Achievement of Peace

Achievement of Peace

by Swami Sivananda

You will find Mouna, solitude and non-mixing as great helpers in the achievement of peace.

Development of virtues like Daya, love, Karuna will remove the cruel nature of the heart. Pranayama, meditation and Vichara will check restless nature, will destroy emotions and passions. You will rest in peace. What is wanted is steady Abhyasa. You must not be hasty.

Peace comes gradually, slowly, stage by stage, step by step. Wait patiently.

PEACE AS GOD AND THE KEY TO IT

The way to peace is the way of tolerance, truth, understanding, purity and love.

Find peace within, first through discipline and meditation and then disseminate peace outside in the world.

God is peace. Root yourself in Peace or God. Now you are fit to radiate Peace.

The entire universe is one mass of Consciousness, for it is pervaded by the Atman.

PEACE THROUGH AVOIDANCE OF COMPARISONS

If you are earning one hundred rupees per month, do not compare yourself with a man who is earning five hundred rupees, per month. If you so compare, you will get discontentment. This will disturb the peace of mind.

Compare yourself with a man who is earning rupees twenty-five only per month. Thank God for having given you this present state. There is no end for your desires. Contentment alone can calm your restless mind. There is no wealth greater than contentment. Worldly ambitions are useless. Aim high. Aim at attaining Brahman. Have this highest spiritual ambition. This will annihilate all vain worldly ambitions. Worldly ambitions will land you in pain, sorrow and disappointment.

SAMAHITA CHITTA AND FREEDOM FROM WRONG MENTAL MODIFICATIONS

Give up evil company. Subdue lust, anger, avarice by constant effort. You will enjoy peace, joy and immortality.

He who has a balanced mind, (Samahita Chitta) is really a happy and strong man. One has to discipline the mind carefully for a long time. He may tumble down again and again. He may commit mistakes. But he will get sanguine success if he is vigilant, patient and persevering.

Balance is Jnana. The Gita says: – Nirdosham hi samam brahma. The Eternal is incorruptible and balanced.

Keep the mind cool always. Do not be irritated by petty things. Irritability is weakness. Balance is strength.

You should be entirely free from all sorts of Vikaras (evil modifications of the mind) at all times (Sarvada) even under the worst provoking conditions or adverse environments or circumstances and possess a balanced mind. Then only can you enter into deep meditation and Samadhi.

PEACE AMIDST DIN AND BUSTLE OF LIFE

By leading a forest-life you cannot attain the final emancipation. The deer, the tiger, the birds, though they lead a forest-life cannot attain salvation.

You must have a calm and desireless mind. You must possess dispassion, discrimination, faith, self-restraining, true renunciation. Then only can you have solitude even in the bustle of a city.

Even if you become the Emperor of the whole world, you can hardly enjoy real peace and bliss so long as you have cares, worry, anxiety, fear, lust, greed and desires.

IGNORANCE THE CAUSE OF PEACELESSNESS

Causes of grief by thousands and causes of fear by hundreds, day by day overwhelm the ignorant.

Knowledge of Atman alone can give real peace, happiness, and immortality. Therefore, conquer Maya. Realise Atman through meditation. Then you will become the real Emperor of emperors.

From ignorance or Avidya desire is born. To realise the objects of desire, man does Karmas or actions, likes some and dislikes others, expects fruits of his actions and is therefore bound to the wheel of birth and death.

Attain Brahma Jnana or Knowledge of Brahman or supreme Self. Pain, sorrow and suffering will cease. You will achieve bliss, immortal everlasting peace and perennial joy. You will be freed from birth and death.

MENTAL PEACE THROUGH NON-ATTACHMENT

The subject of non-attachment is of universal importance.

Attachment is the most powerful weapon of Maya for binding the Jivas to the Samsaric wheel of birth and death. You would have never come into this world, had it not been for attachment.

The attachment first starts with this physical body. Then all other attachments crop up. Then comes relationship of father, mother, brother, sister, wife, son, friend, etc.

