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At that time Ven. Rahula was staying at the Mango Stone. Then the Blessed One, arising from his seclusion in the late afternoon, went to where Ven. Rahula was staying at the Mango Stone. Ven. Rahula saw him coming from afar and, on seeing him, set out a seat & water for washing the feet. The Blessed One sat down on the seat set out and, having sat down, washed his feet. Ven. Rahula, bowing down to the Blessed One, sat to one side.
Then the Blessed One, having left a little bit of water in the water dipper, said to Ven. Rahula, "Rahula, do you see this little bit of left-over water remaining in the water dipper?"
"Yes, sir."
"That's how little of a contemplative[2] there is in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie."
Having tossed away the little bit of left-over water, the Blessed One said to Ven. Rahula, "Rahula, do you see how this little bit of left-over water is tossed away?"
"Yes, sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a contemplative in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie is tossed away just like that."
Having turned the water dipper upside down, the Blessed One said to Ven. Rahula, "Rahula, do you see how this water dipper is turned upside down?"
"Yes, sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a contemplative in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie is turned upside down just like that."
Having turned the water dipper right-side up, the Blessed One said to Ven. Rahula, "Rahula, do you see how empty & hollow this water dipper is?"
"Yes, sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a contemplative in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie is empty & hollow just like that.
"Rahula, it's like a royal elephant: immense, pedigreed, accustomed to battles, its tusks like chariot poles. Having gone into battle, it uses its forefeet & hindfeet, its forequarters & hindquarters, its head & ears & tusks & tail, but keeps protecting its trunk. The elephant trainer notices that and thinks, 'This royal elephant has not given up its life to the king.' But when the royal elephant... having gone into battle, uses its forefeet & hindfeet, its forequarters & hindquarters, its head & ears & tusks & tail & his trunk, the trainer notices that and thinks, 'This royal elephant has given up its life to the king. There is nothing it will not do.'
"In the same way, Rahula, when anyone feels no shame in telling a deliberate lie, there is no evil, I tell you, he will not do. Thus, Rahula, you should train yourself, 'I will not tell a deliberate lie even in jest.'
FlyersFan
All evil is built on the foundation of lies.
jacygirl
The problem with lies is that some people believe them...and feed into them.
theMediator
Actually, I would say that lies are the product of greed and the lust for power.
Power can be something small like only "winning" a conversation.
jacygirl
I realized that they HAD to believe their own lies, in order to justify their behaviour/actions. They altered reality, re-wrote it...and then accepted it as fact.
Realtruth
I don't think Buddhist men would fair well with western women.
"So honey do you think my butt is fat?"
If you don't answer then you are in more trouble than answering incorrectly.
Can you imagine our current society if we didn't tell any lies at all? Including published stories.
Heck we seem to re-enforce fantasy and lies from a very early age. Santa, Tooth-fairy, Easter bunny...and on and on...edit on 12-9-2013 by Realtruth because: (no reason given)