Once upon a time, in a quaint village, a man approached a wise scholar with a gleam of excitement in his eyes.
"Have you heard what people are saying about your friend?" the man eagerly asked the scholar.
The scholar, with a calm demeanor, interrupted him, "Hold on a minute! Before you delve into tales about my friend, let's apply a little wisdom. I call it the Triple Filter Test."
The curious man furrowed his brows, "Triple filter test? What's that supposed to mean?"
The scholar explained with a patient smile, "It's simple. Before you utter anything about my friend, run it through three filters. First, the filter of Truth. Can you confidently say what you're about to tell me is the absolute truth?"
The man hesitated, "Well, not exactly. I've heard it from others."
The scholar nodded knowingly, "So, you're not even sure about the truth. Let's move on to the second filter - Goodness. Are you going to say something positive about my friend?"
The man scratched his head, "Uh, no. But I was just going to say that..."
The scholar interjected, "So, not only is it potentially untrue, but it's also not something good. Let's see if it passes the final filter - Utility. Is what you're about to say even useful to me?"
The man sighed, "Probably not."
The scholar's eyes twinkled as he summarized, "So, let me get this straight. You're not sure if it's true, it's not something good, and it's not even useful. Why bother saying it at all?"
The man, realizing the futility of his gossip, left without uttering a word.
Moral of the story: When confronted with negative information about acquaintances, friends, or relatives, always apply the Triple Filter Test – ensuring it's true, good, and useful before allowing it to take root in your thoughts or words.