Revealing Forms of Speech as One of the Eight Types of Sound in Vaibhashika

Vasubandhu specifies in A Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge, Put in Verses (Chos mngon-pa’i mdzod-kyi tshig-le’ur byas-pa, Skt. Abhidharmakośa-kārikā) (I.10d) (Gretil ed., Derge Tengyur vol. 140, 2A):

Sound is of eight types.

(Skt.) śabdastvaṣṭavidhaḥ 

(Tib.) /sgra ni rnam pa brgyad yod de/ 

Vasubandhu lists and defines them in his Autocommentary to “A Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge” (Skt. Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣyā, Tib. Chos mngon-pa’i mdzod-kyi bshad-pa) (Gretil 6.23-7.01, Derge Tengyur vol. 140, 30B):

“Sound is of eight types.” “(Sound) having as its cause great elements (earth, fire, water and wind) that are appropriated or non-appropriated and which is communicative of a sentient being (sems-can-du ston-pa, Skt. sattvāvākhya) or noncommunicative.” (That makes) four types. Further, from each of these (four) having divisions of pleasing (yid-du ‘ong-ba, Skt. manojña) or unpleasing ones, there are eight types.

[1] Of these, that which has as its cause great elements that are appropriated is the sound of a hand (snapping the fingers) or speech. 

[2] That which has as its cause great elements that are non-appropriated is the sound of the wind, forests, rivers and so on.

[3] That which is communicative of a sentient being is the sound of the revealing (form) of speech.

[4] The other (sounds) are noncommunicative of a sentient being. 

(Skt.) śabdastvaṣṭavidhaḥ / upāttānupāttamahābhūtahetukaḥ sattvāsattvākhyaśceti caturvidhaḥ / punarmanojñāmanojñabhedādaṣṭavidho bhavati / tatropāttamahābhūtahetuko yathā hastavākchabdaḥ / anupāttamahābhutahetuko yathā vāyuvanaspatinadīśabdaḥ / sattvākhyo vāgvijñaptiṣabdaḥ / asattvākhyo 'nyaḥ //

(Tib.) /sgra ni rnam pa brgyad yod de/ /zin pa dang ma zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba sems can dang / sems can ma yin par ston pa ste rnam pa bzhi'o/ /de yang yid du 'ong ba dang yid du mi 'ong ba'i bye brag gis rnam pa brgyad du 'gyur ro// de la zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba ni 'di lta ste/ lag pa dang ngag gi sgra lta bu'o/ /ma zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba ni 'di lta ste/ rlung dang / nags tshal dang / chu'i sgra lta bu'o/ /sems can du ston pa ni ngag gi rnam par rig byed kyi sgra'o/ / gzhan ni sems can du ston pa ma yin pa'o/ 

Let us look more closely at each of these eight types of speech.

Jinaputra Yashomitra explains in The Clarified Meaning, An Explanatory Commentary on (Vasubandhu’s) “Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge” (Chos mngon-pa’i mdzod kyi ‘grel-bshad don-gsal-ba, Skt. Sphuṭārtha Abhidharmakośavyākhyā) (Gretil 26, Derge Tengyur vol. 142, 22B-23A):

(In the term) “(sounds) having as their cause great elements that are appropriated,” elements that are not distinct from those of presently-happening cognitive sensors (are) those that are appropriated; other (great elements are) non-appropriated. “(Sounds having) appropriated great elements as their cause” (is the meaning of sounds) having as their cause great elements that are appropriated. “Like the sounds of a hand (snapping the fingers) or speech” – what is meant is, “If it (that sound of the hand or speech) is generated from the mental continuum of a sentient being.”

(Skt.) upāttamahābhūtahetuka iti. pratyutpannānīndriyāvinirbhāgāni bhūtāny upāttāni. anyāni anupāttāni. upāttāni mahābhūtāni hetur asyeti upāttamahābhūtahetukaḥ. yathā hastavācchabda iti. yadi sattvasaṃtānaja ity abhipretaḥ.

