Achieving Peace, by A. T. Ariyaratne

When an individual lacks inner peace, domestic harmony is affected. When domestic harmony is lost, peace amongst neighbors too thins out. In this manner, when the inner peace of an individual is lost, the family, neighborhood, country and the world too start losing their peaceful atmosphere. Persons and groups lacking peace of mind hang on to nationality, language, religion, politics, ethics, groups, high status, low positions, etc, and engage themselves in anti-social acts of crime, terrorism and war.

We believe the only way to achieve peace is to cultivate individual and collective inner peace. It is not possible to achieve peace by speeches laden with sentiments, slogan shouting rallies, using weapons, blaming one another and arousing mob feelings. Neither minds tarnished with anger and ill will, nor loading people with political compromises, will bring in peace. Hatred cannot be overcome with hatred. War is not a path to peace. “The armed get destroyed by arms.” There is a wonderful potential and strength in our minds - thoughts in the proper direction help achieve self-composure.

A well-developed mind - not subservient to five sense activity, not missing proper direction, not falling prey to undesirable influence, thereby being successful in personal life and promoting peace among people - is achieved through meditation. Persons who have developed their minds through meditation are constantly in a proper state of mind, and the spiritual aura emanating from pure thoughts influences others also.

We have to set apart some time daily for meditation in order to lead successful lives individually, as families, and as members of a community. Life devoid of meditation is limited to five sense activity and lacks essence. It is a life which brings no good to oneself or to the society. It only brings sorrow. When a very large number of persons congregate with composure of mind and body, and engage in meditation walks and mass peace meditations, the power of the spiritual energy generated makes our minds peaceful and calm. This helps us to set aside the thoughts of greed, to cultivate thoughts of selfless service, to stop being hateful, and to extend loving kindness towards all; to destroy narrow, selfish unwholesome thoughts and thereby to make the mind recipient of wisdom unmatched.

A. T. Ariyaratne was a Sri Lankan activist, founder and President of the Sarvodaya Shramadana movement.

Seed Questions for Reflection

What does achieving peace mean to you? Can you share a personal story of a time you felt peace? What helps you cultivate individual and collective inner peace?

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Add Your Reflection

16 Past Reflections

Elaine Noonan

Apr 27, 2024

The phrase “life Devoid of meditation is limited to five sense Activities, resonates so much truth. An individual would react rather than respond compassionately to any given situation if inner peace does not exist.

Amit Kumar

Apr 24, 2024

I think one thing which can promote peace within oneself is simple living and embracing the idea of minimalism. These days we all have become a victim of consumerism, and buy and keep things which we don't need at all. We need to reject and give away not only things but also thoughts which don't serve any purpose in our life. Similarly, we need to walk away from fake relationships and rather focus on what we truly love.
Decluttering our homes, our mind, and our heart will certainly bring in peace.

Mahesh Lonkar

Apr 23, 2024

Peace is reflection of our mindset.we should spend the time with alone everyday.This is one of the way self reflection you will get it.Peace is remarkable experience of sate of mind.

Michelle

Apr 23, 2024

I love the idea of large meditation walks and mass peace meditations. This is merging spirituality with politics and giving a true meaning to demonstrations! I do agree that peace starts with us. Looking at the world today, I have to ask if this is enough to get our world leaders to think of and act in peace. It seems the whole paradigm has to shift.

Pankaj

Apr 23, 2024

I believe that the subtlety is in "achieving" peace by the way of one's being. Mindful living that is not subservient to the five senses goes a long way towards such a state of being, and if we can all achieve that, then the outer peace can be achieved. The "all" can mean you and the Other(s), depending on the context of the situation. To me, it is a passage about how to BE, not so much about what to DO. That said, a way of living consistent with what is prescribed in the last paragraph might go a long way towards helping one achieve that state of BEING.

Anne Marie

Apr 22, 2024

Several of our world leaders do not seem interested in peace - but in winning wars and holding on to power.
How can we get them to meditate?

David Doane Apr 23, 2024

I think we cannot get them to meditate. Like with anything I want another to do, I can do the behavior and the other may follow my lead. Like Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

Pankaj Apr 23, 2024

Great question, Anne Marie! I posit that it has taken a LONG time for the leaders to become who and what they are and therefore, how they behave. Even if they start practicing insightful meditation, it will take some amount of time before all of that can be undone, so an important component of being at peace might be the patience for all of that to play out.

stream

Apr 20, 2024

After experiencing years of embarrassment, shame, frustration, fear, and anger as a child and young adult , I have mostly achieved personal peace. I continue to believe that we will achieve world peace despite current evidence of the opposite. I felt great peace yesterday as I gave a healing session to and older woman friend. As I instructed her in use of visualization for healthier breathing I became completely immersed in the peace of us being together. Being in the garden, the ocean, the forest, the waterfall, bicycling, love making were all times of great peace this week. One part of article that I noticed was " A well developed mind- not subservient to the five senses". I have a different view of that idea. We have many more senses than 5. I can count at least 50 types of sensory information and when experiencing all these senses I am much more a part of the web of life than my thinking. Expanding into multidimensional experience helps me go beyond my mind.

Gururaj Apr 23, 2024

Wonderful. Inspiring.
Are you anchoring inwardly in some way while experiencing the myriad sensory impressions. What about expressing ? Silence mostly ?

Jagdish P Dave

Apr 19, 2024

Reading this article authored by A.T. Ariyaratne deeply touched my heart. Peace is the foundation of survival and sustainence of our life. All spiritual traditions sing the song of peace. Inner peace is the foundation of outer peace. We cannot create and sustain outer peace without creating and sustaining inner peace. The challenge for all of us as humanity is to learn, parctice and apply ways and means of creating and sustaining peace. Meditation is one of the most effective ways for creating and sustaining peace and harmony at all levels:intrapersonal, interpersonal and collective. Peace is the sumam bonum of life. Without peace, there is no survival, no security and no safety. Upanishadic mantras end with these inspiring and uplifting words: Aum! Shantihi, shantihi, shantihi! Aum! Peace :intrapersonal, interpersonal, and universal. My father was an ardent follower of Mahtama Gandhi. When I was a five- year old child, my father used to take us to attend evening meditation and pra... View full comment

aj Apr 19, 2024

Amen to this reflection! “Inner peace is the foundation of outer peace. “…

David Doane

Apr 19, 2024

There is a statement something like if you want peace in the world, live peace in your country; if you want peace in your country, live peace in your city; if you want peace in your city, live peace in your family; if you want peace in your family, live peace in yourself. And Gandhi said you must be the change you want in the world. To me, peace is a byproduct of seeing and living from our oneness, thus being respectful, caring, and working together, and I feel peace when I abide in that. By nature we are one; by our creation we are separate. Separateness leads to conflict. Equality and justice support unity and peace. Anything that cultivates equality, justice, and awareness of unity in me as an individual and in society cultivates peace, and that includes reflection and waking up as an individual and supporting political leaders who cultivate unity, justice, and equality.