Bhante G, 8 Mindful Steps to Hapiness
We probably think of an ax merely as a tool for chopping firewood But in the Buddha's day, the ax was a tool of precision and power.
It was used to cut long planks of wood and plane them perfectly smooth and to carve and chisel wood precisely. It could cut down a mighty tree. And it was a deadly weapon, a brutal means to maim or kill.
Perhaps a modern parallel to the ax is the computer.
Computers can be used to do many wonderful things-to communicate across oceans, make music or direct a flight to Mars. They can also be used for destruction.
Computers help wage wars by controlling missiles and other weapons.
Just as we must choose how we will use the power of an ax or a computer we must choose how we will use our speech. Will we speak words that awaken, console, and encourage others? Or will we cut them down. injuring ourselves in the process? Slanderous talk, cruel gossip, lies, and crude or profane jokes not only abuse others but make us look like tools who are unable to wield the ax in our mouths without bloodying ourselves
Bhante G, 8 Mindful Steps to Hapiness
23 August 2023
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