Dharma, the Most Important Consideration for Global Peace



Eternal precept, the Most Important Consideration

for Global Peace

Laj Utreja, Ph.D., Founder, Institute of Spiritual Healing, Madison, AL



Abstract

The concept of dharma lies in rita, the law and order of the world and its progression that follows a course of events. Rita stems from Sanaatana Dharma (eternal precept) and is therefore eternal. Sanaatana Dharma introduces rita as the ultimate order for maintenance and preservation of the manifested universe. The application of Rita in vyavahaara (established rules and practices) of human beings (also an outcome of manifestation), in their various stages of life and stations in a society, is dharma (that which supports and sustains).

Correspondingly, dharma represents practical approaches for adopting Sanaatana Dharma in different family traditions, business transactions and trade practices, under all social and political conditions. All aachaara (behavior) and vyavahaara during the human endeavors for artha (security) and kaama (pleasure), in the conduct of governance and rule, law and order, education, business, trade, science, philosophy, law, agriculture, performing arts, and other orders of society, performed according to dharma in space-time continuum provide the natural course with the least impact on the environment. Therefore, in today’s polarized world of the Haves and Have-nots, and the powerful and powerless, because we have to share our resources in global trade to fulfill our common need for food, water and energy, dharma offers the single most effective choice for global peace and a sustainable society.

The Primal Cause

Peace is our common origin? Take a look at any action, its cause and its effect. All actions and effects thereof have their basis in their cause. In fact, cause itself seems to be an effect (activity) of some earlier cause. Therefore, once the cause is known, the effect loses its basis and merges in the cause. Regression back to the very beginning takes us to the primal cause. That ‘actionless’ state, before which there was nothing, may be described as a state of sheer existence (therefore, the only truth), sheer consciousness (therefore, all knowing to create any action), and sheer bliss (therefore, complete in itself). For the sake of nomenclature, that state is called Sat-Chit-Anand (existence-consciousness-bliss). All elements of manifestation including actions therein are effects of this state, the primal cause.

Our world, comprising: space and the objects therein, such as the sun, planets, earth, plants, animals and living beings, etc.; time and the events therein, such as solar and planetary motion, plate tectonics, volcanic eruptions, lightening, etc.; and mind and the thoughts therein, such as mundane thoughts, spiritual thoughts, manifested circumstances and situations, etc. are consequences of many actions that emerge from Sat-Chit-Anand. The world is continuously changing, but the essence (subjective expression of Sat-Chit-Anand, called God) because of which the world exists and changes pervades the world. Correspondingly, the world has no separate existence from God, just as air has no separate existence from space. Just as air springs from space, dwells in space and merges in space, in the same manner, the world is born of God, resides in God and finally resolves in God. And when there is nothing else besides God, what more is needed to be known after one knows about God.

Ultimately, we all realize that there is no cause other than God. Just as there is nothing besides cotton in the cotton beads, in the same manner, there is nothing else besides God in the whole universe. The whole world of cotton beads (people of different race, faith and culture) is strung on Him just like the cotton beads are formed of knots on a cotton thread (God). Just as the cotton beads look different from the cotton thread and the cotton they are made from is the same, in the same manner, all beings in the world with different names, forms, and colors look different, but pervading them is the same essence of God. However, coming from the primal cause and imbued with divine consciousness (awareness of the universe), manifestation dwells only in its effects (the world consciousness with awareness of its local expressions).

When we perceive the world with the world consciousness, we perceive the world and become the world and not God. But when we endeavor toward understanding the essence of God in everything in the world, then the essence and His manifestation become one essence, the God essence. We appear differently, because of the actions of our ‘willed’ (subjective principle) material nature (objective principle), and not the essence we came from. And just as our past appearances, our reappearance also depends upon our ‘will’ to interact with the world according to the Sanaatana Dharma (eternal precept). During the eternal pursuit to know our origin, we make strides, get deluded, evolve and devolve in a manner of our choice by imbibing either the godly or worldly characteristics.

Sanaatana Dharma

Sanaatana Dharma, the eternal law, expresses universal truth that applies to all space, time and mind evolutes. The underlying spiritual laws are considered to be as scientific as material and natural laws. When these laws are followed they produce incredibly positive results. The principle that supports a community of people or the humanity at large is Sanaatana Dharma. The right conduct alone promotes living in harmony by caring and protecting the other without an external authority of a rule or a government. It becomes an all volunteer society in which self-interest is undermined and all work for the whole society by rising to the need of the fellow man.

Manifestation is ingrained with certain Rita (law, order). For example, the sun radiates its light and heat to make life possible on earth; the earth spins around its axis and rotates around the sun to create days and nights, and seasons; the moon precesses and rotates around the earth to affect the weather. In that sense, the entire the universe including all cosmic and natural phenomena follows rita, and all physical elements of manifestation including all life forms excluding human beings perform actions in accordance with dharma (duty) of their order. Correspondingly, our greatest duty lies in following the natural order, because the order provides the support for the progression that follows. Performance of duty is the ultimate sacrifice of an element of manifestation for the sole benefit of the succeeding manifestation.

Sanaatana Dharma is expressed as the teaching spirit and is ingrained in every human being. The teaching spirit is the law of equality for all, without exception and is available to all without being taught. If it is taught to only to some it ceases to be universal, like a language. Otherwise there would be a defect in creation. Would anyone want to be cheated, robbed, lied to or wronged? These are universal expectations and do not require any law acumen for clarification. Human beings are endowed with this spirit. These are commonsensical and we all have this knowledge. Correspondingly, all civil and criminal laws are based upon Sanaatana Dharma.

Sanaatana Dharma in its practical sense simplifies to the ‘general precept,’ “Do not do unto others what you would not like to be done unto you.” A simple corollary to this law is the subjective ‘Law of Karma,’ which states that anything done unto others is returned to the doer with the same magnitude and intensity, either right away or in the course of time including future manifested forms. If someone bangs his head against a wall, it is naïve to think that only the wall will be damaged. It most certainly will hurt the head in some manner. The same goes for a physical fight. If the fight results in pain, injury or harm to someone, the Law of Karma maintains that the doer experiences the same pain, injury and harm. This law is universal in the sense that it applies to all sentient beings, families, groups, nations, races, cultures, faiths and the universe.

Sanaatana Dharma is not a function of a theology, doctrine or philosophy and therefore is not subject to any interpretation. For example, take the fundamental universal value of nonviolence. It is not subject to interpretation and is an unconditional universal principle. So are the universal values of righteous conduct, love, peace and truth that are not subject to human interpretation. These universal values do not require any messenger or declaration of a great person because they are commonsensical. But in every age, someone of a great name may confirm them. If such a great person comes through and reiterates them, they ought to be accepted.

Sanaatana Dharma knows no racial or ritualistic borders and transcends all humanity. It sustains all actions, thoughts and practices that promote physical and mental happiness in the world and maintains harmony of an individual with the environment and ensures God realization. This law is good at all times and under all situations. Sanaatana Dharma is a feature of God. It is introduced by God, revealed by God, propagated by God, produced by God and protected by God Himself. Every human being on this earth is born of this. Universality of Sanaatana Dharma lies in allowing a person to choose and do what is right by one’s own free will and then be subject to the Law of Karma.

Sanaatana Dharma is established at the beginning of manifestation. It works hand in hand with the jurisprudence Law of Karma. We look at actions only in the finite duration of time and expect results to suit our desires. But, karma is the sum total of all actions that we create, those fructified in our present lives and those yet to manifest. The laws governing the individual include their duty, the group laws and the universal laws. Duty includes right conduct of the individual at home, at school, and at work. The group laws include the city laws, state laws and charters of the organizations with which an individual is affiliated. The universal laws include moral values of an individual’s faith, and above all Sanaatana Dharma.

