Curbing Bad Language

A few days ago we were watching a short documentary on Mr. Li Bingnan, one of Venerable Master Chin Kung’s teachers. In the documentary, several of Mr. Li’s students, now in their seventies and eighties, were being interviewed.

One gentleman recounted how he had once spoken to Mr. Li about the Buddhists he, the gentleman, saw who chanted “Amituofo” but whose behavior was far from exemplary. He asked Mr. Li if he didn’t have the urge to criticize these less than stellar Buddhists.

Pausing for just a second, Mr. Li had replied that at least while they were chanting, they weren’t using bad language. The gentleman telling this story laughed as did we who were watching the documentary.

Mr. Li's gentle, but very good reply underlines the reality that chanting "Amituofo" can benefit us on many levels. Ideally, it can enable us to be reborn in the Pure Land to transcend suffering.

At the least, it can keep us from saying words we should not speak.

Comments

[Sue K]

There was some mention about passing legislation in CA about foul language.

I think the bad language is really a reflection about the lack of respect we are showing each other.

On the other hand, there was a study showing that patients in pain who cussed had less need for pain meds. (Maybe they could have tried OM instead, which was also shown to reduce pain.)

We are a long way from Queens English at this point and texting isn't going to help. Will English go the way of Greek and Latin? Time will tell.

[Geo]

Sometimes language and the various misuses of same can be culturally tied and difficult to change. I was raised in a maritimer household where swearing was regularly used by men and women to voice frustration, respond to pain and difficulties, to emphasize a point and so on. It was not necessarily seen as something bad per se but more of a methodology to communicate with emphasis, outside the normal spectrum of everyday talk.

Later in life, I have made a constant effort to eradicate this behaviour / habit, although it has been challenging. Consciously I have curbed the need to swear but when caught off guard, such as if I was to suddenly injure myself, I find a swear word may slip out. I will pause and make an effort to remind myself that it is not necessary to communicate in that fashion and that the intention was not there but that instinct kicked in.

I find chanting Amituofo allows me to occupy myself with a worthy activity and has been allowing me to create a strong ability / discipline to monitor and express myself in an appropriate manner. A neurolinguistic method of sorts.

Peace & love, Geo