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awakening
October 2009 
Those who speak do not know
Posted on Jul 30th, 2008
by 
Ted Biringer
Ted Biringer
In the library one day, Keanna approached Louie Wing and said, "The Tao Te Ching says, ‘Those who speak do not know, those who know, do not speak.' When some questions were addressed to Buddha, he remained silent. Don't these examples, as well as others, indicate the supremacy of silence over speaking?"
Louie Wing said, "Remaining silent and speaking are the same thing. Speaking is one way of expressing something, remaining silent is another way of expressing something. Either way is effective if something is communicated; both are ineffective if nothing is communicated. Even the words, ‘Those who speak do not know...' must be spoken to be communicated."
From The Flatbed Sutra of Louie Wing
by Ted Biringer
Access: Public
