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2014/04

请安静！

顶礼于我们最敬爱的薄伽梵峇峇的莲花足下，

亲爱的朋友，

感谢我们的主给我们这个好机会，让我们今天早上能够聚集于此。我们向您祈祷，愿我们得到您的允许来讨论这个主题，‘请...安静！’........谢谢您.........。

从一间课室到一所寺庙，我们都必须保持安静。在坐禅中和在祈祷中保持安静是必需的。在长者和高灵面前保持安静是一种尊敬的标记和谦逊的德性。它带给你好声誉。在一个大聚会或任何形式的聚会中，保持安静一而再地被加以强调和敦促。安静是一种美德。很多求道者都保持安静并视之为灵修的一部分。安静营造氛围中的宁静。那些步上灵道者宁可选择孤独以保持安静。其实，我们也遇到每一周或两周期间保持一整天的安静的人，以之作为一种修行的仪式。

相反地一个太爱说话者最不受到尊敬。话说得太多往往揭露一个人的空洞，缺点和虚荣。他甚至失去邻居的尊敬而人们处处躲避他以免工作受到他的废话干扰。对某些人而言，这可能是一个机会去分享他们的见解或知识于一个指定的话题。但大都不是如此。原因何在？它揭露他心理上的弱点；保持静默让他觉得自卑，他也不要人家认为他是一个不知讨论的话题为何物的人。所以，他尝试去支配或大声说话只是为了给人一个印象，他也懂得所谈论的话题。这完全是自卑感在作祟。虽然以这种方式说话不算是一个罪行，但是为了改进生活素质，你必须避免在不必要时说话。聆听比说话更有裨益。你会从中获益更多，学到更多，也看到更多。那些倾向于说一些不着边际的话的人，保持静默以让周遭的人接受自己是明智之举。

薄伽梵一再地强调保持安默的需要。祂不准许任何人在主殿内大声说话。祂严厉地警告他们。薄伽梵说，如果我们说话，我们就听不到神来到我们身边的脚步声。薄伽梵基于几个原因指示学生们要保持安静而不要说太多的话。照祂所说，说太多话会削弱记忆力，丧失精力和自尊。这习惯也提供许多撒谎和夸大其词的机会。所有这些都是多嘴所导致的邪恶。因此，在主殿内，在薄伽梵的学院内，在赛的聚会和赛的活动中，安静必须加以严格的遵守。在薄伽梵开始给与达瞻（darshan）或讲道的那一刻，我们听不到任何窃窃私语或一点微小的声音。针落地可闻的安静是必需的。是故，赛的住所就被称为Prasanthi Nilayam。‘Prasanthi’或无上平和，只有在保持和实行安静下始能获得。过多的说话不但丧失自己的平和与安详，而且也该为导致他人不能专注和心念扰乱负责。我们没有权利使他人失去心境的平和。所以说太多话，对个人而言是不好的而对那些与他接近的人也是不好的。

闲聊，谣言，诬蔑，破坏名誉，揭人隐私，自我吹嘘，挑剔性的评论，诽谤等都是说太多话的副产品。一旦我们约束自己的说话，我们就可避免犯上这一类的罪行。不是吗？甘地（Gandhiji）曾说过，在一个人开口说话前，他应该自问三个问题，即，有必要吗？是真实的吗？不会对任何人造成伤害吗？只有搞清楚这三个问题后才决定开口说话。当一个圣者（Muni）给自己的沉默打破片刻而开口说话时，在这行为背后肯定有一个目的。他不是要把一两个指示传给求道者，就是为了人类福祉而提供一个信息。他的每一句话都像宝石一样散发出灵性的光辉，因为他的话是发自他的灵魂深处。薄伽梵曾说，“当我不跟你说话时，你们有些人会感到遗憾。你感到伤心并抱怨。然而，你是否专心聆听我的话？你是否遵从我的指示？没有。你没有附上价值于我的话。那么我为什么要和你说话？无论如何，让我至少附上价值于我的话。我的时间是宝贵的。我的话是有很高的价值的。如果你不遵从我，我为什么费口舌又费时？”这就是薄伽梵的意思也就是祂对我们每一个人的寄望。否则，那就像是薄伽梵‘对牛弹琴’了。

