Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

why do some monks take vows of silence for life? metta, befriend

befriend wrote:why do some monks take vows of silence for life? metta, befriend

what tradision are you on about? I only know of this in the christian monastic tradition and only the more cloistered ones!
within buddhism this sort of behaviour is discouraged by the vinaya as there is an encouragement to talk to each other about problems with practice, difficulties, or even personal issues with another, see the ten topics of conversation, or admonishment on access to insight/Buddhist Monastic Code. and as right speech is also part of the path....

edit - I should point out that needless talking is discouraged.

hahahah probably from watching hangover 2 where they go to a thailand. not a very good resource for buddhism. and mad tv where a phoney steven segal gets mad at a monk for not talking. oh man.

talk about 'wrong forum'.... perhaps a little more research other than watching a second-rate b-movie might have been in order....

yeah thats why i asked here.

http://youtu.be/SYkbqzWVHZI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

no idea how to get video to embed on here but about 50 secs in!

Manapa wrote:http://youtu.be/SYkbqzWVHZI

no idea how to get video to embed on here but about 50 secs in!

Hi Manapa,

Didn't you mean this one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krb2OdQksMc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta,
Reflection

appicchato wrote:Be nice now Alex...

sorry Bhante.

befriend, I apologise for my tone.
I. possibly the greatest doofus-noodle you could ever meet, should be the last one making such observations.

(but I still think Steven Segal's films should not be taken as points of reliable reference - particularly in isolation to everything else!)

reflection wrote:

Manapa wrote:http://youtu.be/SYkbqzWVHZI

no idea how to get video to embed on here but about 50 secs in!

Hi Manapa,

Didn't you mean this one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krb2OdQksMc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta,
Reflection

I couldn't remember which scene that was in my python knowledge is waning since I havn't watched it in over 2 years
but I shall guard my memory with a nine bladed sword not 2 not 5 not 7 but a nine bladed sword or I will not be able to find what was put there only the night before by my father
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmyuE0Np ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

but

thanks for the apology. vows of silence dont sound that far fetched as meditators observe noble silence on retreats, and talking for entertainment isnt very condusive to eradicating desire. metta, befriend

A vow of silence has some similarity to a dhutanga: an austerity which distances one from worldliness, and reinforces commitment to their practice.

Viscid wrote:A vow of silence has some similarity to a dhutanga: an austerity which distances one from worldliness, and reinforces commitment to their practice.

yeah but it isn't a dhutanga! out of the thirteen speaking isn't covered!

noble silence isn't the same as a vow of silence and is what I described above.

In my personal experience, two things are not that hard: talking too much, or not talking at all. What is more challenging is talking only when necessary, or only when it is conducive to the benefit of self or others.

Manapa wrote:

Viscid wrote:A vow of silence has some similarity to a dhutanga: an austerity which distances one from worldliness, and reinforces commitment to their practice.

yeah but it isn't a dhutanga! out of the thirteen speaking isn't covered!

I know, I know.
'has some similarity to' meaning someone might be motivated to make a vow of silence for the same reasons that one make undertake a few dhutangas. It's a way to live which may be beneficial for their practice. (Though I imagine for Christians, such a vow could be a gesture of obedience to God)