JAINA Convention 2007 07 Edison NJ

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 53

PEACE
Peace today is in pieces. The tragedy of our modern times is that we talk of peace but silently prepare for war. There can be no way to peace because peace itself is the way. Peace is the quintessence and the goal of life but the world seems to have lost the keys to the kingdom of peace. Religion in Latin means 'to unite', but history reveals that many of the religions have more often been the cause of war and disunity and have disturbed the peace of mankind. Although all religions and philosophies stand by peace and nothing else, all saints and philosophers have lived and died for peace but have never killed in the name of religion. A greater need is felt today to understand the very nature of peace and to understand the role of religion in its light.
Dr. Priyadarshana Jain
jainpriyaa@yahoo.co.uk Tel. in Chennai 09840368851
Land line-04465286778)
As said earlier religion means to unite with God, with emancipation, but this unification is not possible in the absence of peace, because only a peaceful mind can be the mirror of God, of the Paramatman. Just as one cannot see one's reflection in troubled waters, so also self-realization and liberation are not possible for a person who does not know the value of peace.
Dr. Priyadarshana Jain is M.A, M.Phil, and Ph.D in
Jainology; and has been a lecturer for the past 10 years
in the Dept of Jainology, University of Madras, Chennai.
She specializes in
teaching Jainism to all groups and is a resource person for Foreign students
and other foreigners coming for spiritual retreats at various Christian centers.
She has written many papers and translated two books of Jainism. She visited several cities in the USA in 2006
as a member of a special project for female interfaith leaders
from India funded by the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi.
Peace is one's own essence (svabhava), but in modern times ignorance, egotism, materialism, violence, depression, stress, emotional imbalance, pressure of varying degrees at various stages in life, seem to be mounting by leaps and bounds and there are more psychological problems and cases than ever before. We are not at peace with ourselves and are searching for peace in material pleasures and mundane accomplishments where we are never going to find it. Peace is within each one of us , in harmony is the inner strength and not in external people, places and things. Just as happiness is a state of mind, peace is a state of the pure and perfect self that is focused in the centre of life and not revolving in the circumference of men and matter.
One who is at peace with oneself alone can experience and radiate that peace everywhere. A person who is at peace with himself alone can realize peace in the family, society, nation and the world at large and not the viceversa. Peace is being in the here and now of life. Peace is living in the present moment sans the dreams, imaginations, desires, expectations, worries, tensions etc. Peace is in surrendering of the external self to the inner self, realizing the potential of the supreme self within. Peace is in the bottom most part of your being waiting to be tapped, yearning to manifest, waiting there for you to return to your eternal home. The greatest journey is that which brings you to your eternal home and this is possible only through peace.
Peace or no Peace - the choice is yours but remember what you wish you will find, if you choose peace you have nothing to lose, but if you choose otherwise you lose yourself and everything.
Peace and freedom are the birthright of all souls but we pass from one life to another without realizing our purpose of life which cannot be anything other than enlightenment (Sambodhi and Nirvana). It is only in enlightenment that that fathomless, unobstructed, and never ending Peace can be experienced and enjoyed for ever.
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PEACE THROUGH DIALOGUE
14th Biennial JAINA Convention 2007 Jain Education Intemational