Whereas, Sanaatana Dharma is unchanging, the individual and the group dharma may change with space, time and mind conditions. Any anomalous behavior by failing to observe dharma results in corresponding reaction in the individual, group or the universe. Whether or not an individual chooses to abide by the rules affects their future life governed by the Law of Karma.

The universal principles of Sanaatana Dharma don’t show favoritism to any people (cultures, races, national origin, skin color and genders), places (geographical locations), or objects (possessions; richness or poverty). Sanaatana Dharma is the sustaining principle of right conduct based on dharma, love, nonviolence, peace and truth. It dispenses justice through the Law of Karma, and therefore undertakes actions for balance. The state of Sat-Chit-Ananada, or its personified form God, imbibed with Sanaatana Dharma, knows all minds and is complete.

All expressions of manifestation interact with their environment through karma (actions) consistent with their dharma (nature). All forms of life, including the immovable (the plants, the vines, the trees, etc.), and the movable (bacteria, fish, birds, animals and human beings) possess the knowledge of their dharma (duty). The presence of the soul allows them to perform subjective karma (action) as well. All forms of life, excluding human beings, perform actions consistent with their dharma (because of their programmed nature), maintain harmony in nature and correspondingly do not incur any consequence. Human beings, on the other hand, are different from the rest of the manifestation in the sense that they pursue action(s) in contradiction with the natural order and correspondingly perform actions which bear consequences. Let us see the process of our appearance in human life and how we are different from the rest of the manifestation.

Human beings and Sanaatana Dharma

Before we are born, we go through the succeeding stages of the fetus, the embryo, the zygote, the sperm and the egg from the parents, food that our parents consume, which grow from the clumps of earth. If we go to the level of the food, we would find that food comes from processing the plants or the other life forms; the plants grow from the seed sown into the earth with water only in the presence of sunshine. All forms of life, including our predecessors came into being because of the sun, the source of all life. As far as the life on the earth is concerned, the sun seems to be the cause.

We get heat, light and energy from sun that makes all life and processes possible. The heat from sun provides warmth for plants and animals. The solar heat also is the basis for all seasons on earth caused by differential heating of the earth and pull of the moon, water in the ocean and air in the atmosphere. This heat in turn is the basis for the wheel of life in which the rain is an essential component. The heat from the sun causes water on the ocean’s surface to evaporate and form clouds that rise up in the air and condense with cooler temperatures at altitude. Eventually, they provide fresh rainwater for the crops to grow. The light from the sun makes photosynthesis, converting light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose and other organic compounds in plants. Photosynthesis is also a prolific source of oxygen that is vital for all multi-cellular organisms on earth including plant, animal and human life.

When sun rises in the morning, generally most living beings get up and begin to perform their chosen activities. It is from sun only that we all learn the concept of dharma (duty). Sun is always performing action, its duty. Sun never says I am not going to appear tomorrow because I have a headache or I am sick. The planets in our solar system follow their duty, the Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion. Sanaatana Dharma infuses each element in the manifested universe with rita of its order as knowledge. Rita enters into the early expressions of the manifestation as physical laws for the physical phenomena and as the subjective Law of Karma for the sentient beings.

Human beings are different from animals in the way we fulfill our needs. While we are also programmed for our characteristic natures, our actions are not programmed in the sense that they need to be done. Actions performed by animals need to be done. We select what to eat, when to eat and whether to eat; we also select when to sleep, where to sleep and whether to sleep; and mate with the one we decide to mate and whether to mate. We may choose not to eat when we are hungry, choose not to sleep when we are sleepy and choose not to mate even when we have a biological urge. Therefore, we perform both, planned and voluntary actions. Animals, on the other hand, cannot simply ‘not do’ what they want to do. For example, a dog cannot ‘not bark’ when he wants to bark.

Above all, we become attached to food, sleep, sex, and our actions and thus develop hunger and lust. It is simply not the need for food, sleep and procreation but want and lust for these basic urges we have that propels us to pursue voluntary actions. We can also do anything that we set our mind too. History is replete with examples of great men who achieved their highest potentials, such as nonviolence of Mahatma Gandhi, nirvana of Mahatma Buddha, mass-energy equivalence of Einstein, the symphony of Mozart, walk on the Moon by Neal Armstrong and others, the various NASA missions which took pictures of the rings of Jupiter, and fly through the rings of Saturn. It is in human life alone that we have a choice to shape our future. That is why human beings are called the highest life form and the excellence of creation.

Human beings are unlike physical phenomena, which follow physical laws; they are also unlike animals, which follow programmed animal nature. A human mind cannot be predicted, controlled, or legislated, because it does not follow physical laws, and does not follow animal nature. Because of their added capacities during their evolution, they display two distinct subjective qualities during their interaction with the environment: natural ‘likes and dislikes’ and attachment for the objects of the world (spouse, progeny, home, wealth, status, name and fame, etc.). Each one of us possesses an endless supply of unresolved subjective thoughts imprinted in our psyche from our first appearance to our present life. The unresolved thoughts manifest as our ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ when appropriate situations are presented.

By themselves, both likes and dislikes, constitute the individual nature and do not lead to any problem, but attachment leads to desire to possess the object of liking and discard the object of disliking. The desire for and against the objects of the world give rise to the demonic qualities of lust, anger, greed, delusion, hatred, jealousy, pride and malice. At the blink of an eye, a human mind can take diametrically opposite positions and can present reasonable arguments to support either view. It is also no wonder that a person may work diligently on a project and burn midnight oil for an examination, but may call in sick Friday morning to avail a longer weekend or call in sick Monday morning if they want to sleep late.

Is it not apparent from the recent presidential debates that the best of the brains objectively defend their own candidates regardless of whether they falsify their statements, ignore the questions asked, and interpret the opponent’s platform to generate negative sentiments? Is it also not apparent from the past corporate bailouts and the more recent financial collapse that the bailout helps out only those (the very rich people), who mismanage the services and the accounts of the majority and be rewarded one last time for their wrongdoings with their lavish severance package. How does one reconcile with the myth that the big corporations create jobs, whose CEOs for their sheer greed suck the blood of the hard working ordinary citizens whose jobs are cut on the name of reorganization and the well respected phrase, ‘making profit for the shareholders.’ As if this is not enough, the people, because of who the CEOs reaped the undeserved loot, are even denied simple credit to continue living in their homes.

Only human beings give a condemned man the choice of their favorite meal before their execution. Only human beings justify authorizing unimaginable amounts of money to fight a war and deny starving people only a fraction of that money. Only human beings can twist and manipulate words to justify their position. Only human beings believe that God is omnipotent, yet choose to defend Him; they believe that God is omniscient, yet choose to define Him; they believe that God is omnipresent, yet give Him a location to reside. It is because we possess both the godly (divine) qualities and demonic (worldly) qualities.

It is in human life alone (while we live) that we can perform deliberate and voluntary actions to alter our destiny. So what keeps us from having global peace? There are two major stumbling blocks in the pursuit of global peace: Arrogance of power and human greed (individual and corporate). This may sound an oversimplification, but all problems seem to reduce to only these two factors, which great man all through the history have also noted as the typical human problems. We revere Jesus Christ, Mahatma Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, and Dalai Lama, but only provide a lip service to their ideals. It is in the interests of politicians that to maintain their power they keep poor people poor by giving them false assurances and keep rich people richer by yielding to their interests. We pursue these demonic human qualities because of our attachment to the objects of the world and our actions.

