Noble Lie: Not So Noble

Since I'm writing a blog, it occurred to me that perhaps I should do some reading and thinking about Right Speech (or in this case Right Writing I suppose). So, that's what I've been doing.

In the introduction to Ajahn Geoffrey's translation of MN 58: Abhaya Sutta he mentions something interesting.

In this discourse, the Buddha shows the factors that go into deciding what is and is not worth saying. The main factors are three: whether or not a statement is true, whether or not it is beneficial, and whether or not it is pleasing to others. The Buddha himself would state only those things that are true and beneficial, and would have a sense of time for when pleasing and unpleasing things should be said. Notice that the possibility that a statement might be untrue yet beneficial is not even entertained.

This would suggest to me that the idea of a "noble lie," referring to the general idea that "the ends justify the means" with regard to lying, that lying in order to manipulate people into doing what you "just know" is the right thing, is generally not approved of in Buddhism.

An example of this as it applies to politics would be doing something like falsifying a study or using junk science to try to convince people that your political position is correct. The main problem with this idea is that, if you can't use real facts and honest science to support your position, how do you know it's right?

Obviously there are some situations where lying is going to be the lesser moral compromise. For example, lets say that you're hiding Jews in Nazi Germany and the SS comes knocking on your door. They ask if there are any Jews in your house, and you tell them no. Lying is bad, but sending the people you're hiding to their death would be worse.

One might argue that similar situations exist in politics. After all, political situations often seem to require moral compromise. Still, it would seem to me that this is something to be strongly avoided. Not only is it Wrong Speech, but it can generally be discovered and exposed, leading to loss of reputation and damage to one's cause.