If by speaking the truth, another is hurt it ceases to be truth.
It so happened that once, when a monk was sitting by his little hut, a frightened man with a bundle ran past him and disappeared into a cave nearby. A couple of minutes later, there came a band of fierce robbers with gleaming knives, apparently looking for this man. Knowing that the monk would not lie, they asked him where the man with the bundle was hiding. At once, the monk, true to his vow of not uttering falsehood, showed them the cave. The cruel robbers rushed into it, dragged out the scared man, killed him mercilessly, and departed with his bundle. The monk never realized that he had been instrumental in the murder of a man. If by speaking the truth, another is hurt it ceases to be truth.
This is a nice story, addressing an important issue. I can't agree that the truth ceased to be the truth, however. The man was in the cave. That remained true. What changed was the necessity or nobility in revealing that truth. This message concerns me, because our society is filled with unnecessary deceptions that are not benefiting anyone. For example, the 'does this dress make me look fat' question. I see this issue as the opposite of the one you describe, because answering no when the answer is yes makes dishonest people of both the one asking and the one answering the question. Nothing good comes of it. I don't believe making a general statement that hurt changes the truth is honest.
Reviewed by Jennifer Butler
3/5/2006
Very good thought. One might also consider it better to say one is younger than to retire from work before one is feeling too old to work anymore. It would lengthen the liar's lifespan.
Because we have an opportunity to choose our attitude and focus our intentions in the present moment, the world and our own personal lives are a reflection of our thoughts. It is our 360 degree review on how we think. Put simply, our job is to fully
