法集要頌經語言品第八
Chapter 8: Speech
妄語入地獄， 作之言不作，
二罪後俱受， 是行自牽去。
恒懷暴惡人， 斧在口中出，
所以自傷身， 由其出惡言。
說法自悅人， 口出無量義，
使我懷妊身， 不慚此儀式。
譽惡惡還譽， 是二俱為惡，
好以口快鬪， 彼後皆無安。
Lies lead to hell; Claiming one didn't do what they did— Both offenses will be faced later, Such actions drag you away on their own.
Those who harbor constant cruelty, An axe comes forth from their mouth; Thus they injure themselves, Because they speak evil words.
When teaching the Dharma to delight others, The mouth produces limitless meaning; But as for me, in this pregnant state, I feel no shame for this behavior.
Praising evil brings evil back, Both are equally harmful; Those who enjoy quick verbal fights Will find no peace later on.
爭為微少利， 如掩失財寶，
從彼致鬪諍， 合意向惡道。
百千尼羅浮， 三十六五獄，
誹謗賢聖者， 口意發惡願。
無道墮惡道， 自增地獄苦，
遠愚修忍意， 念諦則無犯。
若倚內寶藏， 依賢聖活命，
愚者墮惡道， 猶願邪見作。
以失今良會， 更立誓願求，
終不見聖諦， 況欲見究竟？
竹蘆生實乾， 還害其自軀，
若吐言當善， 不演惡法教。
從善得解脫， 為惡不得解，
善解者為賢， 是為脫惡趣。
聖賢解不然， 如彼愚得解，
苾芻挹損意， 不躁言得忠。
義說如法說， 所語言柔軟，
善說賢聖教， 法說如法二，
念說如念三， 諦說如諦四。
是以言語者， 必使心無患，
亦不尅有情， 是為能善言。
言使投意可， 亦令得歡喜，
不使至惡意， 出言眾悉可。
至誠甘露說， 說法無有上，
諦說義如法， 是為立道本。
如說佛言者， 是吉得滅度，
為能斷苦際， 是謂言中上。
Fighting for petty gain Is like hiding a lost treasure— From such arise quarrels, And all turn toward evil paths.
Hundreds of thousands of Niraya hells, Thirty-six and five hells more, For those who slander the noble ones, With words and mind giving rise to evil vows.
Without the path, one falls to lower realms, Increasing the suffering of hell. Shun the fool and cultivate patience; Mindful of truth, you'll have no offense.
If relying on inner treasure, Living by the virtue of the wise, The fool still falls to lower realms, Still wishing to follow wrong views.
Having missed this good opportunity, They make new vows and prayers— They'll never see the noble truths, How much less realize the ultimate?
Bamboo and reeds, when dry, Bring harm back to themselves. So should one's speech be good, Not teaching harmful doctrines.
From goodness comes liberation; Evil brings no release. The one well-released is noble— This is escaping lower realms.
The noble one's release is not like that, Nor like the fool's imagined freedom. A monk, humble in heart, Not hasty in speech, gains trust.
Speak meaningfully and in accord with Dharma; Let your words be gentle. Speak well the teachings of the sage; Dharma-speech and right-speech are the second, Mindful-speech and mindful-awareness are the third, Truth-speech and truthful-insight are the fourth.
Therefore, when speaking, Always let the mind be without harm, Nor hurt any living being— This is to speak well.
Speak so that words meet the heart, And bring delight to others. Let them not lead to harmful intent— Words that all can accept.
Speak the truth like sweet dew; Teach the Dharma which is unsurpassed. Speak truth, meaning, and Dharma— This is to establish the foundation of the path.
One who speaks as the Buddha speaks Is blessed and attains Nirvana, Able to cut off suffering's end— This is the highest speech.