Cattāri Brahmavihārā

If like a broken gong
never you reverberate,
quarrelling’s not part of you,
that Nibbana’s reached.

Explanation: When an individual is tranquil and silent like a flattened out metal pot, it is as if he has already attained Nibbana. Such a person does not engage in vain talk. Even when it is struck, the flattened out metal pot cannot make a sound in return.

I listened to a Dhamma talk by Ajahn Munindo yesterday from which I took the title of this post and I was really moved by the verse (Dhammapada verses 133-134). I’ve always felt that samma vaca was extremely important-it would have to be if it’s listed a an element of the 8FP-but the way in which it’s encapsulated in the preceding verse really brings it home. I don’t really have much to add but I wanted to share the verses with anyone who might stumble across this blog. In addition, here’s a link to the Dhamma talk as well: http://aruno.org/podcast/index.php?id=18

Sukhi hotu!

Source:

http://www.buddhanet.net/dhammapada/d_punish.htm