PEACE
by Swami Sivananda
Introduction
Peace is a divine attribute. It is a quality of the soul. It cannot remain
with greedy persons. It fills the pure heart. It desserts the lustful. It runs away from
selfish people. It is an ornament of a Paramahamsa.
Peace is a state of quiet. It is freedom from disturbance, anxiety, agitation, riot of
violence. It is harmony, silence, calm, repose, rest. Specifically, it is the absence or
cessation of war.
Peace is the happy, natural state of man. It is his birthright. War is his disgrace.
Everybody wants peace and is clamouring for peace; but peace does not come easily. Even
if it comes, it does not last for a long time.
THE ABODE OF PEACE
Peace is not in the heart of the carnal man. Peace is not in the hearts of
ministers, advocates, businessmen, dictators, kings and emperors. Peace is in the hearts
of Yogis, sages, saints and spiritual men. It is in the
heart of a desireless man, who has controlled his senses and the mind. Greed, lust,
jealousy, envy, anger, pride, and egoism are the enemies of peace. Slay these enemies by
the sword of dispassion, discrimination, and non-attachment. You will enjoy perpetual
peace.
Peace is not in money, estate, bungalows, and possessions. Peace does not dwell in
outward things, but within the soul.
Money cannot give you peace. You can purchase many things, but you cannot purchase
peace. You can buy soft beds, but you cannot buy sleep. You can buy good food, but you
cannot buy good appetite. You can buy good tonics, but you cannot buy good health. You can
buy good books, but you cannot buy wisdom.
Withdraw yourself from external objects. Meditate and rest in your soul. You will
realize everlasting peace now.
Nothing can bring you peace, but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace, but the victory
over your lower self, triumph over your senses and mind, desires and cravings. If you have
no peace within yourself, it is vain to seek it in external objects and outward sources.
Inner peace
Perfect security and full peace cannot be had in this world, because this
is a relative plane. All objects are conditioned in time, space, and causation. They are
perishable. Where then can you look for full security and perfect peace ? You can find
this in the immortal Self. he is an embodiment of peace. He is beyond time, space, and
causation.
Real, deeper peace is independent of external conditions. Real, abiding peace is
stupendous stillness of the Immortal Soul within. If you can rest in this ocean of peace,
all the usual noises of the world can hardly affect you. If you enter the silence or the
wonderful calm of divine peace by stilling the bubbling mind and restraining the thoughts
and withdrawing the outgoing senses, all disturbing noises will die away. Motor-cars may
roll on the streets; boys may shout at the pitch of their voices; railway trains may run
in front of your house; several mills may be working in your neighbourhood - and yet, all
these noises will not disturb you even a bit.
Peace is vital for growth
Peace is the most covetable possession on the earth. It is the greatest
treasure in all the universe. Peace is the most important and indispensable factor for all
growth and development. It is in the tranquillity and quiet of the night that the seed
slowly sprouts from under the soil. The bud opens in the depth of the most silent hours.
So also, in a state of peace and love, people evolve, grow in their distinctive culture,
and develop perfect civilization. In peace and calmness, spiritual evolution is also
facilitated.
Individual reformation and social transformation
Reform yourself. Society will reform itself. Get worldliness out of your
heart. The world will take care of itself. Remove the world out of your mind. The world
will be peaceful. This is the only solution. This is not pessimism. This is glorious
optimism. This is not escapism. It is the only way to face the situation. If each man
tries to work out his own salvation, there will be nobody to create the problems ! If each
man strives heart and soul to practice religion, to do Sadhana,
and to attain God-realization, he will have very little time to create quarrels.
Automatically there will be peace on earth.
You can elevate others only if you have elevated yourself. This world can be saved only by those who have already saved themselves. A prisoner cannot liberate other prisoners. One realized sage can do more for the promotion of peace than a thousand missionaries preaching and disputing, day in and day out.
