Gūthabhāṇīsutta

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Gūthabhāṇī, pupphabhāṇī, madhubhāṇī. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo gūthabhāṇī? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sabhaggato vā parisaggato vā ñātimajjhagato vā pūgamajjhagato vā rājakulamajjhagato vā abhinīto sakkhipuṭṭho: ‘ehambho purisa, yaṁ jānāsi taṁ vadehī’ti. So ajānaṁ vā āha: ‘jānāmī’ti, jānaṁ vā āha: ‘na jānāmī’ti, apassaṁ vā āha: ‘passāmī’ti, passaṁ vā āha: ‘na passāmī’ti; iti attahetu vā parahetu vā āmisakiñcikkhahetu vā sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo gūthabhāṇī.

“These three individuals are found in the world. What three? One with speech like dung, one with speech like flowers, and one with speech like honey. And who has speech like dung? It’s an individual who is summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, my man, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ So they deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason. This is called an individual with speech like dung.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo pupphabhāṇī? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sabhaggato vā parisaggato vā ñātimajjhagato vā pūgamajjhagato vā rājakulamajjhagato vā abhinīto sakkhipuṭṭho: ‘ehambho purisa, yaṁ pajānāsi taṁ vadehī’ti, so ajānaṁ vā āha: ‘na jānāmī’ti, jānaṁ vā āha: ‘jānāmī’ti, apassaṁ vā āha: ‘na passāmī’ti, passaṁ vā āha: ‘passāmī’ti; iti attahetu vā parahetu vā āmisakiñcikkhahetu vā na sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo pupphabhāṇī.

And who has speech like flowers? It’s an individual who is summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, my man, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I see.’ So they don’t deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason. This is called an individual with speech like flowers.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo madhubhāṇī? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo pharusaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti; yā sā vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo madhubhāṇī. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti. Aṭṭhamaṁ.

And who has speech like honey? It’s an individual who gives up harsh speech. They speak in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, and likable and agreeable to the people. This is called an individual with speech like honey. These are the three individuals found in the world.”