The Buddha's Teaching on Right Speech for Peace

Silacara

Research Scholar, Department of Buddhist Studies, Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University, Dehradun, India

Abstract

The Buddha's teaching on Right Speech (Sammā Vācā), a core component of the Noble Eightfold Path, presents a profound ethical framework for cultivating inner and outer peace. It prescribes four key principles: abstaining from false speech (truthfulness), from divisive speech (promoting harmony), from harsh speech (using kind and gentle words) and from idle chatter (speaking purposefully). By cultivating truthful, unifying, gentle and mindful speech, individuals dismantle the roots of interpersonal conflict and sow seeds of reconciliation and harmony — making ethical communication an essential, practical tool for peacebuilding.

Keywords: Right Speech, Sammā Vācā, Noble Eightfold Path, peacebuilding, ethical communication