Sanaatana Dharma and Dharma

It is difficult to define dharma, because every action and principle that supports all life is dharma. It is the very way of life for the highest good. In Shantiparva portion of Mahaabhaarata (109.9-11), there is a statement about dharma:

Taadrishoyamanuprashno yatra dharmah sudurlabhah

dushkarah pratisankhyaatum tatkenaatra vyavasyati

prabhavaarthaaya bhootaanaam dharmapravanam kritam

yah syaatprabhavasamyuktah sa dharma iti nishcayah

It is most difficult to define dharma. Dharma has been explained to be that which helps the upliftment of living beings. Therefore, that which ensures the welfare of living beings is surely dharma. The ancient seers have declared that which sustains is dharma

Dharma is a Sanskrit word with no equivalent in any other language. It is derived from the Sanskrit root dhri (to hold), and therefore, dharma stands for that which holds existence of a thing. That is the essential nature of a thing without which a thing cannot hold its existence. To understand deeper meaning of dharma, we have to study the ancient texts of Bharat (India). Only then one begins to get some understanding. Dharma is an ideal to strive for, or in general, an ideal for all humanity. Dharma is a universal ethic, the eternal truth evolved over time to suit the prevailing space, time and mind conditions, which should govern every human endeavor resulting in the universal good. Dharma is the foundation for the welfare of humanity; it is the truth that is stable for all time. When dharma is not upheld, the world is afflicted by anger, greed, hatred and fear, and undergoes stormy revolutions.

The concept of dharma lies in rita, the law and order of the world and its progression as it follows a course of events. Rita stems from Sanaatana Dharma (eternal precept) and is therefore eternal. Sanaatana Dharma introduces rita as the ultimate order for maintenance and preservation of the manifested universe. Sanaatana Dharma offers order for the maintenance and preservation of the sentient manifested universe in its specific space, time and mind conditions. Consequently, conformity to Sanaatana Dharma is the only right order or right virtue, and disobedience to Sanaatana Dharma is disorder or evil. The application of Rita in vyavahaara (established rules and practices) of human beings (also an outcome of manifestation), in their various stages of life and stations in a society, is dharma (that which supports and sustains).

Rita includes the past order but does not exclude the current progress. Therefore, any evolving rita, rule or order for the maintenance of a group in any order (braahmana, kshtriya, vaishya and shudra), is dharma. People in different groups such as family, organizations, cities, states and countries follow rita to live in harmony with each other. For example, families follow certain traditions, religious and moral values, and others; organizations adopt rules and charters based on religious beliefs and others; cities and states have certain laws and ordinances based on moral values and others; and countries have laws and constitutions based on moral values and others. However, the boundary conditions of rita may not be consistent with individual nature during social situations and political conditions. Therefore, intentional and deliberate effort in adjusting individual nature to live in harmony with their environment (other people with different family traditions, organizational affiliations, cities with different laws, and countries with different constitutions) for peaceful and harmonious coexistence is dharma.

The application of rita in human conduct in their various stages of life and stations in society is dharma. Correspondingly, dharma represents practical approaches (in space, time and human mind) for adopting Sanaatana Dharma in different family traditions, business transactions, and trade practices under all social and political conditions. The most practical approach lies in its derivative, the Samaanya Dharma (general precept), “Do not do unto others that you wouldn’t want to be done unto you.” Dharma is dynamic, inclusive and evolving. Every human being on this earth is an order of Sanaatana Dharma by virtue of being so. Universality of Sanaatana Dharma lies in allowing a person to choose and do what is right by one’s own free will, the basis for our peaceful existence.

Dynamics of dharma is always in tune with the social pulse and offers a conscious choice for an individual to live in harmony with the rest of the environment. Law and order, duty, righteous conduct, religious principles, engagement and enjoyment in religion, the code of ethics, justice, compassion, truthfulness, discipline, social merit, cleanliness, and one's natural occupation all comprise dharma in space-time continuum. It is by living a life of dharma that each element of the world, human beings and the environment, is connected with each other and provides ways and means to live together in harmony for collective growth. Therefore, in the today’s polarized world of the Haves and Have nots, and the powerful and powerless, while we must share our resources in global trade to fulfill our common need for food, water and energy, dharma offers the single most effective choice for global peace and a sustainable society.

Dharma protects Dharmi

Dharmis are people who follow dharma in their conduct. People are protected by the law, so long as they follow the law. There is a statement in Manusmriti, “Dharmo rakshti rakshitah (If you protect dharma, it protects you).” Dharma is that which supports existence of an object. For a human being, it is individual nature; for a group and the city, it is the group law, bye-laws or charter; for a nation, it is the constitution; and for the world, it is Sanaatana Dharma, the basis of dharma.

Just as a thread that goes through different beads and holds them together as one rosary, so does dharma hold together people of different faiths, races and cultures together as humankind. Just as the beads come apart and they cease to be a rosary when the physical thread holding them together breaks, so do human beings come apart and they cease to be humankind if the invisible thread of dharma holding them together breaks. The only way to maintain the integrity of a necklace is if the thread of dharma is kept strong. Correspondingly, it is by following dharma alone that can assure proper maintenance of human race. It behooves on all of us as responsible members of human race to recognize this and maintain the integrity of this necklace of human beings.

Dharma is preservation principle ingrained in our biological and psychological make up since we first appeared on earth. It is expressed in our respect for law and order. Our sense of responsibility stems from this knowledge of preservation principle. It is our collective responsibility to protect dharma that protects the rule of law for harmonious living. Living in a modern society with complex social, political and economic systems, it is therefore of paramount importance that we must exercise dharma to elect good leaders of high integrity and character. Then it becomes the dharma of leaders to protect the rights of all citizens by creating an environment that promotes human values. The policies must allow evenhanded treatment of all parties in commercial trade by rooting out corruption and developing equitable monetary and fiscal policies. The citizens can then freely pursue their needs for security, pleasure and spiritual growth and excel in their respective fields of endeavor.

Intent of dharma is to bring good to all concerned in a group. It does so by offering a satisfactory alternative to an established order adjusted to accommodate a change brought into the order due to a family circumstance, social situation or political condition. At any given space and time condition, an individual belongs to a stage in life and an order of society with a corresponding dharma. The four stages of life (Brahmacharya – student life, Grihastha – family life, Vaanaprastha – retirement, and Sannyaasa – preparation for spiritual pursuit) and the four orders of society (Braahmanas – the intellectuals and the learned ones in the scriptures, Kshatriyas – rulers, administrators and warriors, Vaishyas – business folks in science, technology, medicine and agriculture and traders, and Shudras – laborers) are as relevant today as they were when conceived in the Vedic times.

Three of the human endeavors of dharma, artha, kaama are pursued in the Grihastha stage. This is the most important and demanding stage in human life. It is in a family setup that two people from different families and backgrounds decide to live together by choice. Dharma of this stage is to develop mutual love through trust and understanding. Dharma for this stage also calls for spiritual pursuits of service to others, charity and devotional practices. Sannyaasa is most conducive to pursue the fourth human endeavor, moksha (freedom from the cycle of birth and death).

A Vaishya, by nature and learned skills, is inclined to produce food, do business, make the commerce flow, and develop communication links for the society or the country into global economy. Vaishyas display the quality of accord with all. Their greatest contributions may be the spread of education and healthcare by opening schools and hospitals. But the created wealth must be used for the promotion of worthy causes. The basis of all worthy causes is actions pursued with dharma (righteousness).

In this way, the whole society works by the co-operative effort of these four orders. Each human being participates in the well-being of society according to his/her own swadharma (nature and training) with corresponding rules. Such a social order was designed for maintaining dharma (order) for the entire society, prerequisite being that the members do their dharma (duty) based on their stage in life and order in society. The wealth of the society continues to grow and is distributed in a manner commensurate with the responsibility associated with the order and agreeable to all. If each society adheres to its dharma, the welfare of the world will undoubtedly be assured.