然而，必须维系正义之时，一个人应该说话，不该以安静之名而一言不发。如果有任何差错之处，他就应该公开指正之。不然，你也一样是个同谋，与犯罪者一样有罪。最佳的例子可以取自《摩诃婆罗多》的黑公主（Draupadi）受辱的故事。伟大的学者和战士，如教师爷德罗纳（Dronacharya），毗湿摩（Bhishma）和教师爷克鲁帕（Krupacharya）却保持缄默，一言不发。他们没有胆量劝阻难敌（Duryodhana）那么做。所以毗湿摩必须尝受到满身中箭，躺在箭床上，痛苦不堪，直至死亡。所以，在这种情况下，保持缄默是一种罪行。但薄伽梵也描述另一种情况，缄默在其中却救了一只鹿的生命。一个圣者看到一只鹿落荒而逃而一个猎人紧跟其后，试图猎杀之。猎人问圣者是否见到那只鹿从这里经过。圣者回答，“噢！猎人！能见的眼睛不能开口说话，能说话的舌头却又看不见。那么，我该怎么说呢？”那只鹿因此逃过一劫。

何谓默不作声？只是抑制而不说话？是讲不出话来？是紧闭嘴唇？何谓默不作声？外表看来，保持静默就是默不作声。但在灵性上，这可不然。不断的思维过程或许不必假借口头或言辞来表述和展示。你可以保持默不出声但思维过程仍然持续于你内在而干扰你，使你不安，刺激你，煽动你，假如你的思想是负面的。而正面的思想则会激励你，鼓舞你和引导你。但是两者所共有的情况就是你还是不平静。对！表面上，你看似沉默，但在内里，你不平静。那么，这样的静默又有何用？我们能否相信这样的一个默不作声的人？不。当然不。在老板或上司面前，我们或许保持缄默，对他所说的话点头称是；这能否意味着我们同意他的说法？那缄默是自然流露的抑或是强制性的？不管怎样，它是否能带来什么目的？在强大的压力下，我们保持缄默。这是正面的，积极的吗？这岂不是出于无奈和厌恶吗？在什么情形下，这样的默不作声对你有所帮助？所以，仅仅是缄默并不是什么特别和了不起的事。我们也遇见一些人，他们外表沉默寡言但内在却极为工于心计。在这样的一个例子中，缄默是正面的，积极的还是负面的，消极的？肯定是负面的，消极的。

今天早上我想把什么是真正的静默及需要静默的原因给大家讲清楚。学生若保持静默，就不会受到干扰，他们就能专心于功课。在一些学校里，上课时，安静是必须严格加以遵守的。原因何在？要专心，安静是必需的。当四周是一片噪杂喧闹时，我们不能专心致志。如果我们能专注于托付于我们的工作，我们才能精心熟练地履行我们的义务。这放诸任何领域而皆准，如工程领域，医药领域，教学领域等等。病人需要安静，他们因病而不能忍受嘈杂声的干扰。在长者，前辈，高灵和老师的面前，如果我们保持安静而专心聆听，我们可以从他们丰富的经验中学到更多东西。安静是容忍。安静是专注。安静是谦逊。安静是敬重。有时安静比告诫更能抑制没有纪律与没有次序的情况。安静是教学的一种方法。借保持安静，我们可以表达我们的异议或不同意见。安静于是成了说服力。安静是纪律。因此，在人类活动的各个领域里，安静是绝对必要的。

灵性上，静默是一门修行。它是反求诸内的一个过程。一个人必须学会向内探视；这向内探视是超越感官之上的。只有在我们培育起内视而不仅是外观，我们才有可能获得灵性的体验和觉知。灵性静默协助求道者步入生命与能量的真实本源；它是超越身体，心念，智能和感官之上的。灵性静默是坐禅，而只有在坐禅中你才能超越时间和空间。

薄伽梵罗摩那大仙（Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi）的平静可以作为一个灵性上的福音和一个教导。他的平静远比表之于言辞的冗长讲道和信息更为可贵。他的特殊神态传达了许许多多的吠檀多真理。薄伽梵峇峇说，“只有在安静的深处，你才能听到神的声音。”当身口意彼此不一致时，要维系平静（静默）是不可能的。流于表面的静默是毫无意义，毫无用处的。在身口意（意言行）之间达致完美和谐，从而肯定，激活和起动的静默，是内在平和与安详的反映。求道者不希望把对神的注意力转移开去，而真正的信徒，除了对神的谈论外，对其它的任何谈论都不津津乐道。如果一个信徒流于空谈或闲聊，他的专注会被冲淡，而他的信心也会动摇。

