U Thant
U Thant was teaching in a school in
the 1940's when his boyhood friend Aung San became the Prime Minister of his
country, Burma. The Prime Minister drafted U Thant into his Cabinet and later
sent him to the UN as the leader of the Burmese delegation. He was entirely
egoless and unambitious. Many people desired him to be the Secretary General,
which he refused, as he was afraid of being asked for a second term. His
silence, absence of ambition, egolessness and humility had generated a great
power.
When the post fell vacant, he was pressed to accept it. He was
utterly reluctant as he was not combative. He accepted the nomination after
extracting a promise that a second term would not be proposed to him. His very
refusals, by virtue of their sincerity, carried the power of SILENT WILL in a
greater measure. Silent will is effective even as a policy. Before your boss, if
you do not have the temerity to speak out your wish, even that becomes Silent
will and the boss exactly proposes to do what you have not had the courage to
ask for. That happens even if a sore throat prevents you from speaking.
U
Thant was not practising silent will. He had no will for ambition. Its power is
consummate. At the end of his first term, the promise at the time of his
nomination was forgotten and he was compelled to accept a second term. He never
sought that post or any post. His not seeking generated that power of
attraction. At the time of accepting the second term, he firmly resolved that
that should be the last term and murmured it in the hearing of his supporting
admirers. Of course, a third term too was proposed to him to which he turned a
deaf ear. Silence is powerful. Silent thinking is infectious. Silent will
achieves. To one who resorts to the Spirit, there is a Silence behind Silence,
which is a Silence behind No action or literally behind no
movement.