of your
momentary fears and frustrations.
5. It is spoken at the
right time. This means to pay attention to other people and the
situation and be sensitive, kind, and compassionate. Watch the
faces and body language of the people you are speaking to. Are they
looking more and more agitated or depressed as the conversation
goes on? Have they lapsed into silence? Are they fidgeting,
slouching, or looking at their watch or phone? Is the political
conversation involving only a few people, while others are captive
and unwilling listeners? If you have any doubt about how other
people are feeling during a political conversation, just ask them,
“Do you want to change the subject?” Very few of our political
conversations are critical in determining the future. Sometimes it
more important to simply connect with people, or be present with
them.
Carry your Buddhist
practice even into your political conversations, but remember to
use the Buddha’s five conditions to reflect on your own speech, not
to judge the speech of others. If you are subject to speech from
others that doesn’t meet these conditions, become mindful of your
own state of mind and body. Can you listen compassionately and
offer something beneficial when the time is right? Is it worth
putting up with some discomfort in order to engage in this
conversation? Are you able to refrain from getting drawn into
harmful speech? Or are you getting more and more agitated,
overwhelmed, depressed, angry, or anxious and the conversation
wears on? If necessary, ask people to change the subject. Maybe
explain that you just need a break from political talk. Or, if you
need to (and can), quietly leave the conversation in order to take
care of yourself.
Talking to one another is
important, but we’re never going to solve the world’s problems in
one conversation. There are many other skillful, compassionate ways
to respond to suffering, and many of them don’t involve any speech
at all.