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.INE 3UTRAS ON 0EACE 2AIMON 0ANIKKAR

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O CLAIM TO CREATE A PHILOSOPHY WHICH EMERGES FROM PEACE ITSELF IS ) KNOW A BOLD PRETENSION )T GOES AGAINST THE GRAIN OF MOST MODERN CURRENTS OF 7ESTERN PHILOSOPHIZING 0HILOSOPHY IS OFTEN INTERPRETED TO BE A HUNT FOR TRUTH WITH THE RIm E OF REASON EVEN WHEN OFTENTIMES IT IS ONLY A CHASING AFTER CLARITY WITH THE PISTOL OF CALCULATION !NOTHER NOTION OF PHILOSOPHY IS ALIVE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD AND IT IS NOT FOREIGN TO 7ESTERN TRADITION EITHER .O LESS AN AUTHORITY THAN -ARCUS 4ULLIUS #ICERO DESCRIBES PHILOSOPHY AS CULTURA ANIMI AS THE CULTIVATION OF THE SOUL 7HEN OUR ANIMUS IS PROPERLY CULTIVATED WHEN OUR SPIRIT IS HARMONIOUSLY TRAINED

WHAT SPONTANEOUSLY PROMPTS US IS PHILOSOPHIA PACIS 3UCH A PHILOSOPHY OF PEACE IS MORE THAN A PEACEFUL PHILOSOPHY )T IS A PHILOSOPHY WHICH REm ECTS

AND AT THE SAME TIME EFFECTS THE HARMONY OF REALITY )T IS A CAUSE AND AN EFFECT OF PEACE SIMULTANEOUSLY )T IS AN EFFECT OF PEACE FOR IT COMES OUT OF A PACIl ED AND PEACEFUL SPIRIT )T IS A CAUSE OF PEACE FOR IT ENHANCES OR REES TABLISHES THE HARMONY OF THE UNIVERSE *UST A WORD MORE ON THIS &IRST OF ALL A PHILOSOPHY OF PEACE IS AUTHENTIC PHILOSOPHY )T IS AN INTELLECTUAL ENDEAVOR TO UNDERSTAND THE MYSTERY OF REAL ITY )T IS A VISION OF BEING AND A CONSCIOUS SHARING IN ITS LIFE 7ITHOUT A CERTAIN COMMONALITY WITH WHAT IS TO BE KNOWN NO TRUE KNOWLEDGE IS POSSIBLE 4HE ASSUMPTION OF PHILOSOPHIA PACIS IS THAT THE ULTIMATE STRUCTURE OF REALITY IS HARMONIOUS "UT THIS ASSUMPTION IS NOTHING ELSE BUT A QUALIl ED TAUTOLOGY

BECAUSE BY AN INNER EXIGENCY WE HAVE TO CALL THE ULTIMATE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSE h(ARMONY v 7E HAVE NO OTHER POSSIBLE CRITERION (OW COULD WE CALL REALITY DISHARMONIOUS (OW COULD REALITY GO ASTRAY FROM WHAT IT OUGHT TO BE IF THERE IS NO POSSIBLE PATTERN OUTSIDE REALITY ITSELF WHICH COULD ALLOW US TO POSTULATE A TRANSCENDENT hOUGHTv /NLY WITH WHAT IS CAN WE MEASURE

THINK JUDGE WHAT IS 4HE OUGHT ON THE ULTIMATE LEVEL IS SUBSIDIARY TO IS "UT THE IS WHEN TAKEN AS SYNONYMOUS WITH BEING IS ALSO BECOMING AND OUGHT T 4HE PHILOSOPHIA PACIS IS MORE THAN A PASSIVE OBSERVATION )T IS ALSO AN ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

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2AIMON 0ANIKKAR

4HE SAME #ICERO POPULARIZED AND DEEPENED THE NOTION OF CONTEMPLATIO !S ) HAVE SHOWN ELSEWHERE CONTEMPLATION IS NOT JUST THEORIAˆNOR IS THEORIA