(Tib.) /zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba zhes bya ba ni da ltar gyi 'byung ba chen po dbang po dang tha mi dad par 'jug pa dag ni zin pa yin la gzhan dag ni ma zin pa yin no/ /'di la rgyu zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po dag yod pas zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba'o/ /'di lta ste lag pa dang ngag gi sgra lta bu'o zhes bya ba ni

Vasubandhu speaks of the physical body as being a conglomerate of the five physical cognitive sensors. They include the body-sensors of both the hand and the lips and tongue and are produced from the great elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, in the sense that the great elements are their substantial basis (rdzas-kyi gzhi). Thus, any sound that is produced by the hand snapping its fingers or by the lips and tongue when breath (the wind element) passes through them has, in a sense, the great elements of the body-sensor as its cause. Nevertheless, the sounds that are the revealing forms of speech are not revealing forms of body, despite both the body and speech having as their generating cause the great elements of the body-sensors.

Jinaputra Yashomitra, The Clarified Meaning (Gretil 26, Derge 22B-23A), continues:

But if an external emanation in the aspect of a human were to make the sound of the hand (snapping the fingers) or speech, that (sound) should be understand as having the essential nature of (a sound) having as its cause great elements that are non-appropriated, because of it being something that has (a self-nature) distinct from (the great elements comprising the physical, sensory) cognitive sensors. Its human speech, in fact, would be spoken from the power of the emanator. It will be speaking, after all (like this), “All emanations are speaking (the words) of the one alone who is speaking, and all are emanating the silence of the one alone who has become silent.” 

(Skt.) bāhyo 'pi hi nirmito mānuṣākāro hastavācchabdaṃ kuryāt. sa cānupāttamahābhūtahetukasvabhāvo 'vagantavya indriyavinirbhāgavatitvāt. sa ca mānuṣīm api vācaṃ nirmātṛvaśād bhāṣet. vakṣyati hy ekasya bhāṣamāṇasya bhāṣante sarvanirmitāḥ. ekasya tūṣṇīṃbhūtasya sarve tūṣṇīṃbhavanti te.

(Tib) phyi'i sprul pa mi dang 'dra ba yang lag pa dang ngag gi sgra 'byin par 'gyur te yang dbang po dang tha dad par 'byung ba'i phyir ma zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba'i ngo bo nyid yin par khong du chud par bya'o/ /de ni sprul pa po'i dbang gis mi'i tshig kyang smra bar byed de/ gcig po smra bar byed na ni/ /sprul pa thams cad smra bar 'gyur/ /gcig po mi smrar gyur na ni/ /sprul pa thams cad mi smrar 'gyur/ /zhes 'byung ste phyi'i sprul pa'i sgra de yang ma zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba yin pas mi gzung ngo / /'di lta ste rlung dang nags tshal dang chu'i sgra lta bu'o zhes bya ba la/ 'di lta ste zhes bya ba'i sgra ni dper brjod pa yin pa'i phyir ro/

Without going into a great deal of detail about the different types of emanations (sprul-pa, Skt. nirmita), the reference here is to an external emanation belonging to the plane of sensory objects of desire (the desire realm) produced by the power of meditation by someone who has attained an actual state of the first level of mental constancy (the first dhyana). Although a ventriloquist’s dummy is not such an emanation, it might be easier to understand the following explanation by relating it to such a dummy that a ventriloquist might make.

Vasubandhu, Treasure House (VII.499ab) (Gretil. ed., Derge 23B), states:

An emanation on the (plane of) sensory objects of desire has four external cognitive stimulators.

(Skt.) kāmāptaṃ nirmitaṃ bāhyaṃ caturāyatanaṃ 

(Tib.) /'dod par gtogs pa'i sprul pa ni/ /phyi yi skye mched bzhi 

In Autocommentary (Gretil 425.19-20, Derge 63A), Vasubandhu fills in:

“An emanation on the (plane of) sensory objects of desire has four external cognitive stimulators” (means) an emanation that is within the sphere of (the plane of) sensory objects of desire has a functional nature of the four cognitive stimulators: visible form, smell, taste and tactile sensation.  

(Skt.) kāmāptaṃ nirmitaṃ bāhyaṃ caturāyatanaṃ kāmāvacaraṃ nirmāṇaṃ rūparasagandhaspraṣṭavyāyatanasvabhāvam /

(Tib.) /'dod par gtogs pa'i sprul pa ni/ phyi'i skye mched bzhi/ 'dod pa na spyod pa'i sprul pa ni gzugs dang dri dang ro dang reg bya'i skye mched kyi rang bzhin yin no/

A Ventriloquist’s dummy can be seen, smelled, tasted if licked, and physically sensed when touched, based on the great elements that the dummy is made of.

Yashomitra Jinaputra, The Clarified Meaning (Gretil. 656, Derge Tengyur vol. 103, 281A), adds:

“Four external cognitive stimulators” (indicates that) that which belong to a person (Tib. adds: (namely) the internal cognitive stimulators) are not emanated, because of the absurd conclusion that, if that were emanated, there would be the coming into existence of a sentient being that did not previously exist. 

(Skt.) bāhyaṃ caturāyatanam iti. nādhyātmikaṃ nirmīyate. tannirmāṇe saty apūrvasattvaprādurbhāvaprasaṃgāt. 

(Tib.) /phyi'i skye mched bzhi zhes bya ba ni nang gi skye mched ni sprul par mi byed de/ de sprul na sngon med pa'i sems can 'byung bar thal bar 'gyur ba'i phyir ro/ 

In making a dummy, the ventriloquist does not project his or her visible form, smell, taste or physical sensation to the dummy. If that were possible, the ventriloquist dummy would be giving life to the dummy and the dummy would be a separate person.

To this, in A Commentary to “A Treasure House (of Special Topics of Knowledge)”: A Filigree of Abhidharma, Chim Jampeyang (Chos mngon-mdzod-kyi tshig-le’ur byas-pa’i’grel-pa mngon-pa’i rgyan) (Sera Je Library ed. 623) adds further:

Sound cannot be emanated because it does not have continuity.

(Tib.) sgra ni rgyun med pa’i phyir mi sprul lo/

Of the twelve cognitive stimulators, emanations and ventriloquist’s dummies belonging to the plane of sensory objects of desire only have four external cognitive stimulators: visible form, smell, taste, and tactile sensation. They appear with a visible form, smell, taste, and physical sensation of their own, which can be seen and so forth, and these last with continuity so long as the emanation or dummy appears. However, if they are in the form of a sentient being, they do not have their own internal cognitive sensors, which are cognitive stimulators belonging to a person; otherwise, they would be separate sentient beings. The audience can see the visible eyes of a dummy, but the dummy’s eyes do not have photosensitive cells that can detect and see the sight of the audience. 

Unlike the visible form of an emanation or dummy in the aspect of a human, for instance, which appears without a break so long as the emanation or dummy appears, any sounds that the emanation or dummy emits arise only when the emanator or ventriloquist wishes for them to arise; the sounds do not arise continuously and thus do not have continuity. When the emanator or ventriloquist wishes for the emanation or dummy not to emit any sounds, the emanation or dummy remains silent. 

Thus, as Jinaputra Yashomitra quotes, even if an emanator emanates many emanations and many moments of them, any sounds of speech that those emanations make are sounds made by the emanating mind of the emanator, not sounds causally produced by the emanated great elements of the emanations. This is true also of a ventriloquist and his or her dummy. Thus, the sound of the hand of an emanation snapping its fingers or the sound of the speech of an emanation or of a ventriloquist’s dummy is not a sound that is causally produced by great elements that are appropriated as a physical support for a consciousness and its accompanying mental factors. 

Another example resembling an emanation is the sound of speech emanating from the speaker on a digital device, such as a cell phone, whether those sounds are generated directly by a person, prerecorded, or mechanically created by someone. The elements of the phone are non-appropriated and do not constitute the elements of the cognitive sensors of a separate sentient being. The phone is not a person speaking by the force of its own mental urges and intentions. The same is the case of a robot speaking by the force of a programmed algorithm.  

