How hard is it to remain silent?

Through mindful meditation, we are sometimes distracted by the most intrusive of thoughts. But we are human! Initially, new meditators will find it hard to control the mind’s need to speak it’s mind. But do not be disheartend, even the most masterful of meditators sometimes fail to quell the mental conversation.

The following story comes from a set of parables (or koans), translated into English from a book called the Shaseki-shu (Collection of Stone and Sand), written late in the thirteenth century by the Japanese Zen teacher Muju:

Learning to be Silent

The pupils of the Tendai school used to study meditation before Zen entered Japan. Four of them who were intimate friends promised one another to observe seven days of silence.

On the first day all were silent. Their meditation had begun auspiciously, but when night came and the oil lamps were growing dim one of the pupils could not help exclaiming to a servant: “Fix those lamps.”

The second pupil was surprised to hear th first one talk. “We are not supposed to say a word,” he remarked.

“You two are stupid. Why did you talk?” asked the third.

“I am the only one who has not talked,” concluded the fourth pupil.

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Thanks to AshidaKim.com for providing us the enlightening koan!

Want to learn more?

Learn how you can quieten your inner conversation through the art of Mindful Breathing.