Silence as Communication: Indian Philosophical Perspectives


Authors : Dr. Palwinder Singh Bhatia; Kavita Devi

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 12 - December


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/wa7samxt

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/bdhmjjdb

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25dec1610

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.


Abstract : This study examines mauna (silence) as a foundational communicative and philosophical principle within Indian traditions, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Contrary to Western linear models that equate communication with verbal transmission, Indian philosophy conceives silence as an active, conscious state that embodies realization, mindfulness, and moral restraint. Through a qualitative hermeneutic–comparative approach, this research interprets classical scriptures such as the Upaniṣads, Nikāyas, and Ācārāṅga Sūtra alongside modern intercultural communication theories. The findings reveal that silence operates as a triadic paradigm: realization (jñāna) in Hinduism, mindful awareness (prajñā) in Buddhism, and ethical restraint (ahimsa) in Jainism. These dimensions fit into what this study terms the Integrated Indian Communicative Paradigm, a framework in which silence transcends verbal boundaries to become a medium of spiritual insight, moral discipline, and empathetic dialogue. The research concludes that silence, far from negating communication, manifests as its highest form, a state of conscious presence that unites thought, morality, and awareness, offering vital implications for contemporary communication ethics and intercultural understanding.

Keywords : Mauna, Silence, Indian Philosophy, Communication Ethics, Mindfulness, Intercultural Dialogue.

References :

  • Journal Articles
  1. Bhawuk DPS. Culture’s influence on creativity: The case of Indian spirituality. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 2003; 27(1): 1–23.
  2. Kovačević B. Silence in Theravada Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity: Cases of the Buddha and Evagrius of Pontus. Religija i Tolerancija. 2021; 19(36): 91–104.
  3. Ramabrahmam RVV. Silence: The software of human cognition and communication. Indian Journal of Philosophy and Consciousness Studies. 2016; 12(1): 44–53.
  4. Wayman A. Two traditions of India: Truth and silence. Philosophy East and West. 1974; 24(4): 391–404.
  • Books and Book Chapters
  1. Agarwal BC. Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain contribution to communication in Asia. In: Communication for Sustainable Development. New Delhi: Sage; 2018. p.2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       0–45.
  2. Bhawuk DPS. Culture’s influence on creativity: The case of Indian spirituality. In: International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 2003; 27(1): 1–23.
  3. Chapple CK. Yoga and the Luminous: Patañjali’s Spiritual Path to Freedom. New York: State University of New York Press; 2014. p.1–120.
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  6. Feuerstein G. The Deeper Dimension of Yoga: Theory and Practice. Boston: Shambhala Publications; 2003. p.5–120.
  7. Jain NC, Matukumalli A. The functions of silence in India: Implications for intercultural communication research. In: Jandt FE, editor. The Global Intercultural Communication Reader. New York: Routledge; 2013. p.255–270.
  8. Kool VK, Agrawal R. On seeking wisdom in Gandhi’s silence. In: Gandhi’s Wisdom: Insights from the Founding Father of Modern India. Singapore: Springer; 2022. p.100–120.
  9. Kumar KJ. Toward a Gandhian theory of communication: The ahimsa way to truth and liberation. In: Handbook of Global Interventions in Communication Theory. London: Taylor & Francis; 2022. p.55–65.
  10. Miike Y. Non-Western Theories of Communication: Indigenous Ideas and Insights. New York: Routledge, 2017. p.30–70.
  11. Radhakrishnan S. The Principal Upaniṣads. New Delhi: HarperCollins Publishers; 1953. p.1–800.
  12. Rigopoulos A. Guru (Hinduism). In: Hinduism and Tribal Religions. Singapore: Springer; 2022. p.88–104.
  • Scriptural and Classical Texts
  1. Bhagavad Gītā. (c. 2nd century BCE). In: Radhakrishnan S (Trans.). The Bhagavadgītā: With an Introductory Essay, Sanskrit Text, English Translation, and Notes. New Delhi: HarperCollins; 1953. p.10–250.
  2. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. In: Radhakrishnan S (Ed.). The Principal Upaniṣads. New Delhi: HarperCollins; 1953. p.45–89.
  3. Chāndogya Upaniṣad. In: Radhakrishnan S (Ed.). The Principal Upaniṣads. New Delhi: HarperCollins; 1953. p.112–150.
  4. Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad. In: Radhakrishnan S (Ed.). The Principal Upaniṣads. New Delhi: HarperCollins; 1953. p.180–186.
  5. Manusmṛti. In: Bühler G (Trans.). The Laws of Manu. Oxford: Clarendon Press; n.d. p.1–250.
  6. Dīgha Nikāya (DN 9: Potthapāda Sutta). In: Rhys Davids TW (Trans.). Dialogues of the Buddha. Vol. 1. London: Pali Text Society; 1899. p.1–120.
  7. Majjhima Nikāya (MN 58: Abhaya Rāja-Kumāra Sutta; MN 72: Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta). In: Ñāṇamoli B, Bodhi B (Trans.). The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha. Boston: Wisdom Publications; 1995. p.220–530.
  8. Dhammapada. In: Stcherbatsky JF (Trans.). The Dhammapada: Sayings of the Buddha. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1939. p.1–120.
  9. Ācārāṅga Sūtra. In: Jacobi H (Trans.). Jaina Sūtras, Part I. Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 22. Oxford: Clarendon Press; 1884. p.1–150.
  10. Tattvārtha Sūtra (7.11). In: Tatia U (Trans.). That Which Is (Tattvārthasūtra). New Delhi: HarperCollins; 2011. p.40–90.

This study examines mauna (silence) as a foundational communicative and philosophical principle within Indian traditions, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Contrary to Western linear models that equate communication with verbal transmission, Indian philosophy conceives silence as an active, conscious state that embodies realization, mindfulness, and moral restraint. Through a qualitative hermeneutic–comparative approach, this research interprets classical scriptures such as the Upaniṣads, Nikāyas, and Ācārāṅga Sūtra alongside modern intercultural communication theories. The findings reveal that silence operates as a triadic paradigm: realization (jñāna) in Hinduism, mindful awareness (prajñā) in Buddhism, and ethical restraint (ahimsa) in Jainism. These dimensions fit into what this study terms the Integrated Indian Communicative Paradigm, a framework in which silence transcends verbal boundaries to become a medium of spiritual insight, moral discipline, and empathetic dialogue. The research concludes that silence, far from negating communication, manifests as its highest form, a state of conscious presence that unites thought, morality, and awareness, offering vital implications for contemporary communication ethics and intercultural understanding.

Keywords : Mauna, Silence, Indian Philosophy, Communication Ethics, Mindfulness, Intercultural Dialogue.

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Paper Submission Last Date
31 - January - 2026

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