THE ROLE OF RELIGION
A Christian thinks, "There will be peace if all people embrace
Christianity". A Muslim thinks, "There will be peace if all people embrace
Islam". This is an erroneous notion. Why do people in the world fight ? Why do
Catholics and Protestants fight ? Why do Saivites and Vaishnavites fight ? Why do brothers
fight among themselves ? The heart must change. Greed and selfishness must perish. Then
alone there will be peace in the world.
People merely talk of religion. They are not interested in practicing it, in living it.
If Christians lived by the Sermon On The Mount, if the Buddhists followed the Noble
Eightfold Path, if the Muslims truly followed the teachings of the Prophet, and the Hindus
shaped their life in accordance with the teachings of the Lord, of saints and sages, there
will be peace everywhere.
Peace, to be lasting and constructive, must be achieved through God. There can be no
peace without the Lord or God. God is Peace. Root yourself in Peace or God. Now you are
fit to radiate peace.
Sivannda on peace -a summary
- Many are working today for the promotion of world peace without having peace in
themselves. Their loud propaganda, big talk and lectures cause more confusion, conflict
and discord.
- A proper understanding of the essential unity of religions is
the most effective and powerful factor in bringing about peace in this world. It will
remove all superficial differences and conflicts, which create restlessness, discord and
quarrels.
- If everyone turns to the Supreme peace within, there will be peace everywhere. A
glorious new era of peace, amity, love and prosperity can be ushered in, only if the youth
of the day is educated in the methods of self-culture.
Educate the moral conscience of the public. This will bring lasting world-peace.
- You can elevate others only if you have elevated yourself. This world can be saved only
by those who have already saved themselves. A prisoner cannot liberate other prisoners.
One realized sage can do more for the promotion of peace than a thousand missionaries
preaching and disputing, day in and day out.
- There will be no war, if all people practice truthfulness, universal love, purity,
mercy, contentment, self-sacrifice, self-restraint and tolerance. Ahimsa (Non-violence) is the key to peace.
- Peace is the happy, natural state of man. It is his birthright. War is his disgrace.
- Peace is a state of quiet. It is freedom from disturbance, anxiety, agitation, riot or
violence. It is harmony, silence, calm, repose, rest. Specifically, it is the absence or
cessation of war.
- All over the world, great conferences are held for bringing about universal peace,
universal brotherhood, and universal religion. It is the vanity of man that goads him to
reform society without first reforming himself. Vanity rules the world. When two vain
people meet, there is friction and quarrel.
In the case of social reform, self-styled enlightened men started interfering with the
customs and manners of people, in an effort to civilize them. The people lost their old
moorings, and the reformers could not offer new, sound ones. Masses of people drifted away
into chaos. How can blind men lead other blind men ?
- No piece of paper called a treaty can establish peace in this world. The way of peace is
very simple and straight; it is the way of Love and Truth.
- Money cannot give you peace. You can purchase many things, but you cannot purchase
peace. You can buy soft beds, but you cannot buy sleep. You can buy good food, but you
cannot buy good appetite. You can buy good tonics, but you cannot buy good health. You can
buy good books, but you cannot buy wisdom.
- Perfect peace cannot be promoted by anybody who does not have perfect peace in himself.
No political 'ism' can ever solve the problem and bring about real peace. Each new 'ism'
creates only more problems and more quarrels.
- Love alone can bring peace to the world. Therefore love all. Only if everyone practices
the religion of love, can there be peace in the world.
- Ethics should be put into practice by all. This alone will contribute to peace,
universal love, unity, proper understanding, world harmony and brotherhood of mankind.
- Everlasting Peace can be found only within your own Atman or Self, or God.
- World-peace is possible when all the people of the world wake up to the facts governing
universal life and when there is a heart-to-heart feeling of goodness, love and oneness
among the inhabitants of the world.
- Peace, to be lasting and constructive, must be achieved through God. There can be no
peace without the Lord or God. God is Peace. Root yourself in Peace or God. Now you are
fit to radiate peace.
