The Power of Right Speech

The Taravada tradition says the defilement of conceit is so deeply rooted that it's not ultimately purified until our hunchup, until we're fully enlightened. The Spanish poet Antonio Machado said if you want to talk, first ask a question and then listen. One aspect of right speech is avoiding gossip, backbiting, slandering. And how the emotional tone conditions and flavors the words that we use.