A disciple confessed his bad habit of repeating gossip.
Said the Master wickedly, “Repeating it wouldn’t be so bad if you did not improve on it.”Anthony de Mello
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Anthony de Mello (1931-1987) was an Indian Jesuit priest and psychotherapist. A spiritual teacher, writer and public speaker, De Mello wrote several books on spirituality and hosted numerous spiritual retreats and conferences. He continues to be known for his storytelling, which drew from the various mystical traditions of both East and West.
Image: A postage stamp issued by Thailand to commemorate Visakha Bucha Day 2009, an important date in the Buddhist calendar. The stamp depicts the Buddha image in the naagprok pose, i.e. seated in deep meditation under a Taengwood Tree. Courtesy: https://www.buddhiststamp.com
Notes:
The ethics of speech across traditions: In both Eastern and Western philosophical frameworks, mindful speech forms a foundational discipline. In Buddhism, Sammā-vācā (Right Speech)—one of the limbs of the Noble Eightfold Path—explicitly abstains from false speech, idle chatter, and divisive gossip. Similarly, classical Stoic and monastic traditions viewed unbridled speech as a primary leak of inner tranquility and mental clarity.
The “three sieves” of Socrates: The Master’s witty deflection echoes the famous ancient anecdote attributed to Socrates regarding news about a friend. Before listening to gossip, Socrates famously required the speaker to pass the information through three sieves: Truth (is it strictly true?), Goodness (is it something kind?), and Utility (is it useful?). If a rumour failed these tests, Socrates advised letting it drop—a classic counterpart to the Master’s ironic caution against “improving” on rumours.