Dharma as a way of life

Within each stage of life and order of society, any interaction between a human being and his environment (human beings, objects and events) is governed by his aachaara (conduct and behavior) and vyavahaara (established rule or practice). Both aachaara and vyavahaara are nothing more than rendering of duty consistent with dharma to support and sustain the society. There are statements in Manusmriti, “Dharma eva hato hanti (Those who destroy dharma get destroyed). Tasmaad dharmo na hantavyo ma no dharmo hatovadheet (Therefore dharma should not be destroyed so that we may not be destroyed as a consequence thereof).” If some members of a society are either treated unfairly or they refuse to perform their duties due to family circumstances, social situations or political conditions, adharma (disorder) sets in. Unless dharmic actions (order, equitable rule of law, justice) are employed to correct the situation, the welfare and security of the world is endangered. The dictates of aachaara and vyavahaara in day-to-day life come from Manusmriti and Mahaabhaarata:

Ahimsaa satyamasteyam shaucamindriyanigrahah

etam saamaasikam dharma chaturvarn yebraveenmanuh

Manusmriti (10.63)

Non-violence, truthfulness, not stealing, purity and control of senses are, in brief, the common dharma for all the varnas.

Akrodhah satyavacanam samvibhaagah kshamaa tathaa

Prajanah sveshudaareshu shaucamadroha eva cha

Aarjavambhrityabharanam navaite saarvavarnikaah

Shaantiparva of Mahaabhaarata (6-8)

Not to be angry, truthfulness, sharing wealth with others, forgiveness, having children from one's wife alone, purity, absence of enmity, straightforwardness and taking care of dependent people are the nine rules of the dharma for people of all varnas.

It is said that dharma stands on four legs of satya (truth with meditation), dayaa (compassion with sacrifice), tapah (discipline, austerity with intense practice) and daana (charity and sharing with the underprivileged). Depending upon the state of affairs and the developing culture, a society may stand on one or all legs of dharma. One may ask what must be the way of life! It is simply living in dharma. To live in dharma is to live healthy, ethically, harmoniously, and with stability. People normally refer to various duties, rights and obligations, but this is not living in satya, the highest dharma.

Duties, responsibilities and obligations are only the means, interpretations and regulations for an individual. The family, the societies and the nations make them complicated. The politicians further sensitize them by emphasizing rights. Ultimately satya resolves swadharma into the aachaara and vyavahaaraa of two forces of creation: male principle and female principle. The purushadharma (dharma for the male) and stridharma (dharma for the female) take away the ambiguities and interpretations away from the duties, rights and obligations. Let us make observations about the state of human society, the reason for conflicts and how the conflicts may be resolved by the application of dharma.

The present human society

In every age and in every society there is group culture that dictates human behavior. We live in very interesting time in history that is dominated by information. Human intelligence has risen to an all time high. The application of high technology appliances, gadgets and tools at home or place of work is the norm. There is not enough time or regard left for human values. We’ve become capable of justifying any unacceptable behavior in polished words. Simultaneously, common people cannot openly discuss obvious unacceptable behavior people in positions of power because of fear of unpleasant repercussion. As a group, we’ve forgotten our shared responsibility to regard, practice and maintain dharma (human values) as the fundamental sustaining principle. What is about our society today that we’ve forgotten our shared responsibility?

We’ve created a value system in which ‘wealth’ and not ‘care’ for the fellow man that assures status in society. Paradoxically, we call ourselves civilized. Our social institutions value wealth as a parameter for success. The economic well being of a society depends upon access to products (food, education, healthcare, transportation and entertainment, etc.) that are traded for money. Since one can buy almost anything with money, including respect, honor and fame, it has become a treasured value. Consequently, we are attached to money more so than our duty toward parents, siblings, friends, spouses and children. While attachment to money and wealth is an individual action, using money as a means of trade is a group value. And that takes us away from the values that make us human beings.

There are several examples in my personal life and I am sure in everyone’s life where values were compromised for some monetary gain. It may be a job interview or renewal of an existing contract where one may exploit one’s physical attributes or skills to negotiate a higher monetary compensation. It may be contribution to a political candidate’s campaign in return for an oversight of a policy in favor of the contributor compromising national interests. It may be an outlawed Hindu marriage proposal where a groom or groom’s parents may demand dowry compromising sanctity of marriage and future relationship. It may be honoring a contract where one party may unilaterally refuse to entertain further discussion for monetary gains compromising fairness. It may be a prenuptial contract where one spouse does not want to share their assets compromising trust and love. It may be greedy friends or relatives trying to take advantage of a decent person for monetary gains compromising human integrity.

We’ve created a society in which we regard people to be smart in beating the system: in the purchase of a commodity, business transaction or taxes and to get away with everything we can. We’ve even gone to the extent of admiring this feature in an employee and a leader alike, rewarding ‘aggressiveness’ as a sought after quality. To climb up the social ladder, we can lie, cheat and disregard the only virtue that separates us from the lower life forms, sensitivity for the fellow human being. To a large extent, it is the regard for money in our social system that has allowed spread of negative values of lust, anger, greed, infatuation, jealousy, and hatred. It is up to us whether we fall in for these attitudes or grow our awareness to adopt good human values. Animals do not suffer from these vices.

Taking advantage of those in vulnerable situations has become a universal way of life. Some of the most common examples are: the oppressor in a country taking advantage of the people he oppresses, the powerful taking advantage of the weak he rules, the rich taking advantage of the poor who owes. These situations are the cause of the birth of a revolution or in extreme cases that of terrorism. Revolution or terrorism is born because of unjust treatment of Have-nots by the Haves. Any law that is not just for all is bound to fail. Any law that is skewed to favor a few is time-bound. Let us consider two of the most important considerations for the global peace: the man-made powerful and the powerless and economics and global trade.

The powerful and the powerless

The modern day democracies have a system of checks and balances within the constitution. The constitutional law is no different from the establishment of dharma. However, dharma is ensured only when there are provisions in the constitution restraining the exercise of supremacy by any one of the divisions of the government or influence by a segment of society. The only way to prevent the abuse of power is if no ambiguous and independent interpretations of a law are made by any one of the divisions of the government. Otherwise, the government cannot ensure equal protection to the subjects without discrimination. The only way to ensure that a nation will not polarize into the two groups (of Haves and Have nots and/or the powerful and the powerless) is if the government itself protects the laws and conforms to the laws as well. It is possible if dharma is the supreme law of the state where the elected leaders and the subjects alike are ruled by the same law and responsibility is afforded based on one’s swadharma.

Dharma enters into the government through kshatriya dharma that establishes equal law for all. Kshatriya dharma calls for development of appropriate policies so as to be not influenced by interest groups which may compromise greater interest for all citizens. The elected heads of the states and other leaders must abide by dharma. It is only when they live in dharma and rule by dharma that people will live in dharma also. Therefore, it is the highest responsibility of the people to elect only those people who possess the highest moral and ethical values. Only then all citizens can expect equal justice. According to Manusmruti, “Just as the mother Earth gives an equal support to all living beings; a king must give support to his subject without discrimination.”

The oppressor, the powerful and the rich cannot enjoy happiness and peace until they are fair in their dealings. Fairness does not mean charity, nor does it mean handouts or welfare and definitely it does not mean selling weapons. Fairness means justice. Only justice and not power can stand the test of time and will prevail. What prevails is truth. Only justice holds the truth. In that sense both truth and justice mean the same thing. The only way for the stability and order is Vishnu principle that calls for preservation of what has been created. That sustaining principle is called universal love, because only universal love can be impersonal and unconditional.

In the great epic Raamaayana, Lord Raama was the ideal king. Raama Raajya (an ideal system of government governed by a constitution that was dharma) provided each citizen a framework to fulfill to their highest potential in their pursuits of dharma, artha and kaama. Lord Raama embodied dharma by the performance of his responsibilities and in his vyavahaara for social justice. He was an ideal son, an ideal husband and an ideal ruler. That is why Lord Raama is the ideal person to aspire for by every student, every son, every husband, and every ruler. Many rulers have aspired to emulate Lord Raama and to establish Raama Raajya for their governments in rendering social justice and in regulating the affairs of the state, but human failings have kept them from fulfilling their objectives.