如果我们探寻根源，我们会知道主演这出戏剧的完全是心念。心念寻求欢乐于外在世界。心念乐于处在二元性之中。它是二元的，因此，它追随二元世界。心念满足感官而感官反过来也感到满足。因此，话太多意味着太过涉入和沉溺于这俗世。它也表示执着和占有的天性。外在心念就如此这般地表达。身体执着以及物质客体的执着致使一个人感到自我意识并渴求自我表扬。这天生的冲动有时致使他说太多话。功绩的骄傲与成就的自负不知不觉间造成他渴望赞美并感到突出，有若他就是一个鹤立鸡群者。这心理使一个人开始列出他的成就与功绩，不论必需与否。仅仅缄默并不意味着心念的一个平衡状况，因为嫉妒，羡慕，憎恨的激情或许也会促使一个人保持缄默。不论是哪一种情形，它都是心念状况的表达。

我们现在该怎么做呢？完全谦卑地，彻底觉悟地转向神并认知，你仅是祂手中的一个工具。祂是内寓者。当我们朝这方向思考，完全相信每一物无非祂恩赐的礼物时，那所谓的‘我’或‘自我’或‘心念’就不再存在了。当你降服于祂而不觉得自己是‘做者’时，那么，这就是完整的降服。只有在这阶段，心念才不存在。这就叫做心念的撤退或amanaska或mano laya。于是你就默不作声了。你找不到词汇去表达你的‘无心’（不起心动念）的境界。你不要受制于不能充分表达此体验。物质体验（身体体验）尚可表达。灵性体验是不可言喻的而唯一可应用的文字，因此，就在于《泰特里奥义书》（Taithreeyopanishad）之内；它为了给超越理解与表达层次之上的阿特玛（Atma）或梵（Brahman）而写下：Yatho vacho nivarthanthe, Aprapya manasa saha -- 意思是文字失去功用而心念不能理解神性。

身体静默是外在的行为准则（纪律）。但在灵性意识上，静默是修行（sadhana）。身体静默协助他人在不受到干扰的情况下执行他们的任务。但灵性静默则协助你自己的提升，因为神性是在一个静默的境界中揭露它自己的。身体静默是被强制的和被坚决要求的，而灵性静默是求道者出自意愿去接受和欢迎的。身体静默不一定能表达一个人体验到的内在平和与欢乐。但灵性静默确实反映内在平和和至福，所以这一类的‘静默’或许可以被称为‘平息’，平息内在的情绪，搅乱，干扰，欲望与偏见等的波动，以致内在与外在的静默成为一个单一的实体。

愿薄伽梵以这样的一个静默的礼物和奉行来祝福大家。

Sai Ram。

取自《薄伽梵斯里沙迪亚赛峇峇普及和实用的教导》第14章

Silence Please!

With pranams at the lotus feet of our dearest Bhagavan Baba,

Dear friends,

Thanks to our Lord for this great opportunity He has given us and made it possible for all of us to meet here this morning. With prayers to Bhagavan may I seek your permission to speak on the subject, ‘Silence … Please!’ ………Thank you……….

Right from a classroom to a temple, silence is observed. Silence in meditation and prayer is essential. Observance of silence before elders and noble souls is viewed as a mark of respect and a sense of humility. It brings you a good name. In a big congregation or assembly of any sort, repeated appeals are made to observe silence. Silence is a virtue. Many aspirants and seekers observe silence as a part of their spiritual practice. Silence leads to serenity in the atmosphere. Those in the spiritual path prefer solitude to maintain silence. In fact, we meet people who observe silence one day in a fortnight or a week just as a ritual.

On the contrary a person who is too talkative is least respected. By talking too much one exposes one’s emptiness, weakness and vanity. He even loses respect in the neighbourhood and people avoid him as his talk disturbs their work. To some it might be an opportunity to share their views or knowledge with others on a given subject. More often than not, it is not so. Why? It shows his psychological weakness that makes him feel inferior to remain silent and he does not want to be branded as a person who does not know the subject under discussion. So, he tries to dominate or speak loudly only to impress on people that he too knows what is talked about. This is a sign of sheer inferiority complex. Although it is not a sin to talk in such a manner, yet in order to improve the quality of life one should avoid talking when it is not absolutely necessary. Listening is more beneficial than talking. Thereby, you gain more, learn more, and observe more. It would surely be wise of those who tend to talk in an irrelevant manner, take to silence to be acceptable to the people around.

