626. Abolition of War

Major wars are abolished. Their very possibility disappeared when the USSR came forward to dissolve her totalitarian structure on her own initiative. That evolutionary initiative of Gorbachev was without precedent in history. The best way to abolish wars is for the world to recognise that great act of spiritual vision of that leader who sacrificed his post for that. Minor conflicts abound. Ferocious terrorist attacks are ever-present behind the screen. Those who have been advocating a WORLD ARMY for that purpose have re-christened it ‘World Peace Army'. It is a phrase that speaks of a wider vision. There is a further possible step where that vision can acquire spiritual reality. Spiritual Reality is spiritual strength. Spiritual Strength dissolves the idea of war at its very roots. 

Two thousand five hundred years ago, Asoka, in renouncing war, had that spiritual vision about mass killing. We do not teach children "Do not steal". They do not steal. To ignore the idea of stealing and be oblivious of it is a positive way of training the minds of the young. Only when someone strays into the act of stealing, do we resort to the negative instruction of "don't steal". Age-old spiritual tradition in its wisdom says by dwelling on the negative trait, we charge it with our energy. It is known that if a snake peeping into the house is killed, several will follow. They burn camphor before the snake so that he may be scared away. One may ask whether these local beliefs will work in international politics. Put in other words, the military conflicts can be easily solved by an economic approach. An international security expert advocates this method and in his support quotes the well known American author's phrase of Revolution of Rising Expectations.

Man's energies turned to economic betterment are so absorbed that not a drop of energy is available for terrorist intensities or plans. This movement has two fundamental supports. One is democracy and the other is literacy. It is noteworthy that those nations that indulge in conflicts or terrorism are not democratic. Literacy there is low. They are poor by any evaluation. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has announced today an economic package of Rs. 24,000 crores for Kashmir. This scheme is a result of the awareness that military conflicts can be better won on the economic front. People are gradually discovering in the West that once one goes to a hospital, he continues to go there for one ailment or another. It is not easy for us to break that vicious cycle once set in motion. It is the same subtle wisdom distantly dawning on the West. I would rather declare, "Build Peace, do not fight the war." Turn the mind away from war and your mental energies will not go to war to reinforce it. The origin of war is the human heart of jealousy and competition. Let it be abolished there.