The Silent Are Not Always Hermits

In a small village along the banks of the Ganges, devout donors would often invite the monks to their homes for making offerings. After the meal, the Buddha's monks would usually offer words of blessing, or give a teaching if asked. But there was a group of ascetics from other paths who also lived on such offerings, and they kept absolute silence after eating.

One day, people began to gossip: "Those ascetics are silent like saints—truly hermits of serene quiet. But the monks of the ascetic Gotama chatter away; they are not true hermits at all."

The gossip eventually reached the Buddha's ears. He smiled gently and said to his disciples: "Not everyone who remains silent deserves to be called a hermit. Only one who has wisdom, who knows right from wrong, who understands this life and the life to come, is truly a hermit."

He explained further: "Silence comes in many forms. Some are silent because the time to speak has not yet come—that is wisdom. But others are silent because they have nothing to say—that is foolishness. Many people mistake the quiet ones for gentle and profound souls, when in truth they may simply be unable to express themselves, and some may even be crude and coarse."

He told of a young woman who brought her sweetheart to seek her teacher's advice: "Teacher, please look at this man for me. Is he suitable? He seems gentle and quiet."

But the teacher only looked at the young man's face and shook his head. He knew the man's silence came not from gentleness, but from having nothing worthwhile to say. Whenever he opened his mouth, it was to curse and to strike. He was a crude and coarse man.

The Buddha also told of a friend from his days of practice who, before going forth into the holy life, had married a girl because she spoke little, believing she was profound and faithful. Only after the wedding did he discover that she was not profound at all—she simply had nothing to say. He had unknowingly married a foolish wife.

The Buddha concluded: "The more restless the mind/heart, the more it loves to speak. Those who talk endlessly often carry a sickness of the mind/heart. Yet a person who is silent is not necessarily wise. Look carefully, and never rush to judge another by outward appearance."

From then on, the Buddha's monks continued their life of mindfulness, yet they did not hesitate to offer words of blessing or to give a teaching when the occasion arose. They understood that silence at the right moment is wisdom, while silence born of foolishness merely covers a lack of understanding.

The Meaning of the Story

Silence is not always a mark of holiness. Some are silent out of wisdom, while others are silent out of foolishness. Do not rush to judge a person by outward appearance; look instead at their wisdom, their understanding, and their actions. A person of wisdom knows when to speak and when to keep silence, and always acts in accordance with the true Dharma.

Compiled from a dharma talk by the Venerable Thích Chân Quang.