What is the importance of silence in ones spirituality?

“Our intellect should be used to help the other person. The one who conducts his worldly affairs in a manner that causes least clashes at home, in business, or anywhere else is called an intelligent person”, says Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, the Enlightened being; whereas application of intellect to make big spiritual talks, merely to impress upon others as a spiritual scholar, is a form of over wiseness. That’s said to be an abuse of intellect.

Silence is a better instrument than anger
Furthermore, when we talk in normal worldly interactions, many times our underlying insistence, expectations and opinions tend to make us angry and thus it causes clashes with the other person. And once the quarrel arises, talking further on the matter could lead to even more clashes and conflicts. In such a situation, the best solution would be to hold a deliberate silence on the matter.

It is our intellect and ego that make us speak relentlessly
The intellect looks for justice and that verily causes interference and makes the person emotional. Intellect gives rise to restlessness; and intellect makes us emotional. Subsequently, one blurts it out in their speech, and thereby spoils the worldly relation with the other person.

Close the door of intellect through silence
This intellect subsides to the extent of silence we hold onto. When we hold our silence with the exact understanding, as shown by Gnani, the Enlightened One, gradually the karmic account gets paid off and it comes to an amicable closure.

So, what kind of spiritual understanding should we set within at the time of silence?
We should primarily understand that it is not the other person’s fault; rather it is our karmic account that is getting settled right now!

Param Pujya Dadashri enlightens us with the spiritual understanding we ought to keep:
“When someone insults you, he is actually dissolving your ego... Whatever excess ego you may have, gets dissolved when that happens. What harm is that going to cause you? It is this karma (of insult) that is preventing your freedom. Even if there is a small child in front of you, you have to tell him to free you (of your karmas that are binding you, and thus preventing your liberation).

If someone does injustice to you, and you wonder why he is doing such injustice to you, then you will bind karma. It is on account of your mistake that he has to render the injustice to you. How can one’s understanding reach this (spiritual) level? On the contrary, people cause havoc.

In the eyes of God, no one is doing justice or injustice; everything is simply ‘correct’. But how can one’s understanding reach this level? If differences in opinion at home become less, there will less quarrelling, and consequently love will increase amongst everyone. If this happens, then know that spirituality (Gnan) has been understood and not otherwise.”

Liberation begins when the doors of the intellect close
Param Pujya Dadashri explains, ‘The doors of the intellect will close in proportion to the amount of silence you hold, and then the moments of liberation arise. The worldly interactions exist due to intellect. Holding silence steadfastly, the awakened awareness remains, leading to increased energies to remain in the state of ‘the knower and the observer (which is the function of a Soul).’

Silence is to be both, used and avoided, discreetly for our spiritual advancement
Let’s understand...
Practice silence i.e. speaking is to be avoided. Here, Param Pujya Dadashri advises that silence be used as a key to avoid clashes in worldly interactions, where our karmic accounts seem to be severe and sticky.

Avoid silence in inner conversation, advocated to maintain the awareness of separation. Here, Param Pujya Dadashri asks us to beware that after having attained Self-Realization, we never get silent in our inner conversations. This inner speech is the active process of ‘talking’ between the two representatives, one of knowledge (the real Self) and the other of the ignorant state (the relative self in worldly interactions i.e. John - you may insert your name here).

By talking to ‘John’, we, the Soul, are able to remain separate from John, and that is indeed the presence of awakened awareness. When one fails to ‘talk’ to ‘John’ from within, when one is thus ‘silent’, then one is one with ‘John’, and thus one is unaware. This means we lost the focused awareness at that time. Loss of focussed awareness renders the karma to remain as pending, an account that will not have to be settled at a future date.

Param Pujya Dadashri suggests, after Self-Realization, when intellect makes us emotional, “You should tell (speak to) the intellect that, ‘Listen Ma’am Intellect, return to your home. Now, I don’t have any dealings with you.’ (coz) Do you need a candle when the sun is shining? Thus, in the illumination of the Soul (that happens after Self-Realization), the light of intellect is not needed.”

Hence, to conclude:
In spirituality, whenever we are given to suffer the results of the mistakes that have been committed by us (on account of our past life karma), we have to settle those mistakes with equanimity, without saying anything (remaining silent).

What happens when one does not say anything? When the time comes, the karmic effects of our mistakes will unfold, they will be suffered, and subsequently, the fault will leave.

“It is meaningless to scream and holler. That time will pass. Thereafter such time will not come again. The account needs to be paid off. Once that time passes, then such time will not come again, ever. You have to pay off the (karmic) accounts. What should we do until then? Maunam… dharayate ‘Hold silence!’” urges Param Pujya Dadashri.

The problems are compounded when people talk. Therefore, it is best to remain silent in order to resolve the past karmic accounts. This is the importance of silence in one’s spirituality.

To know more: https://www.dadabhagwan.org/path-to-happiness/spiritual-science/science-...