Page 82 - The Buddha‘s Noble Eightfold Path

We have apparently strayed a long way from Perfect Speech, and
it might seem strange, if not paradoxical, that one should speak

— especially at such length — in praise of silence. It is rather like
that famous description of Carlyle's works: 'The Gospel of
Silence, in forty volumes, by Mr. Wordy'. Therefore I had perhaps

better conclude with the hope that it might now be obvious that
much more is involved in Perfect Speech than at first might

appear. Perfect Speech is not just Right Speech in the ordinary
sense, but represents the Buddha's Ideal of Human
Communication: perfectly truthful, in the fullest sense, perfectly

affectionate, perfectly helpful, and perfectly promoting concord,
harmony and unity or perfectly self-transcendent.

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