Vow of silence

Vow of silence

A vow of silence is a religious vow, usually taken in a monastic context, to maintain silence. Known as Mauna in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, the practice is integral to Christian and Islamic traditions as well. Apart from that it is also followed as a spiritual practice.

Pythagoras imposed a strict rule of silence on his disciples; the Vestal virgins also were bound to severe silence for long years. Many similar examples could be quoted.

Spiritual silence may be viewed from a threefold standpoint:

  • As an aid to the practice of good, for silence is kept with Man, in order to better to speak with God, because an unguarded tongue dissipates the soul, rendering the mind almost, if not quite, incapable of prayer. The mere abstaining from speech, without this purpose, would be the "idle silence" which St. Ambrose so strongly condemns.
  • As a preventative of evil. Seneca, quoted by Thomas à Kempis, complains that "As often as I have been amongst men, I have returned less a man" (Imitation, Book I, c. 20).
  • The practice of silence involves much self-denial and restraint, and is therefore a wholesome penance, and as such is needed by all[citation needed].

Religious orders such as the Benedictines have insisted on this as one of the essential rules of their institutes.[citation needed]

In monasteries of many orders there are special places, called the "Regular Places" (church, refectory, dormitory etc.) and particular times, especially the night hours, termed the "Great Silence", wherein speaking is more strictly prohibited.

Outside these places and times there are usually accorded "recreations" during which conversation is permitted, governed by rules of charity and moderation, though useless and idle words are universally forbidden in all times and places. Of course in active orders the members speak according to the needs of their various duties.

It was perhaps the Cistercian Order alone that admitted no relaxation from the strict rule of silence,[dubious ] which severity is still maintained amongst the Reformed Cistercians (Trappists) though other contemplative Orders (Carthusians, Carmelites, Camaldolese etc.) are much more strict on this point than those engaged in active works.

In order to avoid the necessity of speaking, many orders (Cistercians, Dominicans, Discalced Carmelites etc.) have a certain number of signs, by means of which the religious may have a limited communication with each other for the necessities that are unavoidable.

In the Indian religions religious silence is called Mauna and the name for a sage, muni (see, for example Sakyamuni) literally means 'silent one'.

See also

References

 Obrecht, Edmond (1913). "Silence". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • vow of silence — noun A vow, taken particularly by members of some religious orders, to refrain from speaking either totally or under specified conditions …   Wiktionary

  • vow — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun ADJECTIVE ▪ solemn ▪ marriage, wedding ▪ monastic, religious, sacred ▪ final …   Collocations dictionary

  • vow — 1 noun (C) a serious promise: marriage vows | vow to do sth: a vow to avenge his brother s death | take/make a vow: She made a vow never to tell anybody what she had heard. | keep/break a vow (=do or not do what you promised) | vow of silence (=a …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • silence — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun 1 quietness ADJECTIVE ▪ lengthy, long, prolonged ▪ brief, momentary, a moment s, short ▪ There was a mome …   Collocations dictionary

  • vow — 1. noun a) A solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner, especially a promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a …   Wiktionary

  • vow — 1. noun a vow of silence Syn: oath, pledge, promise, bond, covenant, commitment, avowal, profession, affirmation, attestation, assurance, guarantee; word, word of honor; formal troth 2. verb I vowed to do better Syn …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • vow — 1. noun a vow of silence Syn: promise, pledge, oath, bond, covenant, commitment, word (of honour) 2. verb I vowed to do better Syn: promise, pledge, swear, undertake, make a commitment, give one s word …   Synonyms and antonyms dictionary

  • vow — vow1 [vau] n [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: vou, from Latin votum; VOTE2] 1.) a serious promise →↑oath ▪ Jim made a vow that he would find his wife s killer. keep/break a vow (=to do or not do what you promised) …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Day of Silence — For other uses, see Silence Day (disambiguation). The Day of Silence is the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network s (GLSEN) annual day of action to protest the bullying and harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)… …   Wikipedia

  • I Vow to Thee, My Country — is a British patriotic song created in 1921 when a poem by Cecil Spring Rice was set to music by Gustav Holst.HistoryThe origin of the lyrics is a poem by diplomat Cecil Spring Rice which he wrote in 1908 whilst posted to the British Embassy in… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”