Lesson on Staying Calm in the Face of Slander: The Best Way to Handle Slander According to Buddhist Teachings – A Lecture by Thầy Thích Pháp Hòa.
Don’t Be Sad When You’re Slandered, Prove It Through Your Actions
When others slander you, don’t feel sad.
Instead of reacting, prove that you are not bad through your actions.
- If someone says you are not good, don’t rush to argue.
- If someone criticizes you, don’t react immediately.
- Let time and your actions speak for themselves.
Because if you respond with “Is that what you think? I’ll show you what I can do!”, you are only proving that what they said is true.
Silence and Good Living – The Most Effective Response
When slandered, there’s no need to speak up.
- If we argue back, they will find ways to say worse things.
- If we live well, those slanderous words will lose their power naturally.
Silence does not mean defeat; it is wisdom and self-control.
Why?
The poet Xuân Diệu once wrote:
“My soul is troubled like the night,
I do not understand, how can others understand me?”
Later, when he gained more insight, he revised it to:
“My soul is more troubled than the night,
If I do not understand myself, how can anyone else understand me?”
This highlights that, if we do not fully understand ourselves, how can others truly understand us?
Others Judge Us Based on Their Own Prejudices
On what do others base their judgment of us?
- They don’t look with the truth, but with their biased views and distorted perspectives.
- They have prejudices, misconceptions, so they cannot see our true nature.
Therefore, when others criticize or judge, we don’t need to worry too much.
What’s important is that we understand ourselves and live with integrity, then all slander will just be like a passing breeze.
Final Thought
When slandered, don’t waste time arguing, just prove it by living well.
- Silence, perseverance, and living by righteous principles – this is the most effective response.
- Others see us through their prejudices, but only we truly know ourselves.
So, instead of worrying about others’ words, focus on self-improvement. A person who lives rightly and well will not be harmed by slander.
This article is compiled based on a sermon by Venerable Thích Pháp Hòa
The Original Dharma Talk
When slandered, don’t waste time arguing, just prove it by living well – Venerable Thich Phap Hoa (audio translated)
Below is his original lesson:
Khi bị nói xấu, đừng mất thời gian tranh cãi, hãy chứng minh bằng cách sống tốt.
