Triple Filter Test

Do you believe that what comes out of mouth is as important as what goes in? This beautiful conversation highlights the importance. If interested read on.

In ancient Greece, scholar and intellectual, Dr. Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said,

"Do you know what I just heard about one of your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Dr. Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?" asked the man.

"That's right," Dr. Socrates continued.

"Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and wanted to tell it to you"

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary, it is bad "

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, Because there's one filter left: the filter of usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really." Replied the man.

"Well," concluded Dr. Socrates, if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, and nor even useful to me, why tell it to me at all ."

If this advice is strictly followed then there may be dangerous repercussions ranging from an entire gossip industry vanishing from the scene of public media to the extent of invisible explosions in the heads of incessant gossipers driving them to the visible limits of insanity.

My mind immediately tried to recollect what is available in our scriptures on this topic and i could recollect this. The beauty of these 2 lines is, it asks us to be careful even when speaking the truth too. 

satyam bruyat, priyam bruyat, na bruyat satyam apriyam
priyam ca nanrutam bruyat, esha dharmah sanatanah

Meaning:

1. Speak the truth

2. Speak what is pleasant

3. Never speak truth, which is unpleasant to others. Speak truth in such a way that it should be pleasing to others. 

4. Never speak untruth, which might be pleasant.

5. This is the path of eternal morality, sanatana dharma.

To speak truth is an eternal value irrespective of time and place. But the expression of truth should be accompanied by two conditions. Firstly, it should be presented in a loving manner and secondly it should be spoken for the betterment of others. How you speak is as important as what is said. Priyam means speech that does not hurt others. Hitam is something that is said for the good or betterment of others. One should be careful of speaking truth but not hurting others.

Linking the nature and quality of speech to core of Sanatana Dharma emphasizes the importance given to it.

Even if one of the 3 filters are applied, the world and our society would be a much better place live in. Don't you agree?

Happy Reading!