Right Speech
In Zen we sometimes say, "The tongue has no bone." This is because the tongue can say one thing in one sentence, and in the next breath say an entirely different thing. The tongue can make anything. This is the source of all lies and gossip. By itself the tongue has no direction, so it has no bone. An eminent teacher said, "Your evil tongue will lead you to ruin. You must keep the stopper in the bottle. Only open it when necessary." This is our temple rule. And in the Bible, Jesus taught that it is actually not the things that go into our mouth that cause impurity and suffering. Rather, what comes out of our mouths brings suffering to this whole world. Right Speech means from moment to moment being careful about what this tongue does. It means using your tongue to help people with clear, compassionate speech. If you put down your opinions and condition, and don't make anything in your mind, then Right Speech appears by itself.