Practical Steps to Inner Peace - 1.6. Sri Swami Chidananda.

-

 ===============================================================




===============================================================

Monday,  May 02, 2022. 06:00.AM.

Post - 6.

===============================================================




So we have this great tradition of commencing all activities by affirming Peace, Peace and Peace and concluding once again by affirming Shanti, Shanti Shantih. It gives an idea what supreme value they attached to Peace. Peace established in the heart and mind of the human individual makes possible harmonious relationships. In our approach to life, we give it a priority and we insist upon it, we constantly hold it in our mind and give it the highest value. This is what Bharatiya Sanskriti is, a culture filled with peace, with a great heritage founded on peace. And in our immediate past, the one who lived by Peace, swore by peace, is our Rashtrapita Bapuji Pujya Mahatma Gandhiji. He is the giver of the Swatantra Bharata (Independent India) to us. He has become known as an apostle of peace throughout the world. He was a pacifist par excellence, and he brought this philosophy of peace even into politics. 


He had the courage of his conviction to say, “This doctrine of peace can also prevail effectively in the international field of relationship between all nations.” He said that it is not something confined only to individuals, amongst the members of the family, amongst the members of the locality or different sectors of human society of a country, but even upon the international field peace can be practised, peace ought to be practised. If human beings are to live and grow as human beings and not to be human only in form and animal in their activities, peace is essential. If you leave the ideal of peace, the whole world will be converted into a jungle of ferocious, fierce beasts of prey. That is actually what is happening. Ignoring this philosophy or not giving it the serious consideration that it fully merits in terms of human welfare and safety, has brought us to this point where we have everything, but we do not have peace, we have everything but we have no happiness.


And therefore, today’s thesis brings your mind to focus upon one important thing. If an industrialist wants to put up a factory, he starts by first of all considering what he wants to manufacture, and then he sets about consulting experts about the different aspects of his project; and then little by little, they start implementing the carefully designed plans, and gradually the entire project begins to take shape. Similarly, if a man wants to grow an apple orchard, he carefully begins to plan, “I’ve got about 250 acres of land, how much water consumption will this entail, how many wells should I have and what type of irrigation  should I make.” Then, out of it, he slowly starts the orchard, but there are no fruits may be for two or three years. But he keeps on working towards that end, and ultimately the fruit does come, and it must come, and it does. Why? Because he has planned carefully, giving attention to all the details and worked it out in a scientific way. Now, we all want the fruit of peace. How many of us are carefully planning and making our life in such a way that its ultimate outcome will be peace? 


So, desiring peace, are we trying to give it our full thought, “In what way should I order my life, my character, my conduct, if I wish to have peace at home, peace with my wife and children, my parents, my brothers and sisters, peace in my neighbourhood, peace in the place of work where I have to go every day and spend eight hours.” Is anyone doing this? If you’re not doing it, you better set about thinking about peace in these practical terms. Simply desiring is of no use. A person may desire health, but he does everything that is contrary to health... Just as agriculture, horticulture is the culture which has to be done carefully, so for Peace also you have to work. Our life should be carefully planned, ”What are the things that cause restlessness and peacelessness? How can I eliminate them?” You must create a peace oriented pattern of living. Give thought to it upon a very constructive manner, and if you put this into practice, then peace will come. 


In this connection, I just give you three things to ponder. One is, whatever comes out of us, will come back to us. So one of the ways to obtain inner peace is to see that we do not disturb the inner peace of others. Nothing that we say and do should put people into agitation. No! If you behave in such a way that you destroy the peace of others, you cannot expect peace for yourself.  Secondly, peace is an interior experience, and you should not allow yourself to react in an agitated manner to everything that comes to you, anything that someone says or does. You cannot control and change the world around you. But you are the master of your inner being. You can change yourself in such a way that you do not extremely react.

Thirdly, if there is any one thing in this world which exists in inexhaustible abundance, that is Peace! Peace is never absent. Peace is always present everywhere in inexhaustible abundance. Because Peace is the basis of everything. It is the only reality. Peace is the one and the only reality that IS. Do not be blind to this fact. If you go out in the summer, the one reality that is bright is the dazzling sun in the blue sky. So is peace in the inner life of the individual. Within ourselves is the source of inexhaustible Peace. Try to know the art and science of tapping it by connecting yourself with That. Hari Om. Peace! Peace be unto all beings in this Universe and peace be unto you all and the joy of the indwelling presence of the divine. Hari Om Tat Sat!

End.


==============================================================

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PRACTICAL RELIGION : BREATHING AND MEDITATION - 2.

-
Image
Opinion               25/12/2017.                    1077                 All Members,          Respected family members of this great holy Nation. Everyone's idea of practical religion is according to his theory of practicality and the standpoint he starts from. There is work. There is the system of worship. There is knowledge.           VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PRESENT DAY STUDENTS : - This article was recorded by Ida Ansell in shorthand. As, however, Swamiji's speed was too great for her in her early days, dots are put in the articles to indicate the omissions, while the words within square brackets are added by way of linking up the disconnected parts. (Delivered in San Francisco, April 5, 1900) Sub : PRACTICAL RELIGION : BREATHING AND MEDITATION - 2. Swami Vivekananda We are always talking [about] practical religion. But it must be practical in our sense. Especially [so] in the Western countries. The Protestants' ideal is good works. They do not ca
Read more

The Essence of Dharma-23.

-
Image
23/02/2018 Spoken on February 11th, 1973) This is the concept of dharma, of the duty of man in the universe, the nature of which is thus explained. Dharma has sometimes been regarded as one of the four purusharthas: dharma, artha, kama, moksha. This is the sum and substance of Hinduism. The essence of the religion of India is summed up in a phrase: dharma, artha, kama, moksha. If you are asked by anyone what is Hinduism, simply say, “Dharma, artha, kama, moksha.” This is Hinduism: a blend of these four concepts of duty. Hinduism is always a blend. It is never a one-sided affair. It has no name. ‘Hinduism’ is not the name of this religion. It is the name that is foisted upon it by Westerners, not knowing what it is. We have no name for our religion. It is not founded by any person. It is universal, capable of absorbing everything into itself like a menstruum. It is sanatana dharma, eternal dharma. It is eternal religion forever applicable to all persons of all creeds and sexes.
Read more

PRACTICAL RELIGION : BREATHING AND MEDITATION - 4.

-
Image
Opinion               08/01/2018.                    1087                 All Members,          Respected family members of this great holy Nation. Everyone's idea of practical religion is according to his theory of practicality and the standpoint he starts from. There is work. There is the system of worship. There is knowledge.           VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PRESENT DAY STUDENTS : - This article was recorded by Ida Ansell in shorthand. As, however, Swamiji's speed was too great for her in her early days, dots are put in the articles to indicate the omissions, while the words within square brackets are added by way of linking up the disconnected parts. (Delivered in San Francisco, April 5, 1900) Sub : PRACTICAL RELIGION : BREATHING AND MEDITATION - 4. Swami Vivekananda Here is a bad odour. It will bring me unhappiness as soon as it touches my nose. I am the slave of my nose. If I am not its slave, I do not care. A man curses me. His curses enter my ea
Read more