Jain Spirit 2005 06 No22

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 57

IUUI
any think of silence simplistically, as just the absence of noise or not speaking words. But
silence, like life itself, is much more subtle than that. Think of silence as a moment, an island in the sea of sound, a vacation to paradise, allowing us to form a temple of our divine thoughts. This outer peace is simply a way to help us find some inner silence and lead us to our soul.
LISTEN THROUGH SILENCE
There is a famous Sanskrit saying: Mauna kalaka nasti. The word 'mauna' is silence; kalaka' means problems or quarrels and 'nasti' means nonexistent. This proverb shows us that when you are silent, there JAYNI GUDKA are no quarrels. By talking we create ENCOURAGES problems, so the immediate benefit of US TO TUNE IN mauna is to avoid problems. Other benefits WITH NATURE then follow. The silence of speech leads to the silence of mind, because if you decide not to speak, what good are thoughts? Every time a thought comes and you cannot express it with words, the mind will ultimately say, "Alright, what is the point of my thinking?" and therefore, you get into a thoughtless state. The third mauna, the bodily silence means that you do not move around but stay in one place. This helps the silences of both speech and mind.
Since ancient times, the gift of silence has been worshipped as an important component of spiritual discipline. Pythagoras is said to have imposed a strict rule of silence on his disciples and in Buddhism enlightenment can only be reached with the practice of silence. Christianity believes that silence allows one to communicate with God as a means of self-restraint. Silence is considered an important tool of life in all faiths and religions as it allows people to take time out and contemplate. It also helps people realise the importance of speech and helps us appreciate the excellence of language.
Nature is silent, yet the beauty of it flourishes to an extent we don't ever appreciate. Summers and winters pass by like the silent wind, yet we don't hear the movement of nature; it keeps on without making a sound, going from the flowers to the bare trees, from the snow to the gleaming sun. Nature changes dramatically every day but it is so silent that we don't even notice it.
"Silence is a great help to a seeker after truth. In the attitude of silence, the soul finds the path in a clear light; what is exclusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth, and the soul requires inward restfulness to attain its full height." These are the words of Mahatma Gandhi, who observed a regimen of strict silence on Mondays, a practice he would not interrupt even for a meeting with the King of England. Gandhi said that the enforced silence was his "cure for spiritual deafness."
The word 'silent' is an anagram of the word 'listen' and they go together inescapably. The gift of silence allows us to take time out to listen and fully understand our surroundings, taking us further on our path to moksha.
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