Bhagavan repeatedly emphasises the need to observe silence. He does not spare anyone of any high stature if found talking in the mandir. He admonishes them severely. Bhagavan says if we talk, we will not be able to hear the sound of the footsteps of God who is walking close by our side. Bhagavan instructs students to observe silence and not to talk too much for several reasons. According to Him, excessive talk results in weakening of memory, loss of energy and self-respect. The habit also offers many chances of uttering lies and widens the scope to exaggerate things. All these are the evils of garrulity. Therefore, in the Mandir, Bhagavan’s Institutions, Sai congregations and Sai activities, silence is strictly observed. We can hardly hear any whisper or the slightest possible sound the moment Bhagavan starts giving darshan or a discourse. There will be necessarily pin-drop silence. So the abode of Sai is called Prasanthi Nilayam. ‘Prasanthi’ or supreme peace is attainable only when silence is practised and observed. By excessive talk we not only lose our peace and tranquility, but also become responsible for others losing their concentration and getting a disturbed state of mind. We have no right whatsoever to make others lose their peace of mind. So, too much talk is not good to the individual and also to those near him.

Gossip, rumour, mud-slinging, character assassination, carrying tales, self-praise, criticism of fault-finding nature, slander, etc., are the byproducts of excessive talk. Once we restrict our talk, we shall be saved from committing all these sins. Is it not? Gandhiji once said that before a person talks he should put to himself three questions; Is it necessary? Is it true? Is it not harmful to anyone? Only then one should decide to talk. When a saint (a Muni) breaks his prolonged silence for a short while and opens his mouth, there is a purpose behind such an action. Either he has to give an instruction or two to an individual seeker or a message for the well-being of mankind. Each of his words then shines like a sparkling gem surcharged with the effulgence of spiritual light, since they emerge out of his soul. Bhagavan once said, “Some of you feel sorry as I do not talk to you. You feel sad and complain. But have you paid (attention) heed to My words? Have you followed My instructions? No. You have not attached any value to My words. Then why should I talk to you? Let Me at least attach value to My words. My time is precious. My words are highly valuable. Why should I talk and waste my time when you do not follow Me?” This is what Bhagavan means and expects from everyone of us. Otherwise, it would be like Bhagavan casting ‘pearls before the swine’.

But at a time when one should of necessity speak to uphold Dharma or a high principle, one should not keep quiet in the name of silence. When anything goes wrong one should openly condemn it. Or else you are also guilty along with a person who has actually committed the guilt of having endorsed the evil deed. The best example in this direction can be taken from the Mahabharata when Draupadi was humiliated. Great scholars and warriors, like Dronacharya, Bhishma, and Krupacharya maintained silence. They did not have the guts to tell Duryodhana not to resort to such an action. So Bhishma, had to suffer long on a bed of arrows till the end came. So, in circumstances like this silence is a sin. But there was another situation narrated by Bhagavan in which silence saved the life of a deer. A saint saw a deer running as a hunter was chasing to kill it. The hunter asked the saint if he had seen a deer passing by him. The saint replied, “O! Hunter! The eyes that have seen cannot say, the tongue that speaks has not seen. So, what am I to say now?” The deer was thus saved.

What is silence? Is it just refraining from talk? Is it speechlessness? Is it to be tight-lipped? What is silence? Externally, keeping quiet is silence. But in spirit it is not so. Constant thought process may not find verbal expression or vocal manifestation. You may remain silent, but yet the thought process that goes on within disturbs you, agitates you, irritates you, instigates you, if thoughts are negative. All the same positive thoughts may motivate you, inspire you, and guide you. But one thing common to both the situations is that you are not silent. Yes! You are silent outwardly, but inwardly you are not. Then what is the use of such silence? Can we credit such a silent man? No. Certainly not. In front of our boss or superior, we may remain silent nodding our head to whatever he says; does it mean, that we agree to what he says? Is that silence spontaneous or enforced? What purpose does it serve anyway? Under great stress and strain we remain silent. Is it positive? Does it not amount to helplessness and disgust? In what way such silence is helpful to you? So mere silence is nothing special and great. We also meet some people who are apparently silent, but highly manipulative by nature. Is silence in such an instance positive or negative? It is certainly negative.