ˆ FOR THAT MATTER JUST hTHEORYv IN THE MODERN VERNACULAR #ONTEMPLATION IS BOTH THEORY AND PRAXIS INTELLECTUAL EFFORT AND ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT h5NDIS TRACTED MEDITATION AND ACTION IS THE BEST OF ALL REMEDIES v SAYS -ARPA THE GREAT 4IBETAN GURU OF -ILAREPA WHO WAS THE UNSURPASSED TWELFTH CENTURY 4IBETAN SAINT 4HE TRUE CONTEMPLATIVE IS A MAN OF ACTION AS MUCH AS HE IS A MAN OF THOUGHT #ONTEMPLATION IS THE INTEGRATION OF THEORY AND PRAXIS /R RATHER CONTEMPLATION IS THE UNBROKEN HARMONY BETWEEN THEORY AND PRAXISˆALTHOUGH ONCE THE DIVISION IS MADE ONLY A NEW INNOCENCE IS CA PABLE OF BRINGING ABOUT THAT INTEGRATION !ND THIS IS THE PHILOSOPHIA PACIS ) AM SPEAKING ABOUT ,ET ME PUT IT ANOTHER WAY 4HE OLD #HRISTIAN SCHOLASTICS DISCUSSED WHETHER ONE COULD CULTIVATE AUTHENTIC PHILOSOPHY WITHOUT LIVING IN 'OD S GRACE 4HE ANCIENT (INDU SCHOLASTICS ALSO AFl RMED THAT WITHOUT A DETACHED AND CALM SPIRIT ONE CANNOT ATTAIN 4RUTH 4RUTH IS LIBERATING 'RANTED MOD ERN 7ESTERN CULTURE HAS RETORTED THAT ONE CAN BE A MORALLY DEPRAVED PERSON AND ALSO A GREAT MATHEMATICIAN ) WOULD ARGUE THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE IF WE UNDERSTAND MATHEMATICS IN ITS TRADITIONAL AND DEEPEST SENSE "UT IT IS OBVIOUSLY THE CASE ONLY IF WE TAKE MATHEMATICS TO BE MERE CALCULATION

SOMETHING A COMPUTER MAY BE ABLE TO PERFORMˆQUICKER AND BETTER THAN WE CAN FOR THAT MATTER "UT THINKING OR ANY HUMAN ACT INVOLVING THE WHOLE OF OUR BEING LIKE AESTHETICS CANNOT BE AUTHENTIC IF OUR WHOLE BEING IS NOT THERE !ND OUR WHOLE BEING CANNOT BE THERE IF WE ARE STILL TORN APART IN OUR EXISTENCEˆIN OTHER WORDS IF OUR BEING IS NOT WHOLE 0ERHAPS OUR HAVING STRIVEN TOWARDS A PHILOSOPHY OF PEACE WITHOUT ITS BEING A PHILOSOPHIA PACIS IN OUR SENSE IS ONE OF THE CAUSES OF THE MODERN PREDICAMENT 7E ARE THEN PRONE TO IMPOSE OUR CONCEPT OF PEACE 7HATEVER COMES OUT OF A HUMAN SPIRIT WHICH IS NOT IN HARMONY WITH ITSELF AND WITH THE WORLD CAN HARDLY BE CALLED PHILOSOPHY AND MUCH LESS PHILOSOPHIA PACIS h4HE REAL DISCOVERY THE ONE THAT MAKES ME CAPABLE OF STOPPING DOING PHILOSOPHY WHEN ) WANT TO THE ONE THAT GIVES PEACE v 7ITTGENSTEIN WROTE DRAMATICALLY IN HIS 0HILOSOPHICAL )NVESTIGATIONS ASSUMING BEING A SON OF MODERNITY THAT hPHILOSOPHYv HAS TO DO ONLY WITH ARGUMENT "UT THAT IS ONLY A NARROW AND PROVINCIAL NOTION OF PHILOSOPHY THAT BELONGS TO THE POST #ARTESIAN 7EST ) WOULD LIKE TO FURTHER INTRODUCE THESE .INE 3UTRAS ON 0EACE BY NOTING THAT SUTRAS ARE THREADS OF A SINGLE NECKLACE %ACH LEADS TO THE NEXT AND THEY ARE INTERDEPENDENT /NLY TOGETHER CAN THEY CONSTITUTE THIS JEWEL WHICH WE CALL PEACE

