Telling small lies for the sake of ... - Dhamma by Ajahn Jayasāro

Telling small lies for the sake of getting something we want or in order to avoid something we don't want, soon creates the need to tell further levels of lies to protect those that have already been told. The more we repeat a lie the more real it seems to us, and the more we lose the sense of telling a lie as we speak it. We begin to believe our own lies, and to feel hurt and angry when they are challenged. This is a dangerous state of affairs.

Devotion to the truth as we know it may lead to occasional embarrassment, losses and difficulty. But it gives our words weight and gains us the trust and respect of those around us. The sense of integrity we feel within our hearts is a true inner refuge.

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