One may be attached to a place, person, or an object. Wherever there is attachment, there is the idea of Mineness or Mamata. Attachment is a kind of very strong glue that binds the mind with the objects. Why does the mind get attached to objects or persons? Because it finds pleasure in objects or persons. Wherever there is pleasure, the mind gets attached there. It is attached to wife, son, house, property, money or a friend, because the mind finds pleasure in these objects.

Attachment is the root cause for human sufferings. It is the product of effect of ignorance or Avidya. It is a modification of nescience or ignorance.

It is attachment that brings us again into this Mrityuloka. The seeds of attachment are ingrained in the subconscious mind. We have to obliterate or fry up all these seeds through right thinking, Vichara and Atma-jnana. We have to cut all these illusory attachments through the sword of non-attachment or Vairagya. The Gita says, – Asangasastrena dridhena cchitva. – – Cut this tree of Maya with the sword of non-attachment. (Chapter XV)

Develop internal Vairagya by understanding the illusory nature of this world. Remember the pains of this Samsara, viz., birth, death, old age, diseases and miseries of this world. Place before the mind the glorious life in Atman and the immense bliss of a spiritual life. Remember the Saints and Yogins and Jnanis like Sri Sankara, Mansoor, Shams Tabriez, Jnana Dev and their teachings. Slowly the mind will be weaned from sensual objects. It can be gradually turned towards God and higher things. Have recourse to Satsanga.

Do Atma-Vichara. Meditate daily. That man who has no attachment in this world, is the most happy man. He is God Himself. His joy is indescribable. He must be adored.

MENTAL PEACE THROUGH CONTENTMENT

You all know the maxim, ‘A contented mind is a continual feast’. The mind is always restless on account of greed. Greed is a kind of internal fire that consumes a man slowly.

Contentment is a powerful antidote for the poison of greed. Just as a man who comes from a long walk in the sun is quite refreshed by taking a plunge in the Ganges, so also that greedy man who is burnt by the fire of Lobha, finds immediate joy and relief by a dip in the ambrosial water of contentment.

Although people know that contentment is a virtue that gives peace of mind, yet they do not try to develop this virtue. Because they have lost the power of discrimination and the power of Atmic enquiry or Vichara Sakti on account of passion and greed.

Contentment can never make you idle. It is a Sattvic virtue that propels man towards God. It gives strength of mind and peace. It checks unnecessary and selfish exertions. It opens the inner eye of man and moves his mind towards divine contemplation. It turns his energy in the inner Sattvic channels. It transmutes the gross energy, viz., greed, that is forcing man towards selfish exertions into spiritual energy, Ojas. That man who is contented is full of Sattva, is more energetic now, is inward, and has an inner life in the Atman. He is always peaceful and turns out more work calmly and with one-pointed mind. All the dissipated rays of the mind are collected now.

Contentment develops Vairagya, discrimination and Vichara. Mira has perfect contentment. She never cared for the paltry things of the world. She lived on Bhiksha.

MENTAL PEACE THROUGH ADAPTABILITY

The vast majority of persons do not know how to adjust themselves with others. Adaptability is a peculiar knack or pluck to win the hearts of others by a little bending.

The wife does not know how to adapt herself with her husband. She displeases her husband always and makes quarrels in the house and gets a divorce. The clerk does not know how to adapt himself with his boss or superior. He quarrels with the superior and gets an immediate sack. The disciple does not know how to adapt himself with his Guru. He misbehaves and leaves the Guru. The businessman does not know how to adapt himself with the customers and loses his customers and business. The Divan does not know how to adapt himself with the Maharaja. He has to leave the State service. The world runs on adaptability. He who knows this art or science of adaptability pulls on quite well in this world and is always happy under all conditions of life.

Achievement of Peace – Inner Calm, Discipline, and Spiritual Freedom

Achievement of Peace is not merely the absence of outer problems, noise, or struggle. It is a deep inner condition in which the mind becomes calm, the heart becomes pure, and the soul feels connected with a higher truth. Many people search for peace in comfort, possessions, praise, success, and relationships, but lasting peace cannot depend only on changing circumstances.

