Why Is There the Karma of Double-Tongued Speech?

The vulgar meaning of divisive speech is sowing discord—saying one thing to Party A and another to Party B, with the aim of making the two sides misunderstand each other so that one can profit as the fisherman reaping the benefit. Divisive speech also includes false speech; whether intentional or unintentional, it is all sinful karma. Within the Three Jewels, as long as one creates discord in the relationships among the Fourfold Assembly or between teacher and disciple, it is karma leading to the Avīci hell. This also involves cases where a disciple accepted by an ordained master no longer has faith in and acceptance of the master, no longer follows him to study the Dharma, but instead turns to study other erroneous, inferior, or worldly dharmas that cannot lead to liberation. In that case, one simultaneously commits a grave sin of greatly misleading the master's disciple in his Dharma body and wisdom life; in future lives there will be immense entanglement between the two, and one must also bear the karmic retribution for this portion of the sin.

The evil karma of divisive speech is also sometimes committed out of jealousy. Most people have a jealous mind—or rather, everyone has it. The key is whether one can subdue it and not let one's jealousy manifest, thereby committing great evil karma. When there is self, others, and people in one's mind, and one wants to stand out and gain some benefit, hoping others will envy, respect, admire, and follow oneself, and when one fails to achieve this, jealousy arises. Jealousy is a manifestation of incompetence. If one were truly capable, all benefits would come to oneself—why would there be any need to be jealous of others?

Everyone hopes to be first or second, hopes to stand at the highest peak, above everyone else. If you are truly capable, your virtue, character, and abilities should be the highest and best; then even wanting to be second and condescend to be beneath others would be impossible—you could not hide even if you tried to hide in the crowd; you would inevitably be revealed. If you want to occupy the first position, you must weigh where your virtue ranks. Virtue must match the position; only then can you have that position; otherwise, calamity is certain. If it exceeds the range and degree of your own virtue and capability, it will be very hard to bear. For example, if your body can only bear fifty catties or less, yet you insist on carrying a thousand catties, your spine will be crushed and broken.

Whenever each person wants to gain some benefit, one should first weigh one's own virtue, then weigh one's own ability, then also take into account one's own character and disposition, and finally assess whether one can bear that position and that power. Do not add excessive afflictions and distress to yourself. If your virtue does not match the position, it is better not to have that position.

A mind that exceeds one's own ability by too great a margin is called ambition. When ambition is too great, one becomes frenzied; when the frenzy is too great, one perishes, and life will come to an end. A practitioner of the Path should take everything in the world lightly, and as much as possible be without mind, without desire, and without seeking. Only thus will one's virtue and character grow ever higher. When virtue and character reach a certain degree, one will possess the disposition of a bodhisattva, enter the bodhisattva stages, and become a bodhisattva-mahāsattva. The bodhisattva stages are attained without contrivance; no one has ever obtained a noble or sage position by struggling, being jealous, or squeezing out others.

In any group, being first or second is not won by competing, not won by fighting, not obtained by self-praise, not attracted by advertising, not elected by canvassing votes—it is drawn forth by virtue and conduct. What is drawn forth by virtue and conduct cannot be pushed away even if you try, and cannot be hidden even if you try. What is obtained by scheming, once merit and power are exhausted, will decline and fall away; and if there is sinful karma in the meantime, one will fall even further into the deep valley—the loss outweighs the gain. Afflictions arise from self-view and self-attachment. When self-attachment is too heavy, one will commit evil karma for the sake of the self; taking the self too seriously brings no benefit at all. The heavier the self, the deeper the fall; conversely, the more the mind is without self, the lighter it is, and the more it will soar upward. Whether one rises or falls depends entirely on one's handling of the self. In daily life, when encountering conditions and facing objects, constantly reflect on the falsity and unreality of the self, and introspect upon one's own mental conduct. The better the reflection and observation, the better one's handling of the self will be.