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Subhāsitasutta

Well Spoken Well-Spoken Words

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,

“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Bhikkhus!”
“Mendicants!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied.
“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Blessed One said this:
The Buddha said this:

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgatā vācā subhāsitā hoti, no dubbhāsitā; anavajjā ca ananuvajjā ca viññūnaṁ.
“Bhikkhus, when speech possesses four factors, then it is well spoken, not badly spoken, and it is blameless, not blameworthy among the wise.
“Mendicants, speech that has four factors is well spoken, not poorly spoken. It’s blameless and is not criticized by sensible people.

Katamehi catūhi?
What four?
What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu subhāsitaṁyeva bhāsati no dubbhāsitaṁ, dhammaṁyeva bhāsati no adhammaṁ, piyaṁyeva bhāsati no appiyaṁ, saccaṁyeva bhāsati no alikaṁ.
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu speaks only what is well spoken, not what is badly spoken. He speaks only on the Dhamma, not on non-Dhamma. He speaks only what is pleasant, not what is unpleasant. He speaks only what is true, not what is false.
It’s when a mendicant speaks well, not poorly; they speak on the teaching, not against the teaching; they speak pleasantly, not unpleasantly; and they speak truthfully, not falsely.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi aṅgehi samannāgatā vācā subhāsitā hoti, no dubbhāsitā, anavajjā ca ananuvajjā ca viññūnan”ti.
When speech possesses these four factors, it is well spoken, not badly spoken, and it is blameless, not blameworthy among the wise.”
Speech with these four factors is well spoken, not poorly spoken. It’s blameless and is not criticized by sensible people.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.
This is what the Blessed One said.
That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Subhāsitaṁ uttamamāhu santo,
“What is well spoken, the good say, is foremost;
“Good people say well-spoken words are foremost;

Dhammaṁ bhaṇe nādhammaṁ taṁ dutiyaṁ;
Second, speak Dhamma, not non-Dhamma;
second, speak on the teaching, not against it;

Piyaṁ bhaṇe nāppiyaṁ taṁ tatiyaṁ,
Third, speak what is pleasant, not unpleasant;
third, speak pleasantly, not unpleasantly;

Saccaṁ bhaṇe nālikaṁ taṁ catutthan”ti.
Fourth, speak the truth, not falsehood.”
and fourth, speak truthfully, not falsely.”

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him:
Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said,

“paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti.
“An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”
“I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”

“Paṭibhātu taṁ, vaṅgīsā”ti bhagavā avoca.
The Blessed One said: “Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”
“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso bhagavantaṁ sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi:
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses
Then Vaṅgīsa extolled the Buddha in his presence with fitting verses:

“Tameva vācaṁ bhāseyya,
“One should utter only such speech
“Speak only such words

yāyattānaṁ na tāpaye;
By which one does not afflict oneself
as do not hurt yourself

Pare ca na vihiṁseyya,
Nor cause harm to others:
nor harm others;

sā ve vācā subhāsitā.
Such speech is truly well spoken.
such speech is truly well spoken.

Piyavācaṁva bhāseyya,
“One should utter only pleasant speech,
Speak only pleasing words,

yā vācā paṭinanditā;
Speech that is gladly welcomed.
words gladly welcomed.

Yaṁ anādāya pāpāni,
When it brings them nothing evil
Pleasing words are those

paresaṁ bhāsate piyaṁ.
What one speaks is pleasant to others.
that bring nothing bad to others.

Saccaṁ ve amatā vācā,
“Truth, indeed, is deathless speech:
Truth itself is the undying word:

esa dhammo sanantano;
This is an ancient principle.
this is an eternal truth.

Sacce atthe ca dhamme ca,
The goal and the Dhamma, the good say,
Good people say that the teaching and its meaning

āhu santo patiṭṭhitā.
Are established upon truth.
are grounded in the truth.

Yaṁ buddho bhāsate vācaṁ,
“The secure speech which the Buddha utters
The words spoken by the Buddha

khemaṁ nibbānapattiyā;
For the attainment of Nibbāna,
for finding the sanctuary, extinguishment,

Dukkhassantakiriyāya,
For making an end to suffering
for making an end of suffering:

sā ve vācānamuttamā”ti.
Is truly the foremost speech.
this really is the best kind of speech.”