BPF COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES (re-se

[darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: BPF COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES (re-send)

[NOTE DROM DAVID ARNOTT: I COPIED THESE GUIDELINES 
FROM THE BUDDHIST PEACE FELLOWHIP LIST, THINKING 
THEY MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR THE BURMA LISTS] 

Communication guidelines from the Buddhist Peace Fellowship email
discussion list

If you wish to join this discussion list, we ask the following. 
1. Please read and consider the sections below from Thich Nhat Hanh and 
from the Majjhima Nikaya. 
2. Agree to avoid all speech that is intentionally hurtful. If we all 
speak from this place then we create safety, knowing that any hurt we 
may experience is a matter of misunderstanding or ignorance, not 
intention. 
3. Agree not to use harsh language, which includes name-calling and 
ad-hominem attacks. 
4. Agree that if we are hurt or angry, we will wait before we respond 
and think about the impact and usefulness of our words, much in the 
Buddha's terms set out in the sutta below. 
5. As a community, however tenuous this cyberspace may be, we will try 
to be helpful and truthful to our dharma sisters and brothers. If we 
can't be helpful, we can at least be silent.
We offer these agreements for you to think about and welcome any 
comments you might have. As facilitators for the list, we also reserve 
the right to ask people to leave the list if they cannot keep this 
spirit. Please know that such a step will not be taken without 
consulting with BPF board members. Meanwhile, we look forward to your 
participation, your news and thoughts.
In Peace & Dharma, 
Alan Senauke 
BPF Executive Director

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The Fourth Precept: Deep Listening & Loving Speech 

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to 
listen to others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening 
in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of 
their suffering. Knowing that words can create suffering or happiness, 
I vow to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire 
self-confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to spread news that 
I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of 
which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause 
division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to 
break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, 
however small. 
--Thich Nhat Hanh

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 . . . So too, prince, such speech as the Tathagata knows to be 
untrue, incorrect, and unbeneficial, and which is also unwelcome and 
disagreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter. Such 
speech as the Tathagata knows to be true and correct but unbeneficial, 
and which is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such speech the 
Tathagata does not utter. Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be 
true, correct, and beneficial, but which is unwelcome and disagreeable 
to others: the Tathagata knows the time to use such speech. 
Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be untrue, incorrect, and 
unbeneficial, but which is welcome and agreeable to others: such speech 
the Tathagata does not utter. Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be 
true and correct but unbeneficial, and which is welcome and agreeable 
to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter. Such speech as the 
Tathagata knows to be true, correct, and beneficial, and which is 
welcome and agreeable to others: the Tathagata knows the time to use 
such speech. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has compassion for 
beings.

-- Abhayarajakumarsa Sutta 
-- Sutta 58, Majjhima Nikaya


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