Book Title: World of Philosophy
Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
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GANDHIAN PARADIGM OF PEACE
Dr.Ramji Singh
Peace is perhaps the most desireble ideal of human. civilisation.However the term peace is given to different meanings and interpretations. For the spiritualists, it means internal peace of mind and soul, without which we cannot achieve happiness and bliss.Hence the Gita clearly says that without peace, happiness is impossible. To the Buddhists, the supreme state of bliss called Nibaan is the state of peace and tranquility, which is described as trenquil like the sea. Jain concept of Moksha is also similar. Even the Nyaya-Vaisesika concept of Moksha tends towards defining peace as a state of utter tranquility and bliss.In the Sankhya philosophy, the highest state is described as the state of supernegation as'nothing is mine', I am not a thing(f),I am not (Na Asmi) and I am not an individual (Na Aham-I am not the ego). In the eight fold path of yoga, the highest state is that of Samadhi, which is the state of super consciousness. In the Advaita Vedanta, the highest wisdom consists in the identification of the self with the Absolute or subject as the object (Tattvamasi- Thou art that or I am Brahman (3
af)-which is the state of super tranquility and peace. In short the highest state of spirituality is the state of internal peace and tranquility.Apart from Indian philosophy, even in different religious philosophies, we have almost a common emphasis upon internal peace apart from peace as a moral and spiritual phenomenon. Hence almost all religions of the world. have univocally and unconditidnally advocated the concept of peace.
To the jews, it is 'Shalom' or grace flowing from the heaven',to the Semitic fathers.it is The blessing Justice of God'.The Roman peace (PAX) is different.It means a tranquil harmony "within the hierarchy of heaven; to The Hindus, the Vedic term 'Shanti is a prayer of peace universal-light, earth, water, vegetable kingdom, medicines and all others. In Islam, the word Salam means 'peaceful acceptance' of God, calm resignation or total surrender to the will of God. The Chinese, Huo' Ping means "Smooth or tranquil harmony within the hierarchy of heaven.
After pursuing the different meanings of peace in different metaphysical and religious systems, I am constrained to believe that peace is regarded mostly as an internal affair, which is also justified because unless we have peace within, we cannot think of peace without or outside ourselves. However, this is a tragic evidence of history that during the last 7000 yeasr of religious history of mankind, at least 6500 small and big religious wars have taken place. Evan Christianity has witnessed 100 years of war between the Catholics and Protestants. The sword of Islam has had reached upto Spain and even now in the middle East there has
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