Proverb: See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil

e.g. Jill: Do you have any idea why Fred is staying in the office so late every night?

Jane: Not me. Like the three little monkeys, I see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

Meaning: It is said of people who refuse to acknowledge dishonest, immoral or even evil behaviour; they look the other way or feign ignorance. But in the Buddhist tradition the proverb exhorts virtuous behaviour despite the evil around you.

Origin: It is often represented by three monkeys – Mizaru who sees no evil, Kikazaru who hears no evil, Iwazaru who speaks no evil – and refers to the three wise monkeys, a story that originally came from China to convey Confucius’ Code of Conduct. Sometimes there is a fourth monkey depicted, Shizaru (do no evil).

The three wise monkeys, a 17th century carving at the Tōshō-gū shrine in Nikkō , Japan © Michael Maggs, found on Wikipedia