00:00It is said that words can be the most powerful weapon, even though they don't physically
00:06hurt anyone, but they can cause emotional pain.
00:11Words can give us strength, but they can also weaken us if we speak without thinking.
00:18Speaking kindly and wisely at the right time can lead to success, but speaking unkindly
00:25or at the wrong time can make our life hard.
00:29That's why silence is so important.
00:33Silence helps us calm our minds, reflect on our feelings, and connect with ourselves and
00:40others.
00:41That's why today I want to tell you a story about the significance of silence in our noisy
00:48world.
00:49So listen closely to uncover the message in the story.
00:55Once upon a time, there was a prince who was always tired, frustrated, and upset.
01:02One day, he decided to seek help from a monk who lived in a nearby forest.
01:09On meeting the monk, prince said, O venerable sir, my mind is very restless.
01:17Even though I have everything, wealth, fame, and all the luxuries, but still I don't have
01:24peace of mind.
01:25Please help me to get rid of this restless mind.
01:30The monk gazed at the troubled prince and responded, Prince, all the answers lie within
01:37you waiting to be discovered.
01:39I can guide you, but you must follow my instructions without objection.
01:45The prince agreed and said, I am willing to do whatever it takes.
01:51The monk then proposed a plan.
01:54For the next 21 days, you will stay in my monastery and live as an ordinary person.
02:01During this time, you will spend much of the time in silence, speaking as little as possible.
02:09With determination, the prince accepted the challenge and embraced silence.
02:16On the first day, he found it hard to stay silent because he was not used to it.
02:22His mind was restless with questions and thoughts.
02:26He wanted to talk, but he made an effort to stay quiet.
02:31Somehow, he made it through the day.
02:34The second day was a little less difficult than the first, but he still struggled.
02:41But as the night went on, he began to feel an unexpected sense of calmness and happiness.
02:49This puzzled him because he could not understand why his restlessness was fading away.
02:56The next day, the prince continued to spend time in solitude, watching nature, flowers,
03:03plants and birds in the sky.
03:06For the first time, he truly appreciated the beauty of nature surrounding him.
03:12He could observe and connect with the nature around him.
03:15As the two weeks went by, all the thoughts and imaginations in his mind began to fade
03:21away and he started to feel very calm and very peaceful.
03:27On the fifteenth day, his eyes closed on their own and he entered into a deep state of meditation.
03:35The prince experienced profound inner peace.
03:39After spending the last week in deep meditation, he approached the master and sat before him.
03:47The master noticed a profound peace on his face and said,
03:51Now you can speak.
03:53Breaking his silence, the prince said,
03:56Sir, thanks to your guidance, I have realized the root cause of my restlessness.
04:04He continued,
04:05I used to talk too much, spending a lot of energy on people and often thinking negatively
04:12about them.
04:14This successive talking and negative thinking wasted my time and disturbed my mind.
04:20Consequently, I could not perform my task effectively and started failing at almost
04:26everything.
04:28These continuous failures made me even more sad and annoyed.
04:33However, these 21 days were transformative.
04:37Now I feel like I am truly living life to the fullest, and I realized that before this
04:45I was living it the wrong way.
04:47I also learned that we don't have to force meditation.
04:51It happens naturally.
04:53Upon hearing this, the master responded,
04:56Prince, you are not alone in this struggle.
05:00Many people in the world are restless because they talk too much.
05:05Speaking excessively can tire us out and make our minds restless.
05:10However, staying silent boosts the impact of our words and brings peace to our minds.
05:18That's why it is best to only speak when it is really necessary and beneficial for both
05:25ourselves and others.
05:31If we see in our lives, we will find that many people in the world are suffering from
05:38mental restlessness, and talking too much is one of the main reasons for disturbing
05:44the mind.
05:46Even today, many people continue to speak in ways that hurt others, and this habit of
05:53excessive talking leads them to many problems in their lives.
05:59When people asked Buddha why he stays silent most of the time, he would say,
06:04I stay silent to dive deep within myself.
06:09Because silence is the first step to truly knowing yourself.
06:13Without silence, self-discovery is impossible.
06:17Buddha also advised others to remain quiet most of the time and speak less.
06:23Talking too much leads to loss of physical and mental strength.
06:28When people become quieter, there are fewer fights, less restlessness, and less arguing.
06:35People who talk too much often struggle to focus on a single task.
06:40Consequently, they might not fully focus on their goals and may not succeed.
06:47They also fail to understand life's true meaning.
06:51On the other hand, people who talk less often earn respect from others because people trust
06:58them and pay attention to what they say.
07:02Being quiet helps us become patient.
07:05It also helps us become more aware.
07:09A person who keeps silence for some time every day can enter deep meditation.
07:16Silence can also stimulate our brain, reduce our stress, and increase our concentration.
07:23Silence can help us to listen more attentively, communicate more effectively, and act more
07:30mindfully.
07:32Silence can make us happier and healthier.
07:35When we talk, our mind is busy thinking about what to say.
07:41But when we stop talking and stay silent, our mind begins to quiet down.
07:47It might keep chattering inside for a while, but if we don't turn those thoughts into words,
07:53our mind eventually settles and we start to feel peaceful and calm.
07:59In our today's busy world, it is tough to stay silent for long periods.
08:05But I still suggest setting aside 1-2 hours every day for silence.
08:11It can really make a positive difference in your life.
08:15So whenever you find some free time in your daily routine, try to spend it in silence.
08:22Think of silence as a deep sleep that nourishes wisdom.
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