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Sharp Words Inflict More Pain Than Swords

February 18, 2007 |  

(Clearwisdom.net) According to a saying, friendly words given to others are as warm as clothes, whereas sharp words will bring about much more pain than swords will.

On the Internet, a story with a deep-rooted moral is spreading. A boy had a very bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails, and told him to drive a nail in the fence in the backyard whenever he lost his temper. On the first day, the boy hammered more than 30 nails. Afterwards, the amount of nails gradually lessened. He gradually discovered that it was more easy to control his temper than nailing a nail. In actuality, a person's temper may be suppressed. That requires being strict with oneself and long-term cultivation .

Finally the boy never lost his temper willfully. When he told his father, he told him to to pull out one nail whenever he could control his temper. Later, the boy told his father that he had pulled out all the nails.

Pointing at the fence, the father said, "You did good job, but look at the holes on the fence. The fence can never return to what it was before. The words you said when you lost your temper will leave scars on others just like the nails did. It's like you injured someone with a knife; that wound will still be there no matter how many apologies you make. A bad temper will bring about serious hurt."

Consider carefully; so much resentment and strife are initiated by hurtful words. Some trivial disputes can evolve into a disaster from a vicious word. Besides enmity and hurt, what else can hurting words bring about?

I advise everyone to show more compassion and use more friendly words. Only this way can we conform to the universe's principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, once told us,

"While working, your tone of voice, your kindheartedness, and your reasoning can change a person's heart, whereas commands never could!" ("Clearheadedness," Essentials for Further Advancement)