Jinaputra Yashomitra, The Clarified Meaning (Gretil 26, Derge 22B-23A), goes on:

And regarding externally emanated sound, “that having as its cause great elements that are non-appropriated” is mentioned here (as being) “like the sound of wind, forests and rivers” because of the word “like” having the meaning of (further) examples.

(Skt.) tasya ca bāhyanirmitaśabdasya anupāttamahābhūtahetuka ity atra grahaṇaṃ. yathā vāyuvanaspatinadīśabda iti. yathāśabdasyodāharaṇārthatvāt.

(Tib.) phyi'i sprul pa'i sgra de yang ma zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba yin pas mi gzung ngo / /'di lta ste rlung dang nags tshal dang chu'i sgra lta bu'o zhes bya ba la/ 'di lta ste zhes bya ba'i sgra ni dper brjod pa yin pa'i phyir ro/

A sound emanated by an external inanimate object, such as the wind, a forest or a river, obviously also does not have as its cause great elements of a cognitive sensor that have been appropriated as a physical support for a consciousness and its accompanying mental factors. Inanimate objects do not have cognitive sensors.

Further, the visible sights and so on of the physical cognitive sensors of a living person are appropriated as a physical support for consciousness and mental factors, but the visible sights of the body hair, feces and so on of that living person are non-appropriated as such a support. 

Sound itself, however, is always non-appropriated. This is because, although the physical cognitive sensors have visible sights and so on of their own, they do not have sounds of their own. Only the elements that are what sounds have as their cause include both appropriated and non-appropriated elements, such as those of sensory cognitive sensors and those of a river, but not the sounds themselves.

Jinaputra Yashomitra, The Clarified Meaning (Gretil 26, Derge 23A), continues:

That which is communicative of a sentient being is the sound of the revealing (form) of speech. The other (type of sound also having as its cause appropriated great elements) is noncommunicative of a sentient being. One that itself conveys a sentient being is one that is communicative of a sentient being. For instance, by means of the sound that is the revealing form of speech, one is caused to know, “This is a sentient being.” Excluding that sound that is the revealing (form) of speech, the other (type of sound also having as its cause appropriated great elements), like the sound of the hand (snapping the fingers), is simply noncommunicative (of it being produced by a sentient being, because of it not being the sound of spoken syllables).

(Skt.) sattvākhyo vāgvijñaptiśabdo 'sattvākhyo 'nya iti. sattvam ācaṣṭe sattvākhyaḥ. vāgvijñaptiśabdena hi sattvo 'yam iti vijñāyate. taṃ vāgvijñaptiśabdaṃ varjayitvā anyaḥ śabdo hastaśabdo 'pi yāvad asattvākhya eva. 

(Tib.) /sems can du ston pa ni ngag gi rnam par rig byed kyi sgra'o/ /gzhan ni sems can du ston pa ma yin pa'o zhes bya ba ni sems can yin par ston pa ni sems can du ston pa ste ngag gi rnam par rig byed kyi sgras ni 'di ni sems can yin no zhes bya bar shes par byed do/ /ngag gi rnam par rig byed kyi sgra de las ma gtogs pa'i sgra gzhan ni lag pa'i sgra'i bar yang sems can du ston pa ma yin pa yin na 

When the hands are used in sign language, it is their shape that can be said to be communicative of a sentient being, not their sound. 

Jinaputra Yashimitra, The Clarified Meaning (Gretil 26, Derge 23A), goes on:

“Which type (of sound) is one that arises not from the mental continuum of a sentient being?” will (now) be explained. It is like this: 

[1] (A sound) having as its cause appropriated great elements is one that is communicative of a sentient being or one that is noncommunicative of a sentient being. 

[2] (A sound) having as its cause non-appropriated great elements is also like that (it is either communicative or noncommunicative).

[3] A sound (produced by) an emanation (which is a sound having as its cause non-appropriated great elements) and one that has the self-nature of a revealing (form) of speech (which does have as its cause appropriated great elements) are (both) communicative of a sentient being (since both are the sounds of spoken syllables). 

