daisyblahg

So one thing I like about buddhism is that its very practical. Which could be true of most world religion/philosophies really. What good are all these beautiful thoughts if you don't do beautiful things?

which is where we get into pain. There is a general notion that buddhism is about trying to get out of suffering. but what most people don't understand is that to get there, you're probably going to have to deal with a lot of suffering, mainly your own. If you don't believe me, go on a seated meditation retreat for any significant amount of time.

So what's my point? well, Its time to get practical. So today I am focusing on one of the 5 precepts, namely the one about "refraining from false speech", which I like to think of sometimes as "Thumper's Mother's Rule".

I hope all we remember what this is, but truely 'Bambi' is not one of my favourite movies... i think its "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all". Which I will be the first to admit, is not exactly the same as don't tell lies. But in buddhism, there is always more to think about. So along with not lying, one should remember that unless what you are about to say is timely, true, and helpful then it should not be said.

wow, I seem to have wandered off a bit from not lying. Now, I'm all the way over into, if you can't sound like the Dalai Lama, don't talk.

See, I told you. This stuff is hard. that's what the practical is for.