The Buddha - The True Peacemaker
Ven. Horowpothane Sathindriya Thera
At the present time, globally people talk about peace as a burning
issue in our human society. Though most people very much prefer to live
in a peaceful atmosphere and an untroubled environment, some unwise and
uncivilised citizens, leaders, politicians and their henchmen create
terrible fear and danger within our global society.
Even though innumerable peace talks, forums, conferences, meetings
and negotiations endlessly take place, there are no signs or gestures to
console or comfort ourselves by achieving this so-called peace.
It is disgraceful and contemptible that in the name of peace,
hypocritical and insincere members of our human family incite and
encourage unacceptable anarchy to achieve their own personal hidden
agendas.
Honesty, sincerity and veracity should be present in one’s mind to
achieve true peace.
The Supreme Teacher the Buddha, 2550 years ago very precisely
emphasised the way and the perfect path to practise to achieve lasting
peace in many discourses, during his forty five years ministry.
Once the Buddha said: “Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this
world; by non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This an eternal Law”.
According to above-mentioned words of the Blessed One, we can
understand the key reason and main cause of never ending and
irresolvable violence and war, which have been destroying many innocent
lives and shelters for many years.
Negotiations and so-called peace talks have not yet contributed any
element or ingredient to reduce violence and achieve peace. They have
all become lip services. Greediness for power and money are the foremost
hidden agendas and aspirations in the minds of most envoys, delegates
and politicians in our global society, today.
While preaching soothing words for unwise people by paraphrasing the
Buddha’s and other religious Masters’ words, those who claim to be as
Buddhists, Christians and so on, the power and money hungry people
openly and blatantly violate the basic principles and guidelines, which
the Blessed One and foundering fathers of other religions
compassionately advised us to follow and practise to achieve peace,
harmony and unity in this life.
The Buddha clearly described the advantages of cultivating of
wholesome qualities and the disadvantages of practising unwholesome
qualities. As a virtuous and righteous person, one should reflect on
one’s conduct and behaviour to ensure whether it is beneficial for
oneself and for others.
It is important to note, certain deeds, although may be beneficial
for oneself, could be detrimental to others and therefore, should be
avoided, if this remarkable advice of the Buddha is followed no one will
suffer in the name of violence and war.
Lack of sublime qualities such as loving kindness, compassion,
sympathetic-joy and equanimity in some humans, have caused cruel
activities and violence to worsen and intensify.
Though many religionists boast of their own dogmas and credos the
dearth of their spiritual practice along with their followers has
resulted in the decline of spiritual advancement.
Inability to manage one’s anger, incapability to share resources with
others, violation of human rights and craving for equal opportunities
are visible and ostensible facts which result from lack of sublime
qualities.
As a true peacemaker who achieved the incomparable and remarkable
innermost peace called Nibbana, The Buddha has tremendously emphasised
the way to practise metta (loving kindness) to attain inner peace, as
well as creating a fearless environment for others.
The Blessed One has clearly taught us that the paramount cause and
the driving force is craving which builds and fosters turmoil and chaos
within oneself that could explode out verbally and physically.
In the Dhammapada the Buddha profoundly explains thus:
“Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all
mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts, suffering
follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.”
Even though these sterling words are more than 2550 years old, they
are greatly accepted and followed by the wise and are practical and
realistic, even today.
In his profound teachings, the Four Sublime qualities -(Brahma
Viharas)are the key factors which one should cultivate and develop
within oneself and spread throughout our global society to achieve inner
peace and outer peace.
The Four Sublime qualities (Brahma viharas) are:
Metta - Universal friendliness or loving kindness.
Karuna - Compassion.
Mudita - Sympathetic-joy or rejoicing for others welfare, prosperity,
success and progress.
Upekkha - Indiscrimination, equanimity, impartiality and see things
as they are with Unshaken mind.
If whoever is aware of and accepts the Law of Kamma, he will never
allow for any unwholesome thought to implant and perpetrate into words
and deeds.
The Blessed One discovered and established an incomparable and
unsurpassed path of purification which can be treading, experienced and
attained by the wise; those who are able to train and tame their mind by
observing and investigating their own hidden tendencies and ulterior
motives are called wise. This is the only way to eradicate violence and
to achieve true peace.
Once the first Prime Minister of India Pandit Shri Jawaharlal Nehru
said:
“Peace is not a relationship of nation. It is condition of mind
brought about by a serenity of soul. Peace is not merely the absence of
war. It is also a state of mind. Lasting peace can come only to peaceful
people.”
Pandit Shri Jawaharlal Nehru has modestly asserted and proudly stated
that the only path to achieve peace is the Buddha’s path of purification
many times during his tenure as a Prime Minister.
Let me quote the words of Pandit Nehru again.
“If we follow the principles Enunciated by the Buddha we will
ultimately win Peace and tranquility for the world.”
It is also commendable that Mr. A.T.Ariyaratne, well renowned leader
of Sarvodaya Movement, has been guiding and persuading people to
approach and achieve peace by cultivating and practising metta - loving
kindness.
He is a good living example to everyone who teaches how to achieve
real inner peace, not only by preaching but also by cultivating and
practising. This is always admired and highly appreciated by the wise.
According to Buddha Dhamma, what you sow you may reap. Every time one
gets angry at anyone or anything, under any circumstance, that person
creates unwholesome kamma and definitely consequences will be dangerous
and he will create unhappiness among others too.
But, on the other hand, if one concentrates on putting his own mind
at peace by cultivating patience he will experience peace then and there
and in future too.
This is the only way how we can spread peace through the world. Each
and everyone will first have to develop one’s own mind and cultivate
good and act accordingly and then we will be able to generate peace and
spread peace through our actions to the world outside.
When you plant the seeds of war, you get war; if you plant the seeds
of peace, you get peace.
“He is truly virtuous, wise and righteous, who neither for his own
sake nor for the sake of another (does any wrong), who does crave for
sons, wealth, or kingdom, and does not desire his own success by unjust
means” - By the Supreme Master - The Buddha.
May all beings be well and happy! May all beings be free from
violence! May all beings be at peace!
Ven. Horowpothane Sathindriya Thera, is from Samadhi Buddhist
Meditation Centre, Campbellfield - Victoria, Australia.
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