A change of heart

by Nagalingam Kumarakuruparan

"Don't count each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant." - Anonymous

Never before has there been so much speculation about the future of the world as it is today. Ideological conflicts, racial hatred along with religious fanaticism may lead to wars more terrible than any in the history of mankind.

Mankind has to make a choice for its survival between war and peace.

To establish real peace in the world and to carry on a real war against the war of terrorism, we have to deal with our children and youth - the world of tomorrow.

With the natural innocence children will instinctively obey the law of truth, the law of love, we should go from love to love peace to peace until at last all the corners of the world are soaked with the divine nectar of love and peace.

Not a single day passes without violence at one place or the other in the world. There is nothing new about ideological conflict: it is as old as religion itself. The faithful have struggled with one another in the names of their faith all down the ages, just as they are doing now.

Religions are not for separating man from one another. They are meant to bind them.

Saints have inspired us to lead righteous and religious lives. It is a painful fact but is a historical truth that the so called religious leaders who should be the real custodians of religion have been instrument in destroying the essence of religion of which they claim to be the custodians.

No religion propagates hatred, brutality, violence and animosity.

With the name of God on their lips, the religious zealots may go to any length to fulfill their vicious desire to destroy humanity.

The world today is sick of blood spilling and shadows of brutal death hovering over mankind.

The root cause of the problem lies in not understanding the spirit of true religion.

Sacred

Conflicts and misunderstandings among the followers of different faiths stemmed from a flawed conception of religion itself and all that constituted its sacred pursuit.

Religion did not consist merely in going to the place of worship, fulfilling certain formalities and upon getting exposed to doctrine and Dogma coming to feel that your religion was

'The one and only true one'. Religion is essentially realisation of the highest truths contained in the scriptures and the work of putting them into practice.

One infinite religion existed all through eternity and will ever exist and this religion is expressing itself in various countries in various ways. One truth is described by different men of religious learning in different ways, should not be confused with the attempt to attain universal acceptance for one's own faith.

Today we look forward to the man who revived and refreshed our sense of the meaning and value of religion.

Through his life and teachings Mahatma Gandhi bears testimony to the values for which our civilisation has stood for ages, faith in spirit, respect for its mysteries, the beauty of holiness, the validity of character and acceptance of life's obligations, values which are universally accepted.

He preached and practised the religion of humanity, the religion by which alone mankind can survive. In this distorted world, his message of love shines like a strong beacon of light.

Hence our culture started its journey thousands of years ago having Ahimsa (non violence), an eternal and natural value, as its nucleus. Afterwards it got across so many dimensions during the process of its making and from time to time developed many other characteristics as per the demand of time and circumstances.

Tolerance, forbearance, harmony are all characteristics of our culture that have played a very important role in our day to day life.

Gautama Buddha's teachings are very much relevant today. In fact, thousands of years ago, great saints had realised that Ahimsa (non-violence), a natural, eternal and permanent human value, besides being an essential condition of existence, is the basis of development, many accepted it as the best means of achieving the goal, and indeed to bring peace.

Forbearance and tolerance, the two supplementary values of Ahimsa, played the vital role in making harmony and coordination the fundamentals of the social and international approach since ancient times.

Despair

There is despair everywhere in today's world. The challenge gets tougher when we see the world around making a hideous show of resentment, self-centredness, voracity, excitement and other vices as the means of living in this situation how to mould society to our advantage. The secret lies in values; specially inculcating values among our youth.

Youth are our only hope, because they are the leaders of tomorrow. Unless they are elevated, unless they are given their deserving place in society, the nation cannot rise.

The prospect of a home, organisation or nation is at all times in the hands of the youth. In them lie latent, the energies capable of gratifying our long cherished dream of attaining peace and harmony along with success.

It is in them alone that we come across a wonderful soil in which seeds of vigour, bravery and other remarkable virtues can be sown.

Virtues that will make them complete human beings who will be a boon to the family, society and nation, nay the whole world.

The youth must know the sorrows and sufferings of others, particularly of those who are lagging behind in society.

Youth must make it a point to make all the people of this country their own by looking upon them as their brothers.

They should keep in mind that every negative thought saps the tremendous energy within and weakens them and every affirmative and constructive thought leads them to progress and development.

Let us not sow the seeds of discord, let us sow the seeds of love and compassion in their minds, so that there will be a total transformation of hearts.

The implication is that one must spiritually grow and become a universal human, or, rather, a divine being, with love and sympathy for all. Such a person will have necessarily risen above all barriers of caste, creed, race, religion, colour, sex, nationality, etc and become a 'free-while-living soul'.

Each soul is potentially divine, and the goal is to manifest this divinity within us.

Moreover, we have to realise that violence cannot be countered by violence. Man has to rid violence by non-violence, hatred can be overcome only by love.

As Samuel Miles says, "Strike up one good thought, that may inspire you to one deed.

Take up one good deed that may lead you to one good habit, cultivate one good habit that may mould your whole conduct, from your good conduct should issue your good fortune".