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II
SILENCE AND SOLITUDE
D:Is a vow of silence useful?
M: The inner silence is self-surrender. And that is
livingwithout the sense of ego.
D:Is solitude necessary for a sannyasin[?]?
M: Solitude is in the mind of a man. One might be inthe thic of
the world and yet maintain !erfect serenity of mind" such a !erson
is always isolitude. Another may stay in the forest# but still be
unable to control his mind. $e canno
be said to be in solitude. Solitude is an attitude of the mind"
a man attached to the thingslife cannot get solitude# wherever he
may be. A detached man is always in solitude.
D:%hat is mauna[?]
?
M: That state which transcends s!eech and thought ismauna" it is
meditation without mental activity. Sub&ugation of the mind is
meditation"dee! meditation is eternal s!eech. Silence is
ever-s!eaing" it is the !erennial flow of'language(. It is
interru!ted by s!eaing" for words obstruct this mute 'language(.
)ecturmay entertain individuals for hours without im!roving them.
Silence# on the other hand#is !ermanent and benefits the whole of
humanity * .
* +y silence# elo,uence is meant. Oral lectures are not so
elo,uent as silence. Silence is
unceasing elo,uence * It is the best language.
There is a state when words cease and silence !revails.
D:$ow then can we communicate our thoughts to one another?
M: That becomes necessary if the sense of dualityeists*
D:
%hy does not +hagavan go about and !reach the Truth to the
!eo!le at large?
M: $ow do you now I am not doing it? oes !reachingconsist in
mounting a !latform and haranguing the !eo!le around? /reaching is
sim!lecommunication of nowledge" it can really be done in silence
only. %hat do you thin of man who listens to a sermon for an hour
and goes away without having been im!ressed bit so as to change his
life? 0om!are him with another# who sits in a holy !resence and
goe
http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/mg/mg016.html#sannyasinhttp://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/mg/mg016.html#maunahttp://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/mg/mg016.html#maunahttp://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/mg/mg016.html#sannyasin
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away after sometime with his outloo on life totally changed.
%hich is the better# to !reacloudly without effect or to sit
silently sending out inner force?
Again# how does s!eech arise? There is abstract nowledge# whence
arises the ego# whichturn gives rise to thought# and thought to the
s!oen word. So the word is the great-grandson of the original
source. If the word can !roduce effect# &udgefor yourself# how
much more !owerful must be the !reaching through silence1 +ut
!eo!le
do not understand this sim!le# bare truth# the truth of their
everyday# ever-!resent# eterne!erience. This truth is that of the
Self. Is there anyone unaware of the Self? +ut they donot lie even
to hear of this truth# whereas they are eager to now what lies
beyond# abouheaven# hell and reincarnation.
+ecause they love mystery and not the truth# religions cater to
them so as eventually tobring them round to the Self. %hatever be
the means ado!ted# you must at last return tothe Self2 so why not
abide in the Self here and now? To be a s!ectator of# or to
s!eculateabout the other world# the Self is necessary" therefore#
they are not different from the Self3ven the ignorant man when he
sees the ob&ects# sees only the Self.