[4] Likewise, of those that are noncommunicative of a sentient being, there is also the sound of a hand (snapping its fingers, which has as its cause appropriated great elements) and the sound of the wind, a forest, and a river (which also has as its cause non-appropriated great elements). 

(These make) four kinds of sound. From dividing them into pleasing and unpleasing (sounds), there are further eight types.

(Skt.) kim aṃga asattvasaṃtānaja iti vyākhyātaṃ bhavati. tad evam upāttamahābhūtahetukaḥ sattvākhyaś cāsattvākhyaś ca bhavati. anupāttamahābhūtahetuko 'pi. nirmitaśabdo vāgvijñaptisvabhāvaḥ sattvākhyaḥ. tasyaiva hastaśabdo vāyuvanaspatyādiśabdaś cāsattvākhya iti. caturvidhaḥ śabdo manojñāmanojñabhedāt punar aṣṭavidho bhavati. 

(Tib) sems can ma yin pa'i rgyud las skyes pa lta smos kyang ci dgos zhes rnam par bshad par 'gyur ro/ /de ltar na zin pa'i 'byung ba'i rgyu las byung ba ni sems can du ston pa yang yin la sems can du ston pa ma yin pa yang yin no/ /ma zin pa'i 'byung ba'i rgyu las byung ba yang sprul pa'i sgra ngag gi rnam par rig byed kyi ngo bo nyid ni sems can du ston pa yin la/ de nyid kyi lag pa'i sgra dang rlung dang nags tshal la sogs pa'i sgra ni sems can du ston pa ma yin pa yin pas sgra rnam pa bzhi'o/ /yang yid du 'ong ba dang yid du mi 'ong ba'i bye brag gis rnam pa brgyad yin no/

Sound That Is Pleasing and Unpleasing

In The Meaning of the Facts, An Annotated Subcommentary to (Vasubandhu’s) “Autocommentary to ‘A Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge’” (Chos mngon-pa mdzod-kyi bshad-pa'i rgya-cher ‘grel-pa don-gyi de-kho-na-nyid, Skt. Abhidharmakoṣa-bhāṣyā-ṭīkā-tattvārtha) (Derge Tengyur vol. 209, 46A), Sthiramati explains:

Pleasing (sound) is (sound that is) agreeable to the mind, like (the sound of words) honoring (your) mother and honoring (your) father.

(Tib.) yid du 'ong ba ni yid dang mthun pa ste mar 'dzin pa dang phar 'dzin pa bzhin no/

In the Vaibhashika system, being pleasing or unpleasing is a quality established from the side of an object.

Sthiramati, The Meaning of the Facts (Derge 46B-47A), goes on:

As it is the case that visible sights and so on also have a division into pleasing and unpleasing (ones), then suppose you ask, “Does only sound have two aspects (of each)?” because (each – a pleasing sound or an unpleasing sound –may) have as its cause appropriated or non-appropriated great elements.? “Don’t visible forms and so on, while being pleasing and unpleasing, (also) have (a division into) those having as their cause appropriated and non-appropriated elements?” you may ask. 

(Yes, they do, but) only the causes of sounds have the two aspects (being appropriated and non-appropriated) like visible forms (have. Sound itself is non-appropriated). In terms of its essential nature, the defining characteristics of sound, as spoken of in the (Great Extensive Commentarial) Treatise, are like that. Because of that, by means of divisions into mutually exclusive (pairs), they (sounds) are spoken of like speaking of (the mutually exclusive pair) color and shape. 

Further, there is the division of sounds that have as their cause appropriated great elements into those that arise from the work of a sentient being and so on (and those that don’t). In reference to this, there is (the sound) produced from being affected by the hand (snapping the fingers) that is also produced from being affected by a sentient being or (the sound that is) the revealing form of speech. (But the difference is that) the (sound that is) the revealing form of speech also requires it being the platform of words. Likewise, the ethical divisions of constructive and so on are known as having many aspects.