Wars, Global Trade and Dharma

History is replete with stories of wars for ideology, faith, territorial disputes and sharing of resources. Only wars fought for fairness, justice and protection of equitable rights are dharma. One cannot kill the aatman (the soul), so killing sharira (body that is perishable) for a bigger cause, such as the family, society, country and humanity is dharma. Today, there are two major forces at play: forces of terrorism deployed against the powerful to disrupt their normal lifestyle and the global trade, and the forces of the powerful countries trying to enforce their ideology and their system of law and order. What is at stake is our common need for clean air, potable water, food, fuel for transportation and power. Global scarcity of water and oil and/or its distribution has increased risk for global conflicts, especially the poor nations and the disenfranchised poor people. Political violence often erupts from border disputes or scarce natural resources or shortages in needed commodities. It is only dharma that dictates the conflicting parties to sit side by side to establish specific law and order to satisfy the needs for each group.

Whereas, the intent of the global trade is to increase productivity of developing countries and increase competition that will result in lowering costs, in the interim, however, it has resulted in polarizing the trading countries into the rich and the poor, and making the gap bigger than before. Workers, in the laboring communities and countries, are being exposed to degraded environment, and the poor countries have to devalue their currencies to compete. Dharma enters into the global trade through vaishya dharma that sets the terms for the highest good for all trading partners. Vaishya dharma calls for appropriate policies for those workers who are adversely affected among the trading partners. Vaishya dharma encourages free trade for consumer goods among trading communities just as in supermarkets or flea markets where a common person can trade at different levels of buying capacity.

During the periods of reflection regarding our interaction with the environment we develop understanding about our nature in relation to the environment and norms that are conducive for living in harmony. The interactions make us aware about the needs of the environment and our responsibility for its wellbeing. We develop the sense of right and wrong and we begin to follow dharma. The sense of right in today’s culture is reflected in the recent observations.

Recent observations

Many events of our recent past have intrigued and puzzled us because of their worldwide impact. Those events have become the media’s favorite obsession. Even with extreme media coverage and investigations with prohibitive costs there are still unsettling questions about the intent of all those actions, the actions committed and the consequence of actions. The human judgment has not satisfied our quest for what is right. In the following I’m going to delineate some recent observations that are deviations from dharma.

1. The brainwashing behind the dramatic display of intense hate to avenge a perceived injustice resulting in dramatic destruction of life and property.

2. The arrogant application of an extraordinary force to quell an unfounded threat and imposition of a value system on the other ignoring universal opinion.

3. The wisdom of brainwashing people for the continued application of an imposing force to claim victory.

4. The display of unproven, yet most plausible and circumstantial, evidence for a homicide where the forces of law were at odds with the forces of wealth.

5. The sheer display of intense will and self-serving moral values backed by powerful bureaucratic machinery to destroy an irresponsible act of foolishness undermining decency.

6. The brainwashing to misconstrue a fair taxation to be equivalent to spreading the wealth around, as if that is an evil act.

7. The fairness for two people spending eight hours a day at the job to have a salary differential of several orders of magnitude.

8. The brainwashing behind disregarding fair taxation (which is really social justice) as socialism and branding it as some evil way of life.

9. A dialog with the opponent is considered as being threat to peace.

10. All major corporations have been caught for in one of the charges: tax-evasion, intentional accounting mismanagement, prohibiting CEO compensation and corruption.

The observations quoted above are deviations from dharmic conduct responsible for creating misconceptions in any society. A few of the most common misconceptions are noted in the following:

The first misconception is the first misconception is the notion that only the poor and the uneducated people commit wrong and evil actions. We all know from the many recent incidents that everyone is capable of committing wrong actions. It is just that the poor people, unlike their rich counterparts, do not have access to the resources and the veils of bureaucracy to defend them and their acts become visible by association. In the past forty years, I’ve observed that there is no major corporation that has not been charged with at least one of these charges: anti-trust, tax-evasion, financial mismanagement and other corrupt actions. The underlying factor in all of those cases is corporate greed. A responsible question to resolve is that if the rich are rewarded to keep their loot on the basis of twisted reasoning, why should the poor be sent to jail for stealing items insignificant in value?

The second misconception is that display of power by confrontation in a war is the answer to resolve any conflict. The facts are different from the pages of history. Oppressive regimes have not been able achieve anything by violence except satisfaction of their inflated that ego that results in killing their own people and destruction of their own property. Power cannot achieve any objective by violence because their arrogance only results in loss of life and property but does not change human minds. Terrorists cannot achieve any objective by violence except their hatred and jealousy only results in loss of life and property and a wave of violence by the power to keep that from happening. Crimes committed on the name of religion are acts of bigotry and they too have not been able to change minds.

Therefore the strength should not be looked as a capacity to commit violence. An individual or a society should not indulge in unprovoked violence. At the same time one should not allow others to do violence on us. Allowing violence to be done to oneself is also violence. Exercise of violence to deprive the other of their rightful share or right is not justified either. An individual, a society or a nation sufficiently strong to commit violence choosing not to do so out of restraint and compassion is nonviolence. Strength of a nation is inherent in its capacity to resist engaging into war. But how must a person, community or a nation handle conflicts?

How to resolve conflicts?

All human beings do not think alike or feel alike. Consequently, there is no escape from having to encounter differences. Differences can lead to intolerance; intolerance can lead to confrontation; and hostile confrontation can, and often does lead to conflict. The objects that put one on the path of confrontation and conflict are therefore very important in understanding 'conflict.' Equally important are the means (tactics and instruments) that one uses to engage in conflict. Both, the objects and the means of conflict affect the individual as well as the society or the nation in which, or on behalf of which one (individual or a country) wants to engage in conflict. Simultaneously, the problems due to differences cannot be solved simply by saying that conflicts are inevitable in the life of the individual and the society.

Science and technology have given us weapons that individuals, societies and nations can use to cause mass destruction, wipe out vast populations and inflict death and suffering on generations that may survive. We must not use science and technology to invent such weapons to enforce our views and our will on those who differ, and expose the human species to the threat of extinction. War monger individuals, communities and countries have created the belief that disputes can be settled only by violence and war. The wars deplete enormous resources and cause unimaginable destruction; their effects persist for a long duration of time. They affect all: the instigator, the warring parties, and the vast mass of innocent people who are not responsible for these decisions, but live in areas controlled by the other two.

We live in a complex world with extremes in the standards of living in the midst of primeval strong beliefs and: awe-inspiring technological progress, weapons of mass- destruction with capacity to annihilate the cities and the nations, and our willful denial of human values. While we are confronted with is our ability to adjust in the world of contrasts, commonsense thinking is being brainwashed with provocative selfish rhetoric by politicians. Many of our conflicts result from: a) Economic disparity that has created wasteful affluence and extreme poverty, b) Technological progress that has created human isolation and depersonalization of mega-cities, c) Computer simulation of virtual pleasures that has created extra-human emotional gratification, d) Religious, cultural, and ethnic hatred and intolerance, e) Sale of technology and weapons of mass destruction that has created rogue nations. The answer lies in following the rita and dharma. Rita appears as intent to follow the law and order; and dharma is satisfied by rendering individual duties.

If we all did our duty, the question of rights does not arise, because individual rights are taken care of through the duties performed by the rest. Duties are picked up through natural skills required at a particular station and stage in life. Duty of the head of state of a country is to protect its citizenry against armed aggression. He calls upon its armed forces to defend the country under situations that warrant protection. However, nonviolence or non-harming is the highest virtue, and the highest duty. How can this be duty if no action is to be performed? Because, it refers to an attitude of harming no one even those attacking us. Is it passive? Just think, does it not require tremendous effort to resist reaction if provoked?

Nonviolence draws strength from moral principles by using courage and fearlessness to protect the good, destroy the evil and maintain law and order. In that sense one may have to commit violence out of compassion to protect the good, to destroy the evil and to maintain law and order so that justice prevails. That is the right use of violence and is still called nonviolence because that results in nonviolence. Consequently, there is only one reason for which a war can be fought, if it is fought for dharma (to do justice for the stability of the society). What is justice? It is equal and same law for all people. War may be fought to maintain order and justice.

How do following moral principles give strength? Moral values provide strength of truth, our origin. When Gandhi found out that there could not be two laws under one rule, he discovered the truth. When he found out that the only thing that was keeping him from truth was his possessions, he gave them all up and now he was free. And truth built his character and strength.

Violence is a reflection of our lower mind, instincts – fear, anger, greed, jealousy and hate. They all have a basis in our ego that separates us from the rest with the thoughts of mine and yours, success and failure and winner and loser. Peace is a reflection of our common origin (God consciousness). It comes when our higher mind takes charge of the lower mind. Until we have peace in our own heart, we can’t hope for peace in the world. It is the natural state of our mind. It is inside all of us, it is to be experienced, to be realized, to be discovered in meditation, maintained through self-control, and then radiated out to others. The non-injury is the first and foremost ethical principle. It is gentleness and nonviolence, whether physical, mental or emotional. It is abstaining from causing hurt or harm to all beings.

In the light of the above discussion, the following factors must be understood to resolve and mitigate conflicts:

1. There is no difference and no conflict that cannot be resolved through discussion alone.

All it requires is recognizing wisdom to understand the problem and willingness to resolve it through discussion alone. The decision to be antagonist under the influence of power is shortsightedness. The results of engaging in a war are and always will be devastating. Would any one of us kill our brother, sister, parents or children if any one of them disagree with us? People who give their lives when fighting for a cause such as the country, a principle such as justice, or peace are also connected to the rest of us as brothers, sisters, parents and children.

2. Trust can be built only through love that provides a suitable environment for a dialog to understand conflicting viewpoints.

In every family there are differences and misunderstandings. If we care for each other, we refuse to bring up issues that further aggravate the situation and wait for suitable times after the anger cools down and we are able to talk to each other without losing temper. In the same manner, the larger social and political issues can be solved by easing tensions and then engaging into dialogs, rather than promoting hostility by regarding the other as unsuitable for negotiation.

3. Fundamental obstruction to peace is injustice.

Would any one of us be satisfied if injustice is done to us? The philosophy of rewarding aggressive and greedy people for winning a contract, for building a corporation to satisfy a few people by illegal, unethical and immoral means is against rita and dharma. It has all the makings of an unstable society as has been discovered recently. There are oppressed and powerless people including the poor, illiterate, sick and elderly folks who do not have any voice in the mainstream. If a concerned person, group or a nation picks up their cause, they do not become outcast, socialists or terrorists.

4. The core human values in all faiths, races and cultures are same.

Human values come into play through human conduct. We all are different, because we are born in different geographical locations, different climates, different faiths, different cultures, and different political conditions. Irrespective of our origin, if we treat the other with respect, the chances are very high that the other will treat us with respect as well. The golden rule for human interaction is, “Do not do unto others, what you may not like to be done unto you.” That is the practice of achaara and vyavahaara in human conduct.

5. The United Nations Manifesto 2000, called for this decade to be a “Culture of Peace for the Children of the World”. 

It calls for: Respect all Life, Reject Violence, Share with Others, Listen to Understand, Preserve the Planet, and Rediscover Solidarity.

6. Ayur-Living Education

Ayur-Living is a mode of living that allows fulfillment in life by attaining perfect health compromised by the environmental effects. In the sense of fulfillment, perfect health implies physical wellbeing, mental balance and spiritual awareness. Ayur-Living begins from the basic understanding of who we are, recognizes the importance of being in harmony with the environment and prepares us to develop a sense of what a healthy body, calm mind and a sharp intellect can do to realize our natural potential. The sense of wellbeing is developed through a set of disciplined actions that allow one to activate body's natural healing processes.

When thinking is clear and no universal values are compromised, there is no basis for mistakes or sickness and no impediments for pursuits. The practice of Ayur-Living results in an increase in energy and inner strength to bring out inner beauty. It propels individuals to endeavor into realizing their fullest potential without compromising dharma and promoting harmonious living with the environment. Principles of Ayur-Living form the basis to develop intentions for peace; its practice transforms human thinking to a peaceful coexistence.

7. Some statements on peace by great men:

"If we wish to create a lasting peace we must begin with the children."

Mahatma Gandhi

"If we are to live together in peace, we must come to know each other better."

Lyndon B Johnson

"Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be kept by understanding."

Albert Einstein

"Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others."

John F Kennedy

"The Holy Prophet Mohammed came into this world and taught us: 'That man is a Muslim who never hurts anyone by word or deed, but who works for the benefit and happiness of God's creatures. Belief in God is to love one's fellow men.'"

Abdul Ghaffar Khan

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” 

Martin Luther King Jr. 

“Chaos occurs when human rights are not respected.” 

Andrew Young  

“No leader is going to give us peace, no government, no country.  What will bring peace is inward transformation which will lead to outward action.  Inward transformation is not isolation, is not a withdrawal from outward action.  On the contrary, there can only be right action when there is right thinking and there is no right thinking when there is no self- knowledge.  Without knowing yourself, there is no peace.”

Krishnamurti 

“One of the most persistent ambiguities that we face is that everybody talks about peace as a goal.  However, it does not take sharpest-eyed sophistication to discern that while everybody talks about peace, peace has become practically nobody’s business among the power-wielders.  Many men cry Peace! Peace! But they refuse to do the things that make for peace.

Martin Luther King, Jr.  

8. Reflections on Peace from Vedic Perspective:

The Vedic Concept of Peace is summarized by Swami Bhaskarananda as follows: The rulers think that punishing the peace-breakers will bring peace. The oppressed think that eliminating the oppressors will ensure peace. The nations think that destroying or subduing the enemy nations will create peace. But the wise say that ever-enduring peace can never be obtained through external means. One who has found inner peace has indeed found peace that abides forever. Through spiritual discipline alone this inner peace can be acquired. One who has found peace within transmits peace to others by one’s own life’s example. Therefore, say the wise, may all try to create peace within, before trying to create any temporary or superficial peace in the world through external means.

The Vedic seers saw the wisdom of affirming peace for any activity, such as at a meeting, a meal or a prayer. It is a common practice to utter the word Shanti (Peace) thrice at the end of every prayer. The practice indicates the three dimensions of peace, namely the individual peace (for the soul), peace from the gods (for the mind) and peace from the five elements, namely, the earth, water, fire, air, and the ether (for the body). When all these are in peace, they make a person's life peaceful. The Vedic seers did not see life in isolation. They considered themselves as part of the whole. Hence they sought peace in the whole universe. A quotation from the Vedas reads, “Vasudeva Kutumbakam – The whole world is one family.”

We can not talk about peace in isolation or without context. The philosophy of inequitable utilization of the Earth’s resources by the military and economic power is flawed; the notion that humans everywhere may not aspire to equal rights will exact its full price. The same is true of the events of 9/11 and of the attacks everywhere: if there is a war, there would be a consequence; if consumerism is imposed on cultural values, there would be a consequence; if there is injustice, there would be a consequence. It is only in the purview of power to maintain justice. Otherwise it goes against our creed, “In God we trust.” Will we still believe in an almighty God who is unjust?

Satya Sai Baba of Puttaparti in India says, “If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character there will be harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home there will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.” He further says, “Through world peace, individual peace too can be cultivated. When food is taken by the hand to the mouth, chewed and swallowed, the essence spreads to every part of the body. So also, if the hands are changed in acts promoting peace, and the tongue engaged in prayers for peace, by these two means the essence of peace will spread to all parts of the world, which is but the body of the Lord. The peace of the world is the basis for genuine peace.”