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.INE 3UTRAS ON 0EACE

3UTRA ) 0EACE IS PARTICIPATION IN THE HARMONY OF THE RHYTHM OF "EING 0EACE DOES NOT MEAN THE ABSENCE OF FORCE OR OF POLARITIES !LTHOUGH PEACE DOES NOT DO VIOLENCE TO THE RHYTHM OF REALITY NONVIOLENCE IS NOT A MERELY PASSIVE ATTITUDE OF PERMISSIVENESS .ONVIOLENCE MEANS THE NONVIOLATION OF PERSONHOOD THE REVERENCE FOR THE INNER DIGNITY OF EVERY BEING IT DOES NOT MEAN THE ABSENCE OF RESISTANCE OR THE LACK OF FORCE OR EVEN POWER 0EACE DOES NOT ENTAIL THE HOMOGENIZATION OF EVERYTHING )T MEANS THE PARTICIPA TION IN AND THE COMPOSITE RHYTHM OF REALITY 7E TOO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HARMONY OF THE UNIVERSE 7E ENHANCE AND TRANSFORM IT BY COOPERATING WITH IT 4HIS COOPERATION THIS SYNERGY IS AT ONCE ACTIVE AND PASSIVE 0ARTICIPATION ENTAILS AN ACTIVE AND A PASSIVE TAKING PART IN THE ADVENTURE OF BEING 4HIS ADVENTURE IS NEITHER A LINEAR PROGRESSION TOWARD AN OMEGA POINT NOR A REGRESSION TO AN ORIGINAL UNDIFFERENTIATED ALPHA POINT 0EACE IS NOT ESCHATOLOGICAL NOR IS IT A STATE OF A MIND WHICH HAS hDIS COVEREDv THE VANITY OF ALL hTRANSIENTv THINGS 4HE MEANING OF OUR LIVES IS NOT TO BE FOUND ONLY AT THE END NOR DOES THE JUSTIl CATION OF OUR ACTIONS LIE IN OUR l NAL SUC CESS NOR CAN WE BE CONTENT WITH MOMENTARY SATISFACTIONS 4HE ADVENTURE OF BEING IS NEITHER SUCH AN EVOLUTION TOWARD THE FUTURE NOR A PURE INVOLUTION TOWARD THE PAST 0EACE LIKE BEING IS NEITHER STATIC NOR DYNAMIC "EING IS NOT EVEN DIALECTICALLY MOVING BETWEEN THOSE TWO STATES IN MORE OR LESS DISGUISED SCHIZOPHRENIC l TS "EING IS RHYTHMICAL IT IS RHYTHM !ND RHYTHM IS THE NON DUALISTIC INTEGRATION OF MOVEMENT AND QUIET OF STRIVING TOWARDS THE GOAL WHILE ENJOYING THE PILGRIMAGE 2HYTHM IS THE DEEPEST NATURE OF REALITY THE VERY BECOMING OF BEING WHICH IS BEING PRECISELY BECAUSE IT COMES TO BE &ROM SUCH A PHILOSOPHIA PACIS STEMS ) SUBMIT A DEEP AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITIQUE OF OUR MODERN PREDICAMENT WHICH IS VISIBLE NOW IN ECOLOGICAL

ECONOMIC PSYCHOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL SYMPTOMS -Y CONVICTION IS THAT OUR TECHNOCRATIC CULTURE WHICH THROUGH THE CULTIVATION OF ACCELERATION HAS TRANSGRESSED THE NATURAL RHYTHMS OF MATTER AND THE MIND IS AN UNPEACEFUL SOCIETY AND THIS MAKES THE REALIZATION OF PEACE IN OUR TIMES BOTH URGENT AND DIFl CULT 0EACE DOES NOT MEAN MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO WHEN THE STATUS QUO HAS PROVED TO BE UNJUST -Y HYPOTHESIS HERE IS NOT WARFARE AGAINST THE STATUS QUO BUT EMANCIPATION FROM IT BY SEVERAL MEANS AND TRANSFORMA TION OF IT INTO A m UXUS QUO TOWARD AN EVER NEW COSMIC HARMONY !LL TOO OFTEN DISCOURSES ABOUT PEACE BECOME IDYLLIC DREAMS OF AN IDEAL PARADISE

FORGETTING THAT THE ESSENCE OF %DEN IS THAT IT WAS LOST AND THAT THE DESTINY OF -AN LIES IN OVERCOMING NOT DENYING THE TEMPORAL STRICTURES WHICH THREATEN TO DROWN US

