Mindless chatter

R.D. aka MR.D

Hello!

This is my first post in here so I hope its appropriate. (edit: I've already messed up by putting the wrong title!! It should say senseless chatter.)

Anyway I've only started getting into reading about Buddhism. One term that I'm having a problem interpreting is senseless chatter.

In the sense that you should refrain from engaging other people in senseless chatter.

What does it mean?

Does it mean not to talk about unimportant chitchat stuff?

Help!

Oh_Noes

I'm not sure exactly where you came across the term but I would most likely guess that it refers to your internal monologue or your ego.

It's something that you learn to control through meditation and is a central part of Buddhism.

I wouldn't think it has anything to do with conversations with others.

R.D. aka MR.D

Oh_Noes wrote: »

I'm not sure exactly where you came across the term but I would most likely guess that it refers to your internal monologue or your ego.

It's something that you learn to control through meditation and is a central part of Buddhism.

I wouldn't think it has anything to do with conversations with others.

Sorry just realised that i asked about the wrong term.

The term i meant is senseless chatter. It's referred to in How to Practice The way to a meaningful life by h.h the dalai lama and also in Buddhism without beliefs by Stephen Batchelor.

it's a verbal nonvirtue?

Omentum

It's internal chatter. The cyclic mental noise that we learn to control through meditation.

Seres

R.D. aka MR.D wrote: »

Hello!

This is my first post in here so I hope its appropriate. (edit: I've already messed up by putting the wrong title!! It should say senseless chatter.)

Anyway I've only started getting into reading about Buddhism. One term that I'm having a problem interpreting is senseless chatter.

In the sense that you should refrain from engaging other people in senseless chatter.

What does it mean?

Does it mean not to talk about unimportant chitchat stuff?

Help!

I was wondering bout that myself and came across in the same book , i assumed the same thing , thanks

roosh

As others have mentioned though, it could refer to the internal, mental chatter of the mind - most of which tends to be senseless.

However, if it is meant "in the sense that you should refrain from engaging other people in senseless chatter", it could possibly refer to gossip and other such senseless chatter.

I'm not sure though, as I haven't read the book or heard that specific term used before.

18AD

The 4th precept of the ten-fold path pertains to correct speech. This does include how one talks to others.

A quick google search gets this: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vaca/index.html

It may also be indicating being aware at all times of what you are saying and not just mouthing responses.

An interesting exercise that I found some time ago was to refrain from all unnecessary speech. So speak only when you need to ask for something or communicate something necessary.

Best
AD

Edit: I was actually thinking of the Noble Eightfold Path: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path
I had ten on the brain

meryem

Practicing silence can help the OP get through the problem he is facing, otherwise take meditation as another option to control the problem as mentioned here already.