Parent:: [[Noble 8-fold Path]] # Sammā Vācā (Proper Speech) ## What NOT to talk about > [!NOTE] In Mahāsuññatasutta ([MN122](https://suttacentral.net/mn122/en/sujato)) > While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if their mind inclines to talking, they think: > _Tassa ce, ānanda, bhikkhuno iminā vihārena viharato kathāya cittaṁ namati, so:_ > > ‘I will not engage in the kind of speech that is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. Such speech doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. Namely: talk about kings, bandits, and chief ministers; talk about armies, threats, and wars; talk about food, drink, clothes, and beds; talk about garlands and fragrances; talk about family, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, and countries; talk about women and heroes; street talk and well talk; talk about the departed; motley talk; tales of land and sea; and talk about being reborn in this or that state of existence.’ > > _‘yāyaṁ kathā hīnā gammā pothujjanikā anariyā anatthasaṁhitā na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati, seyyathidaṁ—rājakathā corakathā mahāmattakathā senākathā bhayakathā yuddhakathā annakathā pānakathā vatthakathā sayanakathā mālākathā gandhakathā ñātikathā yānakathā gāmakathā nigamakathā nagarakathā janapadakathā itthikathā surākathā visikhākathā kumbhaṭṭhānakathā pubbapetakathā nānattakathā lokakkhāyikā samuddakkhāyikā itibhavābhavakathā iti vā iti—evarūpiṁ kathaṁ na kathessāmī’ti._ ## Suttas - [[MN58 Abhayarājakumārasutta]] ![[(2022-09-06) Vilas on Suttas on noble 8-fold path#3. Proper Speech – sammā vācā]]