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3UTRA )) )T IS DIFl CULT TO LIVE WITHOUT EXTERNAL PEACE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE WITHOUT INTERNAL PEACE 4HE RELATIONSHIP IS NONDUALISTIC ADVAITIC )T IS EXCRUCIATING AND DANGEROUS TO LIVE IN SITUATIONS OF CONm ICT OR WARFARE OF ANY KIND 4HE WORLD IS FULL OF INSTITUTIONALIZED AND NONINSTITUTIONALIZED INJUSTICES WHICH DESTROY PEACE /VER A THOUSAND LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST TO WAR EVERY DAY SINCE THE LAST 7ORLD 7AR 4HE REFUGEES IN THE WORLD NUMBER IN THE MILLIONS AS DO THE HOMELESS CHILDREN AND THE STARVING 7E SHOULD NOT MINIMIZE THIS HUMAN DEGRADATION OF OUR RACE "UT IF THERE IS INTERNAL PEACE THERE IS STILL A CHANCE OF SURVIVAL 7ITHOUT INTERNAL PEACE THE PERSON DISINTEGRATES #RIME DRUGS AND MANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL PLAGUES COME FROM THE LACK OF INTERNAL PEACE "UT THE RELATIONSHIP IS NONDUALISTIC 0EACE IS MORE THAN JUST ABSENCE OF AN ARMED CONm ICT )F THERE IS NO INTERNAL PEACE THERE CAN BE NO EXTERNAL PEACE ,ACK OF INTERNAL PEACE BREEDS COLD WARS ,ACK OF INTERNAL PEACE IS THE SOURCE OF COMPETITIVENESS ENDING IN DEFEAT WHICH TRIGGERS DECLARED OR UNDE CLARED VENGEANCE /N THE OTHER HAND IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO ENJOY TRUE INTERNAL PEACE IF OUR HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT SUFFERS FROM VIOLENCE AND INJUSTICE 7ITHOUT EXTERNAL PEACE INNER PEACE BY ITSELF IS EITHER MAKE BELIEVE OR AN EXCLUSIVELY PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE OF ARTIl CIAL ISOLATION FROM THE REST OF REALITY 4HE "ODHISATTVA RENOUNCES NIRVANA IN ORDER TO LIBERATE ALL SENTIENT BEINGS THE #HRIST SUFFERS 'ETHSEMANE FOR THE SAKE OF THE WORLD THE SAINT IS NOT INSENSITIVE TO THE SUFFERING OF THE UNIVERSE .O AUTHENTIC SPIRITUALITY DEFENDS ESCAPISM FROM THE REAL WORLD AND NO TRUE SAGE IS ENCAPSULATED IN HIS OR HER OWN SELl SHNESS OR SELF SUFl CIENCY 4HIS IS A NONDUALISTIC RELATIONSHIP /NE DOES NOT EXIST WITHOUT THE OTHER WE SHOULD DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THEM BUT NOT SEPARATE THEM 4HIS RELATIONSHIP EXERTS AT THE SAME TIME A RECIPROCAL AND SUI GENERIS CAUSAL ITY )NNER PEACE PRODUCES OUTER PEACE EXTERNAL PEACE FOSTERS INNER PEACE !ND SIMILARLY INTERNAL DISORDER BREEDS EXTERNAL STRIFE AND EXTERNAL STRIFE ENGENDERS INTERNAL DEGRADATION !ND YET THE RELATIONSHIP IS SUI GENERIS (AVE WE NOT SOMETIMES SEEN A MYSTERIOUS AND INTRIGUING SERENITY IN CATASTROPHIC AND UNJUST SITUATIONS (AVE WE NOT ALSO WITNESSED INEXPLICABLE DEPRESSION IN THE MIDST OF EXTER NALLY OPTIMAL CONDITIONS 4HE ENTIRE UNIVERSE IS EMBARKED UPON THE SAME VENTURE 4HE PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE UNDERSTOOD AS THE h7ISDOM OF ,OVEv PROPER TO ,IFE HELPS US TO OVERCOME THE DICHOTOMY BETWEEN THE INNER AND THE OUTER AND ALLOWS US TO ENJOY INNER PEACE IN THE MIDDLE OF EXTERNAL SUFFERING AND TO DEVOTE OURSELVES TO ALLEVIATING UNJUST SITUATIONS WITHOUT LOSING OUR IN TERNAL JOY 4HIS WAS THE MESSAGE OF THE "UDDHA THE EXAMPLE OF #HRIST THE TORMENT OF ,UTHER hSIMUL *USTUS ET PECCATORv THE CONUNDRUM OF 6EDANTA

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.INE 3UTRAS ON 0EACE

THE PRATISTHA OFF MAYA IS BRAHMAN Â&#x2C6; THE REVELATION THAT REALITY CANNOT BE REDUCED TO AN INTELLECTUAL PRINCIPLE 3UTRA ))) 0EACE IS NEITHER GAINED FOR ONESELF NOR IMPOSED ON OTHERS )T IS RECEIVED DISCOVERED AND CREATED )T IS A GIFT OF THE 3PIRIT .EITHER MASOCHISTIC SPIRITUALITIES NOR SADISTIC PEDAGOGIES ON WHATEVER LEVEL

BRING TRUE PEACE 9OU DO NOT l GHT FOR PEACE 9OU l GHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS OR FOR JUSTICE BUT NOT FOR PEACE )T IS A CONTRADICTION )MPOSED REGIMES ARE NOT PEACE FOR THE RECEIVERS BE IT A CHILD AN ALIEN A PAGAN A POOR PERSON A FAMILY OR A NATION 7E NEED TO ADOPT A MORE RECEPTIVE ATTITUDE WHICH TRANSFORMS WHAT IT ACCEPTS #HRIST WANTED US TO RECEIVE HIS PEACE NOT TO IMPOSE IT ON OTHERS HE HIMSELF DID NOT FORCE IT UPON US 4HE NATURE OF PEACE IS GRACE )T IS A GIFT 7E DISCOVER PEACE WE UNVEIL IT 0EACE IS A DISCOVERY NOT A CONQUEST )T IS THE FRUIT OF A REVELATION WE MAY EXPERIENCE IT AS THE REVELATION OF LOVE

'OD THE BEAUTY OF REALITY THE EXISTENCE OF PROVIDENCE A HIDDEN MEANING

THE HARMONY OF BEING OR THE GOODNESS OF CREATION HOPE JUSTICE )T NEEDS TO BE CONSTANTLY NURTURED AND EVEN CREATED 4HERE IS NO BLUEPRINT FOR IT NO FULL m EDGED PROGRAM IS POSSIBLE 0EACE IS NOT REACHED BY GOING BACK TO A PRIMITIVE STATE ONCE THE INNOCENCE IS BROKEN 0EACE IS RE CREATED EACH TIME ANEW )T IS 'ABE AND !UFGABE GIFT AND RESPONSIBILITY 3UTRA )6 6ICTORY NEVER LEADS TO PEACE 4HIS IS A THEORETICAL AFl RMATION AS WELL AS AN EMPIRICAL STATEMENT )N EVI DENCE THERE ARE SOME EIGHT THOUSAND PEACE TREATIES WE KNOW OF DURING THE MILLENNIA OF HUMAN HISTORY .ONE OF THOSE VICTORIES HAS EVER BROUGHT A TRUE PEACE )T IS USELESS TO OBJECT THAT SUCH IS HUMAN NATURE BECAUSE MOST OF THE WARS HAVE STARTED AND FOUND THEIR hJUSTIl CATION v AS COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST THE PREVIOUS PEACE TREATIES 4HE DESCENDANTS OF THE DEFEATED IF NOT THEIR IMMEDIATE CHILDREN WILL SOONER OR LATER EMERGE TO DEMAND WHAT WAS DENIED TO THEM .OT EVEN THE REPRESSION OF EVIL WILL BRING LASTING RESULTS /NE IS TEMPTED TO RECALL THAT APPARENTLY SO SIMPLE AND EMPIRICALLY SO IR REFUTABLE STATEMENT OF A YOUNG 2ABBI OF .AZARETH ABOUT LETTING THE WHEAT AND THE TARES GROW TOGETHER 0EACE IS A FUGITIVE FROM THE l ELD OF THE VICTORS

TO PARAPHRASE 3IMONE 7EIL 7E KNOW THAT JUSTICE IS NOT hJUST US v "UT PEACE IS MORE THAN MERE JUSTICE !ND PEACE IS RICHER THAN PAX WHICH IS A MERE PACT A SORT OF BALANCE OFTEN OF TERROR 0EACE IS NOT THE REESTABLISHMENT OF A BROKEN ORDER )T IS A NEW ORDER 6ICTORY LEADS TO VICTORY NOT TO PEACE !ND WE ALSO KNOW OF THE DELETERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS OF PROLONGED hVICTORIES v