My intention this morning is to make it very clear what true silence is, and why it is necessary. Students can study well when silence is observed and when they are undisturbed. In certain institutions during the study period, silence is strictly followed. Why? For concentration of mind silence is essential. When it is noisy all over, we cannot concentrate. We can discharge our duties skillfully if we can concentrate our attention on work entrusted to us. It may be any field, Engineering, Medicine, Teaching, etc. Patients need silence as they cannot bear any noise, because of their sickness. In front of elders, seniors, noble souls, and teachers if we remain silent and observe, we can learn more from them, out of the richness of their experience. Silence is patience. Silence is concentration. Silence is humility. Silence is respect. Sometimes silence checks indiscipline and disorder better than admonition. Silence is a method of teaching. By remaining silent we can express our dissent or disagreement. Silence then is eloquence. Silence is discipline. Therefore, silence is essential in all spheres of human activity.

Spiritually, silence is a penance. It is a process to turn inward. One has to learn to look within, which is beyond senses. Spiritual experience and awareness are possible only when we develop insight and not merely outlooks. Spiritually silence helps the aspirant to go to the very source of life and energy, which is beyond the body, mind, intellect and senses. Spiritually silence is meditation as it is only in meditation that one transcends time and space.

It was Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi whose silence was a spiritual gospel and a teaching. His silence was more precious than many a worded sermon and message. His very looks conveyed a great many Vedantic Truths. Bhagavan Baba says, “It is only in the depth of silence the voice of God is heard.” When thought, word, and deed are at variance with each other, it is impossible to maintain silence. Even if it is externally practiced such a silence is meaningless and useless. A perfect harmony between thought, word and deed ensures, enlivens and motivates silence which is the reflection of inner peace and tranquility. A spiritual seeker does not wish to divert his attention from God, and a true devotee does not relish any talk other than that of God. If a devotee indulges in vain talk or gossip, his concentration gets diluted, and his faith gets shaken.

If we go to the root cause, we shall know that it is entirely the mind that plays this drama. The mind finds pleasures in the external world. The mind delights in diversity. It is dual and hence it is after the dual world. The mind satisfies the senses and they in turn get gratified. Therefore, too much talk stands for too much of involvement and indulgence in this world. It also signifies attachment and possessive instinct. The outward mind expresses that way. Body attachment and attachment to material objects make a person feel self-conscious and crave for self-recognition. This innate impulse sometimes makes him talk too much. The pride of achievement and the ego of accomplishment unknowingly make him desire for praise and feel distinguished, as though he is something special and unique. This psychology makes a person start listing out his achievements and accomplishments, no matter if it is necessary or not. Mere silence does not mean a state of a balanced mind, since passions of jealousy, envy, hatred may also force a person to keep silent. In either case it is also the expression of the state of the mind.

What is to be done now? Turn to God in all humility in full awareness that you are an instrument in the Divine hands. He is the indweller. As we think in this direction, in full faith, that everything is His gift, the so called ‘I’ or ‘ego’ or ‘mind’ ceases to exist any longer. When you submit to Him and do not feel that you are the doer, then it is complete surrender. It is only in this stage, the mind does not exist. This is called the withdrawal of the mind or amanaska or mano laya. Then you are speechless. You do not find words to express the state your ‘mindlessness’. You do not want to be inhibited by inadequate expression of the experience. Physical experience can be expressed. Spiritual experience is beyond words and the only language employed, therefore, in the Taithreeyopanishad in order to define Atma or Brahman, which is beyond the levels of comprehension and expression is Yatho vacho nivarthanthe, Aprapya manasa saha – meaning words fail and the mind cannot grasp Divinity.

Physical silence is the outward discipline. But silence in a spiritual sense is Sadhana. Physical silence helps others to do their job undisturbed. But spiritual silence helps your own uplift as the divinity unfolds itself in a state of silence. Physical silence is enforced and insisted upon, whereas, spiritual silence is accepted and welcomed willingly by the aspirant. Physical silence may not necessarily convey the inner peace and joy one experiences. But spiritual silence truly reflects inner peace and bliss, so this kind of ‘silence’, which may also be called ‘quietness’ quietens our inner emotions, agitations, disturbances, turbulent waves of desires, prejudices etc., so that both internal and external silences become a single entity.

May Bhagavan bless us with such a gift and observance of silence.

Sai Ram.

Universal & Practical Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Chapter 14