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I'm actually paranoid about the fourth precept... Can I not use exaggeration or sarcasm?
dooksta123
Explorer
I'm not too crazy about sarcasm but I like to exaggerate things, sometimes for comedic effect and sometimes just to generalize like, "I'll be up all night doing this" when I technically will be going to bed at 3am... Am I freaking out too much? Should I make more wiggle room? My main problem is I'm a perfectionist so I freak out about stupid things.
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You are a stupid perfectionist freak? Tsk, Tsk. There is no hope for you!
Only joking
If you want to be a flavourless, dry uber Buddhist you can follow all the precepts to your best, most tight delight. You will snap. So wiggle before you are precepted into immobility.
Sarcasm is fine! Look at Ajahn Brahm, he is pretty much a comedian dressed as a buddhist monk
IMO the main thingy is, do good, be good and feel good
so no worries!
It's good to reflect on these questions, but don't beat yourself up about it. An important question to ask about speech is "Is it beneficial or harmful?".
Exaggeration is not telling the truth.
While liking to exaggerate might presented as being entertaining or expedient, a bolder examination of it should show it to be an attachment that does creates dissatisfaction or suffering in life.
It is nothing to "freak" out about but the sooner one just stops exaggerating, the sooner that particular suffering in life will start subsiding. Your call.
Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?
The above "Three Gates of Wise Speech" have variously been attributed to Rumi, the Sufis, the Buddha and even Socrates himself. But nobody is actually entirely sure where they originated....
I found this article, which may be thought-provoking....
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.198.than.html
Yes, the article mentions this I think; in fact, it has a direct link to precisely that very page, @SpinyNorman . It also links to the subhasita Sutta too....
I think it depends entirely on your intentions.
Is the sarcasm a passive aggressive way to slander someone? Or, is it just to make a good natured joke? Obviously, the first kind would not be ok. 
I think it depends on what is your intention and what was the outcome of exaggerating.
Buddha mentioned a parable of good physician & sick sons in the sutra( there was a physician who lied that he was dead to make his sick sons to take the medicine ) and said that you cannot say that the good physician was at false. Lying in general is very harmful for us because we get to be responsible for it in our next life. My teacher said lying is the cause of poverty. ( believe or not is up to you though! )
Sounds like an imperfect problem. Sounds a little about control. Control speech, control mind, perfect flaws. Is it working?
Give yourself a little slack. Take a cushion. Listen to the mind exaggerating, being comedic, perfect or whatever it does. Every time I meditate I find the mind tries to break the precepts.
Obviously I don't have a Buddhist mind ...
Will have to either change my cushion or my mind. Decisions, decisions ...
Greedy bankers seem to do quite nicely out of it.
As said above, intention is always important. Is it coming at a cost to someone else? Hurting feelings? then obvious that's something you probably shouldn't do. There is always room for humor. But we've gotten so used to humor being at the expense of another that we think that is the only way to do it. My husband and I are sarcastic with each other all the time. The kids, too. But never in an unloving or unkind way. I always liked TNH's take on speech:
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious groups, and nations. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully using words that inspire confidence, joy, and hope. When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak. I will practice mindful breathing and walking in order to recognize and to look deeply into my anger. I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and in the other person. I will speak and listen in a way that can help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult situations. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I will practice Right Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, joy, and inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence, and fear that lie deep in my consciousness.
Thanks for the kind words, all. I really do need to cut myself some slack. I exaggerate out of love, not hate. I'll be sure to keep the peace with kind intentions.
precepts are not idealism rather they are mindfulness of cause and effect. So you are not 'guilty' from sarcasm rather you will experience the cause and effect result of your sarcasm whatever that may be.
The (oft forgotten) 19th root downfall in the Boddhisattva Vows states:
Belittling others with sarcastic verses or words
I guess you just need to be wary of how it's being used.......
I like very much @karasti's approach. It is both a practice, diligence and a safe option that can burn up a lot of the negativity we nearly all have [mythical lotus born excluded] ...
However the perfect, always kind, incessantly joyful can be masking innate issues that are unresolved.
The demons of perfection can be as conflicted as the perfect angelic practitioner.
Solution? Sit on it!
This message sponsored by 'meditation cushions with teeth'
Aw, lighten up but keep that anchor hook handy.
Ask any engineer or high level athlete, perfection is unattainable.
You can come close, but always just a wee bit off.
Don't worry, @dooksta123, we all freak out at stupid things sometimes - stupid lumpy pillow!.
So what! Regroup and slog on!
Peace to all
I would wait until seeing their next rebirth to make that determination. Hehe.