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fun mnemonics to help you memorize 4 key words from right speech


Right speech has never been more fun. 

How much lying can we avoid in a day if we practice 'right speech ...


0. veramani = abstaining (from that)

That's an important word. Memorize it. 


1. musā-vādā (false-sayings)

Musā (adv.) [Vedic mṛṣā, fr. mṛṣ, lit. "neglectfully"] falsely, wrongly; uṣually with verbs vadati, bhanati bhāsati & brūti; to speak falsely, to tell a lie.

Vāda [fr. vad: see vadati; Vedic vāda (not in RV!), in meaning of "theory, disputation" only in Class. Sk. <-> The relation of roots vac: vad is like E. speak: say but vāda as t. t. has developed quite distinctly the specified meaning of an emphatic or formulated speech assertion or doctrine]

Vāda  is closely related to the vācā (vocalization, speech, latin vox, vocal).
Bonus word: 
Thera = elders
Thera-Vāda  = sayings of the elders


Mnemonic for musā:

musa (lying, falsehood) is evil, and evil laughter is "muahahahahah".
musa looks like english slang "muahahaha".


Villain Laugh GIFs | Tenor



1. pisuṇāya vācāya (divisive vocalization)


Pisāca [cp. Sk. piśāca & Vedic piśāci; to same root as pisuna=Vedic piśuna, & Lat. piget, Ohg. fēhida enmity=Ags. faehp ("feud"), connected with root of Goth. fijan to hate; thus pisāca=fiend] 1. a demon goblin, sprite

Pisuṇa (adj.) [Vedic piśuṇa, see etym. under pisāca] backbiting, calumnious, malicious 


Mnemonic for pisuṇāya

pisuṇāya looks like English slang, "piss".

So picture two friends talking,

and you take a "piss" (urinate) right between them, causing them both to jump away from each other, effectively dividing them from their pleasant conversation.

Guy Taking a Leak- 1992 – Jason Lenox



3. pharusāya vācāya (abusive vocalization)

Pharusa (adj.) [cp. Vedic paruṣa, on ph.>p see pharasu, on attempt at etym. cp. Walde, Lat. Wtb. s. v. fario 1. (lit.) rough Pv ii.41.

2. (fig.) harsh, unkind, rough (of speech)

Mnemonic


Pharusa looks like English word "pharoah", so visualize a pharoah abusing and yelling at his slaves

We were slaves to Pharoah in Mitzrayim | Passover Haggadah by Jill ...


4. samphappalāpā  (idle chatter)

This word is probably an
on·o·mat·o·poe·ia
/ˌänəˌmadəˈpēə,ˌänəˌmädəˈpēə/
noun
  1. the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g. cuckoo, sizzle ).

"samphappalāpā" is the sound people make when they're chattering.

An English version of that, would be "yada yada yada", or "blah blah blah".


Practically free new vocabulary word: vuccati


ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammā-vācā.
This is called, *********, right speech.

Vuccati [Pass. of vac] to be called D i.168, 245; Sn 436, 759, 848, 861, 946; Nd1 431; Nd2 s. v. katheti; SnA 204 DhA ii.35. See also vatti. -- pp. vutta. 


You can see 'vuccati' is just a version of 'vāca', which itself is basically a free word from the common indo euro root, such as English "vocal", latin "vox". 

Vāda (from musā vāda) also closely related to that vāca, vox. 

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