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The three wise monkeys are a Japanese pictorial maxim, embodying the proverbial principle "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". The three monkeys are Mizaru (見ざる), "does not see", covering his eyes; Kikazaru (聞かざる), "does not hear", covering his ears; Iwazaru (言わざる), "does not speak", covering his mouth.
Jun 28, 2023 · The idiom " see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil " means avoiding involvement in or ignoring wrongdoing or unsavory behavior. It’s a concept that encourages a virtuous life by steering clear of witnessing, listening to, or participating in malicious or harmful activities. In short:
Meaning: Ignore bad behavior by pretending not to see it. Background: In English, this expression is generally used in reference to those who choose to turn a blind eye to wrongdoings; but its original meaning, rooted in Confucianism, is to teach prudence and the importance of avoiding evil.
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. A Buddhist/Shinto proverb that some sources maintain is Japanese, while others maintain it is Chinese and attribute it to Confucius, because a similar concept is quoted in the Analects of Confucius, which date from the 4th or 2nd century BC, “Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to ...
In the West, the proverb see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil means to turn a blind eye to something that is legally or morally wrong. In this case, a person who will see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil pretends that he has not witnessed wrongdoing, and therefore abdicates all responsibility in righting a wrong.
See No Evil, Hear No Evil: Directed by Arthur Hiller. With Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder, Joan Severance, Kevin Spacey. Dave is deaf, and Wally is blind. They witness a murder, but it was Dave who was looking at her, and Wally who was listening.
Prov. Ignore any evil that you come in contact with; be virtuous even though there is evil around you. (Often represented by three monkeys, one of which is covering his eyes, one his ears, and one his mouth.)
