The criteria for deciding what is worth saying

i read this on the natural parenting forum tonight, thanks to eilleen.

an excerpt from "Right Speech" (from the 8 Noble Truths):

The criteria for deciding what is worth saying
[1] "In the case of words that one knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial (or not connected with the goal), unendearing & disagreeable to others, he does not say them.

[2] "In the case of words that one knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, unendearing & disagreeable to others, he does not say them.

[3] "In the case of words that one knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing & disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.

[4] "In the case of words that one knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing & agreeable to others, he does not say them.

[5] "In the case of words that one knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, but endearing & agreeable to others, he does not say them.

[6] "In the case of words that one knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing & agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because one has [to have] sympathy for living beings."

so awesome ...