World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 995

standing the causality of peace. When we understand what causes peace, we know where to direct our efforts. No matter, how vigorously we stir a boiling pot of milk on fire, the milk will not cool. When we remove the pot from the fire, it will cool on its own and our stirring will hasten the process. Stirring causes the milk to cool, but only if we first remove the milk from the fire. Similarly, we may take many actions in our quest for peace, that may be helpful, but if we do not first address the fundamental issues, all other actions will come to naught.
It is very often said that 'wars begin in the minds of men'. It is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed. Buddhism therefore tells us to turn inwards and asks ourselves whether or not our minds and hearts are pure and conducive to peace. Buddhism lays stress on inner peace of an individual. According to Buddhism the world is an endless net of causality, where every event sends ripples throughout the whole fabric of the universe. One individual's peace of mind contributes in a real way to peace far and near. A single person who experiences peace of mind is contributing to the peace of the world. One affects world peace first and foremost by the way one lives. Peaceful minds lead to peaceful speech and peaceful actions. If the minds of living beings are at peace, the world will be at peace. Through inner peace genuine world peace can be achieved. In the process of establishing a world peace, the importance of individual responsibility is quite clear. An atmosphere of peace must first be created within overselves. Than gradually expand to our families, our communities, nation and ultimately the whole planet. There is a strong reason to emphasize an individual peace to establish a world peace in Buddhism. Buddhism believes that the minds of all living beings are totally interconnected and interrelated, whether they are consciously aware of it or not. In this world each mind is a kind of transmitting and receiving station. Each being has his or her own transmitting and receiving station and is constantly broadcasting to all others his or her state of mind is constantly receiving broadcasts from all others. Even the most insignificant thoughts in our minds have some effects on all other beings. Each thought in the mind of each and every one of us brings the world either a little closer to the brink of global disaster or helps to move the world little farther away from the brink. If we concentrate on putting our own mind at peace, then we can broadcast peace mentally and generate peace through our actions. We should use a peaceful mind to act for peace in the world. If peaceful minds are more predominant, the world will tend to be at peace, if violent minds are more predominant, the world will tend to be at war. Again, Buddhism sees even the problem of war as a Karmic one, and the solution is seen as the practicing and teaching correct ethical behaviour. Good deeds lead to good consequences and bad deeds to bad. If we plant mango seeds, we get mango, if we plant poisonous seeds, we get poisonous fruits. Similarly, if we plant the seeds of the war, we get
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