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Five Marks of Well-Spoken Words
Everyday life

Five Marks of Well-Spoken Words

Pañcahaṅgehi samannāgatā vācā subhāsitā

Five qualities that make speech good — timely, true, gentle, beneficial and spoken with kindness. Useful both when speaking and when others speak to you.

5 points

In the Vācā Sutta of the Book of Fives, the Buddha teaches that speech with five factors is well spoken, blameless and not criticised by the wise: it is spoken at the right time, it is true, it is gentle, it is beneficial, and it is spoken with a mind of loving-kindness.

In the Kakacūpama Sutta the same five appear from the other side, as the "courses of speech" others may use with us — timely or untimely, true or false, gentle or harsh, beneficial or harmful, with kindness or with hate. Whichever they use, the Buddha teaches us to resolve: "My mind will remain unaffected, I will utter no evil words, I will abide with compassion."

In the Subhāsita Sutta of the Sutta Nipāta, the Buddha gives four factors of well-spoken speech: speaking well, speaking Dhamma, speaking what is pleasing, and speaking truth.

  1. 1

    Spoken at the right time Kālena ca bhāsitā hoti

    Speaking at a suitable moment, when the listener is ready and the situation allows the words to do good.

    Applying it in daily life

    Before raising something important, ask "Is this person ready to hear it now?" If not, choosing another time is better than getting it over with.

  2. 2

    True Saccañca bhāsitā hoti

    Speaking according to the facts, without exaggeration or distortion.

    Applying it in daily life

    Watch out for "always" and "never" in arguments. These words often turn a partly true statement into an untrue one.

  3. 3

    Gentle Saṇhañca bhāsitā hoti

    Speaking with courteous words, not coarse or sarcastic, even when the content must be direct.

    Applying it in daily life

    The same thing can be said many ways. If you must say someone did wrong, speak about the action, not who they are.

  4. 4

    Beneficial Atthasañhitañca bhāsitā hoti

    Saying what is connected with benefit and helps the listener or situation improve, not speaking merely to vent.

    Applying it in daily life

    Ask before speaking: "What will get better if I say this?" If the only answer is "I'll feel better", vent in a notebook instead.

  5. 5

    Spoken with loving-kindness Mettacittena ca bhāsitā hoti

    Speaking with goodwill toward the listener, not to win or to hurt.

    Applying it in daily life

    If you're still angry, wait. Words that are right in every other way but spoken in anger will be heard only as anger.

Try it in daily life

Use it as a five-layer filter before difficult conversations, especially the first factor, which people forget. Words that are true, beneficial and well meant can still wound if spoken at the wrong time — criticising work in front of others, or raising money matters when the other person is exhausted.

The other side of this teaching matters just as much: you can't control which course of speech others use with you, but you can choose not to let your mind be shaken. Harsh words you hear are simply one of the five courses the Buddha told us in advance we would meet.

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