It is impossible for any being to give utterance to words which are not already lodged in his mind fit the form of thought. The impure mind cannot speak pure words; the pure mind cannot speak impure words.
The ignorant cannot speak learnedly, nor the learned ignorantly. The foolish man cannot speak wisely, nor the wise foolishly.
Altered speech follows an altered mind. When a man turns from evil to good, his conversation becomes cleansed. As a man increases in wisdom, he watches, modifies, and perfects his speech.
If the foolish and the wise are known by their words, what, then, is the speech of folly, and what the language of wisdom?
A man is foolish:
If he talks aimlessly and incoherently. If he engages in impure conversations. If he utters falsehood. If he speaks ill of the absent, and carries about
evil reports concerning others.
If he frames flattering words.
If he utters violent and abusive words.
If his speech is irreverent, and
his words are directed against the great and good.
If he speaks in praise of himself.
A man is wise:
If he talks with purpose and intelligence.
If his conversation is chaste.
If he utters words of sincerity and truth.
If he speaks well of and in defence of, the absent.
If he speaks words of virtuous reproof.
If his speech is gentle and kindly.
If he talks reverently of the great and good.
If he speaks in praise of others.
We are all, now and always, justified and condemned by our words. The law of Truth is not held in abeyance, and every day is judgement day. For "every idle word" which one speaks he is at once
??called to account" in an immediate and certain loss of happiness and influence. By the words which we habitually utter we publish to the universe the degree of our intelligence and the standard of our morality, and receive back through them the judgement of the world. The fool thinks he is harshly judged and badly treated by others, not knowing that his real scourge is his own ungoverned tongue.
To control the tongue, to discipline the speech, to strive for the use of purer and gentler words?this is a very lowly thing, and one that is much despised ; but it cannot be neglected by him who eagerly aspires to walk the way of wisdom.
8. Truth made manifest
Upon the lofty Summits of the Truth
Where clouds and darkness are not, and where rests
Eternal Splendour; there, abiding Joy
Awaits thy coming.
Be watchful, fearless, faithful, patient, pure:
By earnest meditation sound the depths
Profound of life, and scale the heights sublime
Of Love and Wisdom.
Truth is rendered visible through the media of deeds. It is something seen and not heard. Words do not contain the Truth; they only symbolise it. Good deeds are the only vessels which contain Truth.
It has been frequently said that being must precede doing. Being always does precede doing ; but being; and doing cannot be arbitrarily separated. A man?s deeds are the expression of himself. Acts are the language of Reality. If a man?s inner being is allied to Truth, his deeds will speak it forth; if with error, his deeds will make manifest that error.
No man can hide what he is. He must necessarily act, and every time he acts he reveals himself.
In the light of Reality no man can deceive humanity or the universe; but he can deceive himself.
Deeds of purity, love, gentleness, patience, humility, compassion, and wisdom are Truth made manifest.
These qualities cannot be contained between the covers of a book, but only the words which refer to them; they are Life.
Deeds of impurity, hatred, anger, pride, vanity, and folly are error making itself known. A man?s deeds are the publication of himself to the world.
Truth cannot be comprehended through reading, but only by correcting and converting one?s self.
Precepts are aids to the acquirement of wisdom, but wisdom is acquired only by practice.
