Since the beginning of the world, there has been conflict. Saying that it’s impossible to totally eradicate it causes a lot of anxiety. But it’s the truth, isn’t it? The reason being that good and evil will always exist in the world. In our struggle to accept the good and reject the bad, the possibility of conflict cannot be completely ruled out. Such conflict has manifested in nearly all countries in forms such as internal strife, war and strikes. Although most wars are generally aimed at protecting vested interests, there have been rare circumstances where the needs of the people were taken into consideration and a greater good was achieved.
Unfortunately, the majority of wars waged by man have not been fought to uphold truth and justice but have been motivated by selfishness. From approximately 5,000 years ago until the rule of the great Indian king Chandragupta Maurya, truth and dharma (righteousness) played a central role in all wars fought in India. Even back then, defeating and, if need be, destroying the enemy was a part of war. However, there were clear rules that had to be followed on the battlefield.
There were even incidents of victorious kings happily returning the entire kingdom and all the riches they had won to the king they had defeated or his rightful heir. Such was the great tradition of dharmic wars, in which the enemy was considered with respect and kindness, both on and off the battle field. The sentiments and the culture of the citizens of the enemy kingdom were also respected. Such was the outlook of the people living then.
These days, to prevent terrorist attacks, strict security measures are implemented in airports and other establishments. While such measures are necessary for our physical safety, they are not a final solution. In fact, there is one explosive in particular that is the most destructive of all. No machine can detect it. It is the hatred, loathing and vengeance found in the human mind.
In this regard, Amma remembers a story. The head of a certain village was celebrating his 100th birthday. Many dignitaries and news reporters attended his party. One of the reporters asked him, “What are you most proud of in this long life of yours?” The old man answered, “Well, I’ve lived 100 years, and I don’t have a single enemy on this planet.”
“Really? Isn’t that amazing?” the reporter remarked. “May your life be an inspiration to all! Now, tell me, how is this possible?” “Well,” the old man replied, “It is very simple. I made sure that none of them remained alive!”
If we don’t eradicate our destructive emotions, there will be no end to war and violence. In wars today, the enemy’s country is destroyed in every possible way. Conquerors plunder and monopolise the land, natural resources and wealth of the defeated country and use them for their own selfish enjoyment. The culture and traditions that have been passed down for generations are uprooted, and innocent people are killed without mercy.
Furthermore, we cannot begin to fathom the amount of toxic fumes emitted by bombs and other weapons, filling the atmosphere and polluting the soil. How many generations are forced to suffer physically and mentally as a consequence! In the wake of war, all that is left are death, poverty, starvation and epidemics. Such are war’s gifts to humanity.
Today, some wealthy countries instigate wars simply to promote the sale of their latest weapons. No matter what action we perform, even if it be war, the goal should be the protection of truth and dharma. Amma’s not saying that war is unavoidable. In principle, there is never a time when war is necessary. But will we ever be able to completely eradicate war from the external world as long as conflict remains in the minds of man? This is something we really should contemplate. The writer is a world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian