War, Peace and Mankind

Peace is the most sought after criteria in Sri Lanka as we hear of bomb explosions and gunfire almost daily. We will never be able to live in harmony and unity as long as this accursed war drags on centuries and centuries killing valuable lives.

It always keeps people in suspense every moment. Lives are becoming increasingly worthless and destroyed for no reason from the time that catastrophic war began. War is not a newly found word in the dictionary or world history.

Many wars have been fought due to various reasons from the dawn of the history. No one has been able to halt wars. How many people are suffering? Detriments of war are immense. The hope in every mother's heart whose son in the battle field, every wife's heart whose husband in the battle field and whose fathers are in the battle field is the one and only desire to see an end to the war for their loved ones to return home.

War is not only a battle taken place between two parties. It spreads wider. War can happen even within a person which is called phycological battle take place due to mental enigmas.

War also can happen between two people due to disputes. War is not only seen in margins of countries with soldiers holding guns. It takes place every where in the society.

What's the reason for battle?

Craving for power is the major reason. For a one person to be a powerful leader how many lives are annihilated? So called leaders craving for power are unable to realise they have only a limited time span in this life. In case, if they're able to win the war they won't be living any more.

What's the purpose of waging war? It is exactly accurate what Buddha said twenty five centuries ago that craving is the root cause of quarrel. He said "Due to selfish craving, conditioned by selfish craving, impelled by selfish craving, entirely moved by selfish craving, kings fights with kings, princes with princes, priests with priests, citizens with citizens, mother quarrels with son, son with father, bother quarrels with sister, sister with brother, and friends quarrel with friends. Thereby thus they suffer death or deadly pain".

This is what's mentioned in the Constitution of the UNESCO "Since war began in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defence of peace must be constructed"

People declare war when they are in need of wrong things. Teaching of Buddha says that despondent situation of a man arises due to his greed for money and things that money can buy, power over other man and above all the desire for "eternal living" even after one is dead.

The hunger for these things make a man very selfish. They are not bothered to think about their fellow human beings as if they are the ones who have the licence to live on earth and others should perish.

The only solution to get rid of this unpleasant situation is to refrain from its root cause, selfish longings which will ruin the man. When the man drives all his self devastating desires, he can achieve peace within him, which ultimately resolve all his burning problems which can really tear a man out.

There's no end for man's craving. At the beginning he craves for a crump of bread and when receives it, he longs for a slice of bread. After he receives that he longs for a loaf of bread, when he receives that he yearns to own a bakery, and after that he will need all the bakeries in the area.

Thus, his desire for one thing will never end. Instead it increases when he receives more and more. He is not even satisfied gaining the whole world. Inviting peace

"When we don't find peace in ourselves it is useless to look for it elsewhere" - La Rochefoucauld

"If they want peace, nations should avoid the pin- pricks that precede cannon- shots - Napoleon

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding" - Albert Einstein

"Peace is not the absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice". Some people believe that peace comes in the absence of war. Peace comes not in the absence of war, but when people are able to cope with the conflict. Conflicts arise when people do not know to meet others expectations.

We are always tempted and need others to meet our expectations but we never bother to think about what the other expects from us. Mentality of people always differs from each individual. Dogs like bones, cats like fish, cows like grass. Likewise when some people like peace some may like the excitement and the horror of war.

We can arrange a place for peace in our hearts if we can overcome our ill and selfish feelings. One scholar said "If you can trust yourself when others suspect you, that's enough for you to maintain peace in your mind".

Peace will govern the world when people live in harmony obeying natural laws. It will bring health, success, contentment and serenity. All kinds of sickness arise when people don't have those things.

The blaze of sadistic war is blowing all over the world. If this continues to persist it will wipe out human being from earth. Human being will be an extincted creation. In the end no one will be there to rejoice the victory of the war.

Ponder what's mentioned in the Old Testament "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid".

Isn't this the world that everyone is looking forward to live in.