The development of a receptive mind to live in peace with the environment (family, society, nation or the world) is prerequisite to living in peace. The simple philosophy of “live and let live” alone can change our mindset to look at others just like us. History can testify that no powerful nations, no oppressors, and no terrorists have been able to achieve their objectives or change the minds of people except satisfying their arrogance, supremacy or blind faith, except the destruction of life and property.

Exploitation of the underprivileged and not represented for the pursuit of selfish motives comes from the ignorance of the universal values and misinterpretation of dharma. But Vishnu (dharma, the preservation principle) itself is invoked to destroy the evil and protect the good and to maintain order. And when the manifestation becomes so disorderly that Vishnu is incapacitated, Shiva (life and death principle) destroys all disorder with the blink of an eye.

Let us try to understand a conflict. Any difference can lead to intolerance, buried intolerance can lead to confrontation, and sometimes confrontation can become hostile leading to conflict. We need to understand the very basis of conflict, which is difference. The differences that really cause conflict are: human suffering, injustice and religious superiority. An appropriate resolution can be offered once the cause is known. Vedas offer some basic value system that affords means that conflict may not even occur.

Om maa bhraataa bhraatram dvikshan maa swasaaramutasvasaa,

Samayam chah saptataa bhootvaa vaacham vadata bhadryaa.

May we have good understanding with our neighbors and the members of our community. May our intellect lead us along the path of righteousness and generate the attitude of truth, service and cooperation in us.

Vedas have long professed, Aatmavat sarvabhooteshu – Look upon all beings as your own self.

Since 9/11, the demonstrations that we’ve all witnessed bear testimony to the new awareness of the futility and dangers of violent conflict, in particular war as a weapon to settle disputes. There is no winner in a war; it is only political brainwashing by the warring parties. Conflicts lead to violence that leads to the destruction of life and property. Any perceived conflict is prone to violent conflict because of poor understanding of the other or the superiority of our own. Therefore all differences must be resolved in the environment of a dialog.

People everywhere have become conscious and concerned about the risks that conflict brings and are interested in resolving conflicts. But some extremists and fundamentalists have vested interests to instigate differences in a sensitive manner which appeal to the economically marginalized and corrupt followers.

It becomes the duty of all governments, rulers and the leaders to use their power to curb all ideas which:

• promote the feelings of hate thru clever propaganda

• make available or allow the sale of the weapons of war

• promote the sense of martyrdom and eternal glory through war

The conflicts originate because of believed differences in the mind, because in mind alone the differences are perceived. Therefore, in the mind alone one can reconcile differences. The mind should be prepared to accept the benefits of peace through education. Most people are still living in conditions unsuitable for developing minds to grasp the benefits of living in peace. They are ignorant about their faiths, the progress made in science, technology and medicine, and human values. Only through education, they can become attuned to the spirit of good will, cooperation, and harmonious living.

Fundamental principles that would assure global peace

For most of us global peace is a utopian ideal which is unattainable. However, it is as simple as willingness to have it and as complex as a physical impossibility. The pursuit of ‘global peace’ is neither a waste of time nor an exercise in futility, because it is our ultimate test to qualify as human beings, otherwise we risk masking our divine origin by surfacing only our evil nature. Contrary to the conventional way of thinking, peace does not depend upon spending exorbitant amount of resources to build weapons of war, and employ them to defeat the enemy or crush the ideology not supported by the powerful. It is simply as cheap as willingness to have it.

Just as for smallest of the programs we’ve begun to exercise the idea of ‘thinking outside of the box’ employing non-conventional methods to solve a problem, in the same manner, ‘thinking outside of the box’ may make intractable ‘global peace’ a tenable way of living. The fundamentals of this approach are rather simple. It considers practice of three human values. First, the human mind must be quieted down and brought into focus for the cherished human goal of ‘global peace.’ It is possible by the only force in the world known to do so. And that force is the human value, called Love.

Right from the childhood, we must be taught that we are a part of the whole. It is possible only by developing a feeling that if I hurt the other, I’m hurting myself. Correspondingly, the only way to protect myself is by protecting the other (human beings, animals, plants and the environment) and not by their annihilation. And that brings us to the second human value is called Nonviolence. Also, right from the childhood, we must be taught about our uniqueness and our differences from the other. During our interactions with others if we want to be treated right, we must treat the other with respect first. And that human value is called, Right Conduct.

Even with all that global peace is not possible without their supporting basis. That supporting basis is dharma (human conduct) for the government and the people alike. For dharma to hold, the government must preserve, protect and defend justice. Any government that fails to do justice is an ineffective government. The law must be based upon the eternal laws that do not change with space, time or human mind. Any law that is not universalizing is an ineffective law. The law must be the same for all: the government and the people. Accordingly, the people must exercise their duty to elect only those people as leaders, who can in all sincerity preserve, protect and defend justice. When government fails to do justice, it gives incentive to people to engage in unlawful activities. In the Vedas, it is said, ‘Atmavat Sarvabhooteshu’, look upon all beings as your own self. Dharma in justice is maintained when we (government and the people) consider us connected together. If we are unjust to the other, we are unjust to us.

The second supporting factor to uphold dharma is that neither the government, nor the people can have unlimited freedom. We all pursue certain endeavors in life to fulfill two basic needs: the need for security, and the need for pleasure. A steady and suitable employment may assure adequate income to provide for food, house, automobile and insurance to satisfy our needs for security. However, there is no upper limit to the extent of the type house, automobile and insurance that one may want above the needs. As far as the need for the pleasure of the senses, there is no lower limit to appease the need at a satisfactory level. The upper limit may, however, correspond to the capacity and functionality of the particular sense of perception. It is our common understanding that material prosperity allows freedom toward fulfilling the needs and wants for security and pleasure. The real freedom implies a natural state of contentment, at any level of fulfillment of the needs, and that means the absence of wants (our material nature). The government must make sure that those who fail to find jobs are employed in civic projects and infrastructure development.

Freedom also lies in following the law. In as much as we follow them we feel free. For example, as long as we drive within the posted speed limits on a highway, there is no cause for any alarm and we feel alright. When we break the law by going over the posted speed limit, we feel anxious about the possibility of a policeman catching us and giving us a ticket for speeding, and thus we are not free. There may also be certain rules and laws that are outdated. In general, however, we are free in as much as we follow the laws. Dharma in freedom means considering the law to be our own.

Each one of us in justice and in freedom, allowed to fully bloom, can take our world to unimaginable heights of accomplishments. Therefore, energies of subjugation and domination only delimit human potential. We must disallow fear-based tactics to pursue personal agenda of staying in power and corporate greed to amass what really comes from collective effort. These two factors will drive human beings to achieve medical, technological, and artistic mastery for the benefit and comfort of mankind. We will come to an understanding that harmony means inclusiveness of all communities of faith, race and culture without losing uniqueness of any. Ultimately, to achieve peace we must all desire peace.

• The nations must desire to live in peace

• The citizens must desire to live in peace

• The families must desire to live in peace

• The individual must desire to live in peace

The quality of living in harmony or balance with the environment around us in peace is possible by our willingness to do so. While willingness to live in peace may not come natural to all, a certain life-style can assuredly transform any human mind to accept the other and develop an attitude of forgiveness. We live in a world full of deep-rooted ignorance, hatred, jealousy and delusion that is brainwashed to use violence as a means to disturb harmony. These negative thoughts can be mitigated only through certain training that may attune people to their divine origin and arouse the sense of eternal connectivity that is forgotten.

Education must play a vital role to develop an understanding of human connectivity. It must revitalize our faith in the strength of moral principles so that collectively we help restore the social order and perform actions with an exclusively intent for the restoration of harmony. We must develop a mind to assimilate only the good, the auspicious and the divine. And we must discipline our mind to live in peace naturally.

In the order of priority, his education must be made mandatory for the children, the teachers, then the rulers, presidents, politicians and the leaders, followed by the rest.

