The Wisdom of Mindful Speech: Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju

The Nature of Eloquence

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe. On the ninth of May, 2025, during the first session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offered these essential teachings on the nature of speech.

The term kan kan er tan describes a person who speaks with great fluency, confidence, and ease. While this quality is often admired in the world, we must examine the deeper implications of such speech. When people express their thoughts and perspectives with such ease, they must remain vigilant. It is all too easy to inadvertently fall into the traps of negative speech, which can create heavy karmic burdens.

The Hidden Dangers of Casual Speech

We must be mindful of the four kinds of wrong speech that can arise even when we believe we are simply sharing our opinions:

• Two-tongued speech: Creating discord or division between others through our words.
• Harsh speech: Using language that is aggressive, insulting, or hurtful to others.
• False speech: Speaking untruths or exaggerating facts to suit our own ends.
• Frivolous speech: Engaging in idle chatter that lacks substance or moral value.

When we speak at length about subjects we are familiar with or areas where we possess expertise, we often feel a sense of pride. However, we must exercise great wisdom. Beyond simply conveying necessary information, we must be cautious. We must ensure that our words are not tainted by our own ego-attachment, biased views, or the tendency to criticise the faults of others. Every word spoken with a negative intention becomes a seed of karma, and in time, we will surely reap the corresponding karmic result.

The Perils of Debating the Dharma

For those of us who are practitioners in this world, the desire to discuss, teach, or debate the Dharma is natural. However, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju warns us: until one has truly understood the Truth and reached the state of an awakened being, one should refrain from engaging in Dharma debates.

Why is this so? Because debating the Dharma often leads us into several dangerous traps:

• Subjectivity: We begin to defend our own personal interpretations rather than the pure Truth.
• Ego-attachment: We become more concerned with winning an argument than with the welfare of others.
• Self-protection: We use our words as a shield to defend our own personality and pride.

Engaging in such debates not only hinders your spiritual progress but also creates significant negative karma. Instead of debating, it is far better to listen to the sutras, hear the True Teachings, and diligently practise according to the Dharma.

Transforming Speech into Virtue

When you are speaking, observe the state of your heart. If your mind is filled with negative thoughts or a desire to see the worst in others, the words that emerge will naturally be harmful and unkind. This is the very moment you are creating negative karma, and it is a matter that requires your utmost attention.

We should strive to reduce the amount of idle chatter, gossip, and talk that is of no benefit to our practice. It is a correct and positive approach to say one word less of idle talk and one word more of chanting Namo Amituofo. When you think good thoughts and look for the good in others, the words that emerge will naturally be kind, virtuous, and in accordance with the Truth. Such speech is like a lotus flower blooming from the mouth, bringing benefit and joy to all who hear it.

Namo Amituofo