(Sounds that are) communicative of a sentient being and noncommunicative of a sentient being also each have (the division of) those that have as their cause appropriated and non-appropriated great elements. For there to be no confusion (between these two types of sound), each is specifically mentioned. 

As for confusion like between (something being) a color or a shape, it is accepted that some (visible sights) – “blue” and so on and “long” and so on – are to be mentioned separately (as one or the other), but, in this case, confusion (between the two, colors and shapes) is not asserted. There is no cause (for confusion between the two) to be known. Although blue and so on and long and so on are exclusively a color or a shape, it is not the case with cloudy (and so on, which can be discriminated as one or the other,) and so they are to be known as (exceptions) to be indicated on the side. But in this case (of cloudy and so on), a cause for confusion (between it being a color or a shape) is (also) not to be known. 

Thus, like regarding things having as their cause appropriated and non-appropriated (great elements), the (Great Extensive Commentarial) Treatise explains specific causes for something being to the side of one or the other (in the case of sounds – like because of being communicative of a sentient being or noncommunicative of one) –but does not explain them (in the case of visible sights being a color or a shape).

As for what I have explained concerning the state of being pleasing or unpleasing also pertaining to visible sights and so on, because it is obvious as the intention, then from thinking that it is the masters’ (Vasubandhu’s) intended meaning, I have divided (visible sights) and explained them like that. 

(Tib.) /yid du 'ong ba dang yid du mi 'ong ba'i dbye ba gzugs la sogs pa rnams la yang yod na sgra kho na rnam pa gnyis zhe na zin pa dang ma zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba'i phyir ro/ /yid du 'ong ba dang yid du mi 'ong ba bzhin gzugs la sogs pa rnams la yang zin pa dang ma zin pa'i 'byung ba'i rgyu las byung ba yod pa ma yin nam zhe na/ gzugs la sogs pa rnams kyi bzhin du sgra'i rgyu kho na rnam pa gnyis te/ rang gi ngo bo la yang de ltar bstan bcos su smos pa sgra'i mtshan nyid de/ de'i phyir ldog pa'i dbye bas kha dog dang dbyibs la brjod pa bzhin du brjod do/

/gzhan la yang dbye ba yod de/ zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba ni sems can la sogs pa'i 'du byed las skyes pa'o/ /de la nges par bltos pa sems can gyi mngon par 'du byed pa las skyes pa de yang lag pa la sogs pa'i mngon par 'du byed pa las skyes pa'am ngag gi rnam par rig byed do/ /ngag gi rnam bar rig byed kyang ming gi gnas rnams la bltos pa'o/ /de ltar dge ba la sogs pa'i dge bas dbye ba rnam pa mang du yod ces bya'o/ /sems can du ston pa dang sems can du mi ston pa dag re re yang zin pa dang ma zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po'i rgyu las byung ba ni mi 'khrul ba'i phyir so sor mngon par brjod pa'o/ /kha dog dang dbyibs lta bu 'khrul pa la yang re zhig sngon po la sogs pa dang ring po la sogs pa so sor mngon par brjod par 'dod do/ /'dir ni 'khrul pa la yang mi 'dod do zhes pa rgyu med bar shes bar bya'o/ /sngon po la sogs pa dang ring po la sogs pa kha dog dang dbyibs kyi ldog pas sprin la sogs pa rnams la med kyang logs su bstan bar shes par bya'o/ /'dir rgyu shes bar bya ba ma yin te bstan bcos phyogs su lhung ba rgyu'i bye brag bshad pa dang ma bshad par gyur pa zin pa dang ma zin pa'i 'byung ba'i rgyu bzhin no/ /ji skad bshad pa'i yid du 'ong ba dang mi 'ong ba nyid gzugs la sogs pa rnams la yang zhes pa de yang dgongs par mngon pa'i phyir 'di slob dpon gyi dgongs pa'o snyam nas 'dir 'di ltar rab tu phye zhing yongs su bshad do/ 

Pleasing sounds also include the sounds of constructive actions of speech, such as the sounds of truthful speech and kind speech. Unpleasing sounds include the sounds of destructive actions of speech, such as those of untruthful speech and harsh speech. Note that one of the four pairs from the eight worldly concerns (‘jig-rten-pa’i chos-brgyad; eight transitory things in life, eight worldly dharmas) is hearing or not hearing (snyan ma-snyan), which refers to hearing or not hearing pleasing sounds.  

