Noble Silence

Noble Silence is a term attributed to the Gautama Buddha, for his reported responses to certain questions about reality.

In similar situations he often responded to antinomy-based descriptions of reality by saying that both antithetical options presented to him were inappropriate.

A specific reference to noble silence in Buddha's teaching involved an occasion where Buddha forbade his disciples from continuing a discussion, saying that in such congregation the discussion of the sacred doctrine is proper or practicing noble silence.

[4] This is said to lead to a subsiding of thought and examination so that a bhikkhu can enter and dwell in the second jhana, a meditative state characterized by internal confidence and a unified mind.

[7] In Vipassana Meditation, the noble silence covers a period of nine to ten days and this includes the so-called silence in deed, which means no gestures or the use of communication tools such as mobile phones, computer, and the Internet.