The process to discipline the mind to live in peace

Ultimately, to achieve peace we must all desire peace. There are certain life-styles that train our mind to be calm and collected so that we are able to understand the environment around us and develop a feeling of interconnectedness. These life-styles prepare us to develop a healthy body, calm mind and a sharp intellect to realize our natural potential. A mind, disciplined with these life-styles, considers the pain of the environment as its own and becomes sensitive to its suffering. It outgrows the selfish nature and begins to accept responsibility for the environment. One such life-style is Ayur-Living offered at the Institute of Spiritual Healing.

Institute of Spiritual Healing (ISH)

ISH is a school dedicated to conduct and practice of techniques to develop Ayur-Living (AL). AL is an approach to bringing to awareness our inherent characteristic to be happy and complete. Whereas happiness is tied to fulfillment of an objective or achievement of a goal, completeness is a synonym with a state of accomplishment devoid of mistakes and failures in the process or path for a pursuit. When thinking is clear and no universal values are compromised, there is no basis for mistakes or sickness and no impediments for pursuits. Good health is one of the key elements necessary for our wellbeing leading to the state of happiness. AL allows one to develop a sense of wellbeing by following a life-style that finds basis in many cultures but mostly ignored. The term wellbeing is being used to imply a state of effectiveness in any situation of health or sickness.

AL begins from the basic understanding of who we are, to recognize the importance of being in harmony with the environment and prepare us to develop a sense of what a healthy body, calm mind and a sharp intellect can do to develop our unrealized potential. Living in a world of information overload it allows us to choose and be an effective participant based on our respective natures and acquired skills. It heightens our awareness to discriminate and use discretion for actions in life that are conducive to maintain a healthy body and a cool mind that in turn may provide feedback to develop awareness of what the body and mind may need for sustained happiness. The sense of wellbeing is developed through a set of disciplined actions that allow one to activate body's natural healing processes.

There is no active regimen or therapy and in that sense AL is not a prescriptive form of either modern or alternative medicine. It is best described as a collection of disciplinary tools that with practice add up to a state of wellbeing. It draws upon a variety of traditions ranging from the art of breathing to stimulate the five vital airs in the body, specific yoga postures contributing to aerobics, chanting of healing words and listening to healing tunes, meditation, well-experimented diet from Ayurvedic schools and visiting places of natural healing. In addition, there is emphasis on exploring new approaches, their suitability for AL and integrating them into workable routine.

The control of breath controls the fluctuations of mind. It brings to surface the interior wisdom that is dulled due to actions born of passion, anger and delusion. It promotes concentration and focus. Praanaayaama is an effective aid in the treatment of many chronic conditions heart ailments, hypertension, arthritis, and diabetes, reduction in a variety of cancerous growths, digestion and immune disorders. Yoga postures discipline the mind and the intellect to bring these to a state of equanimity and allow one to be in harmony with one’s environment. Yoga postures stimulate endocrine glands and restore their normal function.

Sound or vibration is a powerful force. The universal sounds during satang lead to harmony with the environment and help alleviate reactions to situations. By consistent and dhyaana (deep meditation), one can make one’s mind stress-free and restore body capacity to heal itself. The other benefits include relief from stress, anger, anxiety, depression, substance abuse and addiction. Dhyaana relieves fatigue and laziness. It takes one to one’s natural state of joy with awareness. It helps free the mind from desire(s) that make it restless and inconsistent and therefore realize the self within, a silent witness of it all.

With our own constitutive natures, each one of us can be one with the self within that is the same for all. Then there is no distinction between the knower, the knowledge and the known just like a red-hot iron ball in a kiln loses its distinction from the heat of the red-hot oven. We begin to see our connectivity with the rest and become sensitive to the pain and suffering of others as our own.

Regular practice of AL revitalizes body’s immune system. It aids in developing positive energy that increases efficiency and effectiveness leading to improved performance at work. It helps in achieving a healthy body, a sound mind and a reason for our existence. It relieves stress and leads to mental peace and happiness in life. It develops enthusiasm and focus in daily activities. If we’ve individual peace, global peace becomes inevitable. The contact information for the program is:

; info@; Tel: 256-604-6927 in the USA.

Om! Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih.

Summary

It is clear that dharma supports the society, maintains the social order, and assures well-being and the progress of the society. Dharma makes it possible for every human being to consciously accept the laws of the group, city and the country as if it is their law, making it easy for them to follow the rita.

Dharma is not restricted to any particular society or nation. Dharma is expressed as human conduct in all human endeavors at any stage in life or order of society. Dharma is an ordering principle which is independent of one’s faith, race or culture, and provides freedom in the chosen path for seeking the reality. Dharma applies to swadharma (the individual) as well as to raajyadharma (the government). Raajyadharma must assure that there is equal law for all.

Dharma has no prejudice or partiality; it is imbued with truth and justice. Human beings must adhere to dharma and make sure that they never deviate from dharma. The path of dharma requires that all human beings must give up hatred against each other and cultivate mutual concord and amity. Through concord and amity alone, the world will grow, day by day, into the state of happiness. If dharma (social justice) is well established, the world will be free from disquiet, indiscipline, disorder and injustice. Social justice relates to the physical needs and problems of human beings at the temporal level. Fair taxation, equal health care, and comparable salary structure are the avenues to curb corporate greed.

It is the responsibility of every nation to uphold and protect dharma in their dealings with the other nations. Dharma must be the basis to resolve global conflicts and international trade. In our common need for food, water and energy in international trade, the only law to abide by is dharma. Dharma governing international relations is the obvious starting point for such an exercise. Dharma demands that the local economies must not suffer in favor of international trade fulfilling the interests of major corporations. Global conflicts can be peacefully resolved through dialog and by putting an end to any trade that involves transacting the weapons of war.

Actions performed in accordance with dharma can only be good for all. Therefore, justice, righteousness, morality, virtue are the various forms of dharma expressed as Manudharma (dharma for the human race). Practical dharma or aachaaradharma (human behavior and conduct) relates to day-to-day interactions at all levels, beginning with stridharma (duties of a wife) and purushadharma (duties of a husband). Aachaaradharma is the basis of human interconnectedness. Dharma is the cosmic thread made into the beads of all social orders, including religious faiths, the cotton essence in all being God.

The only way to adopt dharma for success in achieving global peace is by developing a mind willing to live peacefully. One of the most effective ways to develop a peaceful mind is through the principles of Ayur-Living (; 256-604-6927).

These important factors to bring about global peace must be introduced through education. There is no better time to impart this education than at the young age when children have open minds ready to receive the teaching. Correspondingly, peace education must begin in schools. The peace programs should be offered to the children, teachers, leaders and all the rest alike.

References

1. Radhakrishnan and Moore, A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1957

2. Swami Nirvedananda, Hinduism at a glance, Advaita Ashrama, Ramakrishna Mission Calcutta Students’ Home, Calcutta, 1984

3. Jayadayal Goyandka, Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Gita Press, Gorakhpur, 1986

4. Arvind Sharma, An Indic Contribution Towards an Understanding of the Word “Religion” and the Concept of Religious Freedom, McGill University, 2002



5. Swami Prakashnand Saraswati, The True history and the Religion of India, Barsana Dham, Austin, TX, 2003

6. S Kalyanaraman, Universal ordering principle from vedic to modern times, Sarasvati Research Centre, 2006

7. Rama Jois, Dharmarajya or true government according to dharma,

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8. Sathya Sai Baba, Dharma Vahini , Sri Sathya Sai Baba Books and Publications Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, India

9. Laj Utreja, Who Are We?, AuthorHouse, 2006

10. Laj Utreja, Dharma, the Cosmic Thread, Paper 140, Session Din, Dao, or Dharma, World’s Religions after 911, Parliament of world Religions, Montreal, Canada, October 2006

11. Laj Utreja, What Is Our Origin?, AuthorHouse, 2007

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