FW: Triple Filter Test

[Guest guest]

Jai Srimannarayana !!

 

I came across the following anecdote in Socrates' life on the web and

interestingly, its roots are in Bagavadh Geetha. We don't know if Socrates had a

glimpse of Bagavadh Geetha then, but the following incident in his life reminds

us of the Bagavadh Geetha, verse 17.15.

 

17.15 Anudve:ga Karam Va:kyam Satyam Priya Hitham Cha Yath

Svadhya:ya:bhyasanam Chaiva Va:nmayam Thapa Uchyate

 

Speaking truthfully, beneficially and pleasantly, practising and reciting the

scriptures regulalry are called "austerity of speech".

 

Now, here is the story:

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One

day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just

heard about your friend?"

 

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you

to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

 

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it

might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say.

That's why I call it the triple filter test.

 

The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about

to tell me is true?" (Sathyam?)

 

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."

 

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now

let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to

tell me about my friend something good?" (Priyam?)

 

"No, on the contrary..."

 

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but

you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because

there's one filter left: the filter of usefulness. Is what you want to tell me

about my friend going to be useful to me?" (Hitham?)

 

"No, not really."

 

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor

good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

 

Jai Srimannarayana !

[Guest guest]

But I think there's one important difference between Socrates' view and that of

the shloka below. The former's was an 'or' test, where as in BG shloka it is an

'and' test...

 

wrote:Jai Srimannarayana !!

 

I came across the following anecdote in Socrates' life on the web and

interestingly, its roots are in Bagavadh Geetha. We don't know if Socrates had a

glimpse of Bagavadh Geetha then, but the following incident in his life reminds

us of the Bagavadh Geetha, verse 17.15.

 

17.15 Anudve:ga Karam Va:kyam Satyam Priya Hitham Cha Yath

Svadhya:ya:bhyasanam Chaiva Va:nmayam Thapa Uchyate

 

Speaking truthfully, beneficially and pleasantly, practising and reciting the

scriptures regulalry are called "austerity of speech".

 

Now, here is the story:

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One

day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just

heard about your friend?"

 

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you

to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

 

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it

might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say.

That's why I call it the triple filter test.

 

The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about

to tell me is true?" (Sathyam?)

 

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."

 

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now

let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to

tell me about my friend something good?" (Priyam?)

 

"No, on the contrary..."

 

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but

you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because

there's one filter left: the filter of usefulness. Is what you want to tell me

about my friend going to be useful to me?" (Hitham?)

 

"No, not really."

 

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor

good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

 

Jai Srimannarayana !