Speak Less

Teachings by Teacher, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe

23 May 2026

Teachings by Teacher Xia Lianju:

Raise your awareness,

If words born of delusion, discrimination, and attachment interfere with the heart, do not speak them; speak less.

Words that do not benefit the growth of your spiritual achievements, do not speak them; speak less.

Words that cause the heart to become unsettled, agitated, or provoke others, do not speak them; speak less.

Speak when it is appropriate to speak; when it is not appropriate, do not speak; speak less.

When the mouth utters lotus flowers and emits the fragrance of the lotus, it brings others close and brings peace to body and mind;

When the mouth utters harsh words that cause others to feel afflicted and sorrowful, it is like a snake or scorpion, causing others to keep their distance and fear to approach.

Speaking too much always invites trouble; it is better to remain silent and preserve your energy.

From ancient times to the present, patriarchs and venerable masters have often remained silent or spoken little before achieving spiritual success,

In walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, they never depart from the Buddha; 24/7, they are always chanting Buddha's name,

Only after achieving spiritual success do they begin to teach and lead beings.

This is the perseverance and determination to realise one's true nature and attain Buddhahood.

Words that can be spoken:

Teachings and words of Compassion, Joy, and Selfless Giving that help people open their mind-capacity and accept them with joy, these can be spoken.

Words that help beings understand Universal Principles, Truth, and the Right Path—true words that are not usually heard in daily life—these can be spoken.

Words of sincere blessing and praise that people accept with a heart full of joy, these can be spoken.

Counseling others to diligently chant Buddha's name, and under the Buddha's blessings, face the sufferings of aging, sickness, and death,

and to arouse the Bodhi mind and single-mindedly recite Namo Amituofo, vowing to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss—these words can be spoken.

Kind words that help the masses understand the truth of reality and the laws of karma and cause and effect, these can be spoken.

Counseling people to be vegetarian and practise the Ten Good Deeds: no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, no flowery speech, no harsh speech, no divisive speech, no greed, no anger, and no delusion—these can be spoken.

Widely propagate that Namo Amituofo abides at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

Introduce the Ultimate Vow of Namo Amituofo and the magnificent dignity of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss,

so that the masses understand that physical life is limited,

and that after the body dies, the spirit never dies and can be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss,

bringing hope to their hearts; this is the ray of hope for the spirits of the human world.

Namo Amituofo