➥ mantabhāṇin:

• for Mantabhāṇin:
  • one whose speech is pithy

Mantabhāṇī in the Bahubhāṇi Sutta

The meaning of mantabhāṇī is suggested in the Bahubhāṇi Sutta, where it is the opposite of bahubhāṇī, as follows:

• Bhikkhus, there are these five dangers for a person in speaking profusely. Which five?

Pañcime bhikkhave ādīnavā bahubhāṇiyasmiṁ puggale. Katame pañca.

… He speaks falsely, maliciously, harshly, and frivolously; and with the demise of the body at death, he is reborn in the plane of sub-human existence, in the plane of misery, in the plane of damnation, or in hell.

Musā bhaṇati. Pisunaṁ bhaṇati pharusaṁ bhaṇati samphappalāpaṁ bhaṇati kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ uppajjati.

… Bhikkhus, there are these five advantages for a person whose speech is pithy. Which five?

Pañcime bhikkhave ānisaṁsā mantabhāṇismiṁ puggale. Katame pañca:

… He does not speak falsely, maliciously, harshly, or frivolously; and with the demise of the body at death, he is reborn in the realm of happiness, in the heavenly worlds.

Na musā bhaṇati na pisunaṁ bhaṇati na pharusaṁ bhaṇati na samphappalāpaṁ bhaṇati. Kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. (AN iii 254)

Mantabhāṇī in Dhp 363

The meaning of mantabhāṇī is suggested in Dhp 363 where it is linked to restraint in speech, and said to be ambrosial:

• Whatever bhikkhu is restrained in speech, whose speech is pithy, who is not vain, who explains the meaning and significance [of the teaching], his speech is ambrosial.

Yo mukhasaṁyato bhikkhu mantabhāṇī anuddhato
Atthaṁ dhammañca dīpeti madhuraṁ tassa bhāsitaṁ. (Dhp 363)

Mantabhāṇī in Snp 850

The meaning of mantabhāṇī is suggested in Snp 850 where it is linked to sagehood:

• A person who is not ill-tempered, not fearful, not boastful, not fretful, whose speech is pithy, who is not vain, who is restrained in speech: he is truly a sage.

Akkodhano asantāsī avikatthī akukkucco
Mantabhāṇī anuddhato sa ve vācāyato muni. (Snp 850)

Mantabhāṇī and frivolous speech

If mantabhāṇī is the opposite of profuse speech, then its qualities are likely to be found with the abandonment of frivolous speech, which are seen in the following quote:

• He abandons and abstains from frivolous speech, and speaks what is timely, truthful and conducive to spiritual well-being. He speaks what accords with the teaching and discipline. At the right time, he speaks what is worth treasuring, congruous, appropriate, and conducive to spiritual well-being.

samphappalāpaṁ pahāya samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti kālavādī bhūtavādī atthavādī dhammavādī vinayavādī nidhānavatiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti kālena sāpadesaṁ pariyantavatiṁ atthasaṁhitaṁ. (AN v 205)

‘Words that are worth treasuring, congruous, appropriate, and conducive to spiritual well-being’ if associated with brevity in speech are all suggestive of pithiness.

Pithy: definition and useage

Pithy means:

• ‘Having substance and point; tersely cogent’
• ‘Pithy’ adds to ‘succinct’ or ‘terse’ the implication of richness of meaning or substance (Webster’s).

Pithiness is effective because:

• ‘Men of talents are sooner to be convinced by short sentences than by long preachments, because the short sentences drive themselves into the heart and stay there, while long discourses, though ever so good, tire the attention; and one good thing drives out another, and so on till all is forgotten.’ (Clarissa Harlowe by Samuel Richardson)