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Just the other day, something reminded me of one of my all time favourite Hollywood movie, Children's Hour (inset) which features the late Audrey Hepburn, Shirley McClaine and Maverick's star, James Garner. Audrey Hepburn played Karen Wright,while Shirley McClaine played Martha Dobie who were in charge of a girls' boarding school. When a mischievous, disobedient and untruthful girl, Mary lied about the the women having a lesbian affair, all hell broke loose. In one night, Mary's influential grandmother, Amelia Tilford persuaded the parents to pull the pupils out of the school. The teachers took the case to court but everyone believed the teachers were lovers. James Garner's character, Joe who was Karen's fiance asked the latter if she and Martha were indeed having an intimate relationship. Karen said they were not but decided to break up with Joe and Martha, feeling guilty, killed herself. When Mary's grandmother later discovered that Mary was lying, she begged Karen's forgiveness. It was however too late as Mary's lies and the peoples' willingness to believe and spread the malicious gossip had destroyed the lives of Karen, Martha and Joe. In real life, lies by school children and the willingness of the parents, the teachers and in some cases, the headmasters or headmistresses often lead to much agony. Children's Hours was supposed to be based on a case in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1810, Jane Cumming, a pupil in a school there accused her teachers, Jane Pirie and Marianne Woods, of having an affair in the presence of their pupils. The pupil's grandmother, Dame Cumming Gordon advised her friends to remove their daughters from the boarding school and the school became deserted within days. The teachers sued and won the case in court. They could had been given a gold plaque to certify that they were innocent but the damage had been done and their victory was said to be rather hollow. That perhaps raise this question about the fourth Buddhist precept: Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi or I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech, when can be simply put as: Do not lie. Should there be another precept perhaps that one in his or her sane mind, should not believe in lies?
Just the other day, something reminded me of one of my all time favourite Hollywood movie, Children's Hour (inset) which features the late Audrey Hepburn, Shirley McClaine and Maverick's star, James Garner. Audrey Hepburn played Karen Wright,while Shirley McClaine played Martha Dobie who were in charge of a girls' boarding school. When a mischievous, disobedient and untruthful girl, Mary lied about the the women having a lesbian affair, all hell broke loose. In one night, Mary's influential grandmother, Amelia Tilford persuaded the parents to pull the pupils out of the school. The teachers took the case to court but everyone believed the teachers were lovers. James Garner's character, Joe who was Karen's fiance asked the latter if she and Martha were indeed having an intimate relationship. Karen said they were not but decided to break up with Joe and Martha, feeling guilty, killed herself. When Mary's grandmother later discovered that Mary was lying, she begged Karen's forgiveness. It was however too late as Mary's lies and the peoples' willingness to believe and spread the malicious gossip had destroyed the lives of Karen, Martha and Joe. In real life, lies by school children and the willingness of the parents, the teachers and in some cases, the headmasters or headmistresses often lead to much agony. Children's Hours was supposed to be based on a case in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1810, Jane Cumming, a pupil in a school there accused her teachers, Jane Pirie and Marianne Woods, of having an affair in the presence of their pupils. The pupil's grandmother, Dame Cumming Gordon advised her friends to remove their daughters from the boarding school and the school became deserted within days. The teachers sued and won the case in court. They could had been given a gold plaque to certify that they were innocent but the damage had been done and their victory was said to be rather hollow. That perhaps raise this question about the fourth Buddhist precept: Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi or I undertake the training rule to abstain from false speech, when can be simply put as: Do not lie. Should there be another precept perhaps that one in his or her sane mind, should not believe in lies?
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