HARMONY - June 2012

Special Feature: Time to Start Winning The Peace

This month we look at Peace, what it means and how we can contribute.

There are many different types of peace. Peace within the individual, in the family, at work, in the neighborhood, all the way to a global peace.

Pick up any newspaper or watch the news and you will read or see many reports about the various acts of violence perpetrated on one another, be it war, terrorism, or crime. Constant bombardment like this certainly contributes to the feeling of hopelessness and one of futility.

As our cover suggests, peace is in our hands.  It is something that is up to us to make, to shape, to create.

The desire for peace is a natural one. It is important for each of us to understand that we, as an individual, can make a difference.

Peace will never happen unless there is a fundament shift in the way mankind thinks. As the population continues to increase, it will be harder and harder to achieve real peace unless there is a drastic shift in the way we view ourselves, each other and our inter-connectedness.

As Albert Einstein said.
“The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”?

Peace is not achieved through legislation; it starts with each of us. An inner-transformation on a personal level, our human revolution, is needed to overcome the negative tendencies of greed, anger and foolishness that are the root cause of today’s problems.

In his 1995 Peace Proposal, President Ikeda states:

“In Mahayana Buddhism, which is the creed of Soka Gakkai, there are ten potential conditions of life inherent in a human being, known as the ten worlds. According to this principle, people who start wars exist in the four lowest states of Hell, Hunger, Animality, and Anger, known together as the “four evil paths.” Controlled directly by instinct and desire, their thoughts and actions are inevitably foolish and barbaric. Therefore, from the Buddhist point of view, the issue of how to build the “defenses of peace” within the hearts of such individuals takes precedence over any external systemic factors, and represents both the well-spring and the core of any attempt to build world peace. “

As President Ikeda has said:

“A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of all humankind.”

Let’s start winning the peace.

Robert “Skip” Williams
Editor-in-chief

Quote of the month

“Peace is not found somewhere far away. Peace is found where there is caring. Peace is found when you bring joy to your mother instead of suffering. Peace is found when you reach out and make an effort to understand and embrace someone who is different from you.” (www.ikedaquote.org)
Available at all HKSGI Culture Centres