Sunday, March 23, 2008

Noble Silence

In Vipassana meditation centers, we often come across signs which read, “Noble Silence”. We are told that we should avoid talking whenever possible when we are in a retreat. If we talk, we lose mindfulness.

However, a meditation instructor and a Dhamma friend of mine interpret the phrase in a different way. According to him, Noble Silence doesn’t mean “shut up”. Instead, it means “no mental chattering”.