The world is always moving. Situations change, people change, health changes, wealth changes, and emotions also change. If peace depends only on these outer conditions, it will remain unstable. A person may feel happy today and disturbed tomorrow. Therefore, true peace must be discovered within, where the seeker learns to stand beyond the constant movement of life.

Achievement of Peace begins with understanding the nature of the mind. The mind creates worry, fear, anger, desire, jealousy, comparison, and attachment. It remembers the past and imagines the future. It runs after pleasure and resists pain. Unless the mind is observed and disciplined, peace remains only a temporary experience.

Self-observation is the first practical step. Watch the mind during daily life. Notice what disturbs it, what attracts it, what hurts the ego, and what creates anxiety. Do not observe with guilt or self-hatred. Observe with honesty and patience. When the causes of disturbance are clearly seen, they can slowly be corrected.

Achievement of Peace requires control of desires. Desire promises happiness but often produces restlessness. When one desire is fulfilled, another rises. The mind becomes tired by constant seeking. Contentment is a great spiritual strength. It does not mean laziness or lack of effort. It means doing what is right without becoming a slave of endless craving.

Control of speech also brings peace. Harsh words, gossip, lies, criticism, complaint, and useless arguments disturb the mind and create conflict. Speak truthfully, kindly, and only when needed. Silence, when practiced wisely, saves energy and makes the heart inward. A peaceful tongue helps create a peaceful mind.

Forgiveness is another important discipline. Holding resentment keeps old pain alive. The mind repeatedly returns to insult, loss, and disappointment. Forgiveness does not mean approving wrong action, but it frees the heart from bitterness. A forgiving person becomes lighter, softer, and more open to grace.

Achievement of Peace is supported by meditation. Sit daily in a quiet place, keep the body steady, calm the breath, and bring attention to one pure support such as mantra, breath, divine form, light, or witnessing awareness. When thoughts wander, bring them back gently. Regular meditation slowly reduces mental noise and reveals inner stillness.

Prayer gives strength to the heart. Human effort is necessary, but the seeker also needs grace, courage, and guidance. Prayer is not only asking for outer comfort. It is asking for purity, patience, wisdom, surrender, and strength to live rightly. A prayerful heart does not feel alone even in difficulty.

Achievement of Peace also depends on detachment. Detachment does not mean rejecting life, family, work, or duty. It means freedom from excessive clinging and expectation. Love without possessiveness, work without anxiety, and service without pride create inner balance. When attachment becomes weaker, peace becomes stronger.

Good company is a powerful support. The mind absorbs impressions from people, books, conversations, surroundings, and entertainment. Negative influences increase restlessness, doubt, fear, and desire. Noble company, uplifting reading, spiritual discussion, and association with sincere seekers create purity and confidence.

Simple living helps the seeker remain calm. Too much indulgence, too much entertainment, too much talking, and too much comparison make the mind restless. A simple routine, moderate food, regular sleep, clean habits, and time for silence create a peaceful inner atmosphere. Outer simplicity supports inner clarity.

Selfless service expands the heart. When life revolves only around personal comfort, gain, and recognition, the mind becomes narrow. Service teaches humility and compassion. Helping others, performing duty sincerely, and offering actions to the Divine purify the ego. A serving heart experiences a quiet joy that selfish pleasure cannot give.

The seeker must also accept life with wisdom. Some situations can be changed through effort, and some must be endured with patience. Resistance to what cannot be changed creates unnecessary suffering. Acceptance is not weakness. It is clear seeing, courageous living, and peaceful cooperation with the law of life.

In the end, Achievement of Peace is the fruit of self-observation, desire-control, kind speech, forgiveness, meditation, prayer, detachment, good company, simple living, service, and surrender. Peace grows when the mind stops running helplessly after outer support and learns to rest in the Divine presence within. Such peace gives strength in difficulty, humility in success, and steady progress toward spiritual freedom.

Mouna and Introspection