--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was walking in the mountains with…" description: "\"When I was walking in the mountains with the Japanese man and began to hear the water, he said, 'What is the sound of the waterfall?' 'Silence,' he fin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e8/jack-gilbert-10996_japanese_when-i-was-walking-in-the-mountains-with_548063.jpg" --- # When I was walking in the mountains with the Japanese man… ![“When I was walking in the mountains with the Japanese man and began to hear the water, he said, 'What is the sound of the waterfall?' 'Silence,' he finally told me.” quote by Jack Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e8/jack-gilbert-10996_japanese_when-i-was-walking-in-the-mountains-with_548063.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e8/jack-gilbert-10996_japanese_when-i-was-walking-in-the-mountains-with_548063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e8/jack-gilbert-10996_japanese_when-i-was-walking-in-the-mountains-with_548063.jpg) > “When I was walking in the mountains with the Japanese man and began to hear the water, he said, 'What is the sound of the waterfall?' 'Silence,' he finally told me.” [Jack Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The man’s answer shows that deep questions can be answered by silence, inviting inner reflection. **In simple terms:** Silence can be an answer to profound questions. Key Takeaway Embrace silence to find inner answers. Themes philosophy mindfulness communication Mood contemplative calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - mountain hikes - meditation retreats - creative writing sessions Key Concepts paradox perception nature Questions to Reflect On - What does silence reveal to you? - When can silence be more powerful than words? A Different Perspective Silence may be misinterpreted as avoidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Japanese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japanese/) [Koan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/koan/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Waterfall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waterfall/) [Waterfalls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waterfalls/) ## Related quotes > [It was a world of acts, and words had no more influence on acts than the sound of a waterfall has on the flow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-a-world-of-acts-and-words-had-no-more-influence-on-acts-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They say that people who live next to waterfalls don't hear the water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/they-say-that-people-who-live-next-to-waterfalls-don-t-hear-the-water/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“They say that people who live next to waterfalls don't hear the water. 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