More specifically, pleasing and unpleasing sounds refer to the types of sounds that one hears as the result of the karmic forces built up from constructive or destructive actions of speech. On the basis of the mental factor of contacting awareness (reg-pa, Skt. sparśa) of these sounds while hearing them, one experiences happiness or unhappiness, also as a result of previously built-up karmic forces. 

From The Mahayana Sutra Called “The Arya Bodhisattva Basket” ('Phags-pa byang-chub sems-dpa'i sde-snod ces-bya-ba theg-pa chen-po'i mdo, Āryabodhisattvapitaka-nāma-mahāyānasūtra) (Derge Kagyur vol. 41,12b):

Whoever speaks harsh phrases will never abide coming to hear pleasing (sounds) but will abide coming to hear those that are unpleasing. Whoever abandons (speaking) harsh words will not abide coming to hearing pleasing (sounds) but will abide coming to hear those that are unpleasing.  

(Tib.) gang tshig rtsub po smra bas rtag par yid du 'ong ba thos par 'gyur ba de ni gnas ma yin no/ /gang yid du mi 'ong ba thos par 'gyur ba de ni gnas so/ /gang tshig rtsub po spangs pas yid du mi 'ong ba thos par 'gyur ba de ni gnas ma yin no/ /gang yid du 'ong ba thos par 'gyur ba de ni gnas so/

Also, from The Mahayana Sutra called “Requested by the Arya Naga King Sagara” (‘Phags-pa klu’i rgyal-po rgya-mtshos zhus-pa zhes-bya-ba theg-pa chen-po’i mdo, Skt. Āryasāgarānāgarājaparipṛccha-nāma-mahāyānasūtra) (Derge Kagyur vol. 58, 202b-203a):

By means of speaking harsh phrases, sentient beings will be led to a hell realm; they will be led to a rebirth state as an animal: they will be led to Yama’s world. After that, even if they are born among human beings, two ripening (results) will take place: hearing unpleasing (sounds) and coming to speak fighting (words). 

(Tib.) /tshig rtsub pos ni sems can dmyal bar khrid do/ /dud 'gro'i skye gnas su khrdo/ /gshin rje'i 'jig rten du khrid do/ /de nas gal te mi rnams kyi nang du skyes na yang rnam par smin pa gnyis mngon par sgrub ste/ yid du mi 'ong ba thos pa dang / thab mo'i tshig tu 'gyur ba'o/ 

The eight types of sound consist of the following four pairs:

• A pleasing or unpleasing sound that, as a platform for words, is communicative of a sentient being and that has as its cause great elements that are appropriated by a mind as its physical support – such as the sound of loving words or of hateful words being produced from the great elements of someone’s body 
• A pleasing or unpleasing sound that, not being a platform for words, is noncommunicative of a sentient being and that has as its cause great elements that are appropriated by a mind as its physical support – such as the sound of gentle laughter or of flatulence produced from the great elements of someone’s body 
• A pleasing or unpleasing sound that, as a platform for words, is communicative of a sentient being and that has as its cause great elements that are not appropriated by a mind as its physical support – such as the sound of loving words or of hateful words being produced from the great elements of a cell phone.
• A pleasing or unpleasing sound that, not being a platform for words, is noncommunicative of a sentient being and that has as its cause great elements that are not appropriated by a mind as its physical support – such as the sound of gentle laughter or of flatulence being produced from the great elements of a cell phone.

Of these eight types of sounds, only pleasing or unpleasing sounds that, as a platform for words, are communicative of a sentient being and that have as their cause the great elements of someone’s body that are appropriated by a consciousness and its accompanying mental factors as their physical support are revealing forms of speech.