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"UT THERE IS ALSO A MORE THEORETICAL FOUNDATION FOR THIS SUTRA )N SPITE OF ALL OUR DISTINCTIONS VICTORY IS ALWAYS OVER PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ARE NEVER ABSOLUTELY EVIL 3O ON A THEORETICAL LEVEL WE CANNOT SAY THAT ANY VICTORY IS ONLY OVER THE FORCES OF EVIL OR OVER THE ERRORS OR ABERRATIONS 7E MAY INTEND TO KILL ONLY AN EVIL BUT WE ALSO ELIMINATE THE EVILDOER WE MAY WANT TO PUN ISH THE CRIME BUT WE ALSO IMPRISON THE CRIMINAL h$O NOT RESIST EVIL v OR THE EVIL ONE THAT CHALLENGING AND IRRITATING 3ON OF -ARY ALSO SAYS "ESIDES THE SENSIBLE CAUTION OF NOT MAKING ANYTHING INTO AN ABSOLUTEÂ&#x2C6;SINCE TO BEGIN WITH WE OURSELVES ARE NOT ABSOLUTEÂ&#x2C6;THERE IS ANOTHER UNDERLYING ASSUMPTION FOR THIS SUTRA THE NATURE OF REALITY IS NOT DIALECTICAL NEITHER REDUCIBLE TO LOGICAL DYNAMISMS NOR PROCEEDING BY SYNTHESIS OF OPPOSITES )N THE l RST PLACE PEACE IS NOT THE OPPOSITE OF WAR %LIMINATION OF WAR DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY BRING PEACE 4HIS IS WHY THE WAY TO TRUE PEACE CANNOT BE VICTORY 4HE DEFEATED DO NOT ENJOY THE PEACE OF THE VICTORS 0EACE IS NOT THE RESULT OF A DIALECTICAL PROCESS 3UTRA 6 -ILITARY DISARMAMENT REQUIRES CULTURAL DISARMAMENT 7E HAVE TO DISARM OUR OWN RESPECTIVE CULTURES ALONGSIDE WITH AND SOME TIMES PREVIOUSLY TO THE SIMPLE ELIMINATION OF ARMS /UR CULTURES ARE OFTENTIMES BELLIGERENT TREATING THE OTHERS AS AN ENEMYÂ&#x2C6; Y AS A BARBARIAN

GOI MLECCHA KHAm R PAGAN UNBELIEVER AND THE LIKE #ULTURAL DISARMAMENT IS NOT A MERE CATCH PHRASE )T IS A REQUISITE FOR PEACE AND CERTAINLY FOR ANY LASTING DISARMAMENT IN OUR PRESENT STATE OF AFFAIRS )T IS NOT BY MERE CHANCE THAT 7ESTERN CIVILIZATION HAS DEVELOPED AN ARSENAL OF WEAPONS TO SUCH AN EXTREME BOTH IN QUALITY AND QUANTITY 3OMETHING INHERENT IN THIS CULTURE HAS LED TO SUCH A SITUATION COMPETITIVENESSÂ&#x2C6;SETTING OUR MINDS FOR hBETTERv SOLUTIONS WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF CONFRONTING THE CAUSES AND SOLVING THE PROBLEM PREFERENCE FOR THE QUANTITATIVE AND THE MECHANICAL CREATIVITY IN THE l ELD OF OBJECTIl ABLE ENTITIES AS OPPOSED TO ARTS CRAFTS AND THE REALM OF SUBJECTIVITY NEGLECT OF THE WORLD OF FEELINGS A SENSE OF SUPERIORITY AND UNIVERSALITY AND SO FORTH !N EXAMPLE OF THIS SPIRIT IS THE VERY FACT OF POLITICAL AND EVEN INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE CONCENTRATING EXCLUSIVELY ON REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS WITHOUT CONSIDERING THESE MORE BASIC QUESTIONS 0ERHAPS WHAT HAS BECOME MANIFEST IN THE MODERN TECHNOCRATIC CULTURE WAS ALREADY LATENT IN THE CULTURAL PROJECT OF HISTORICAL -AN 7E SHOULD LEARN THE LESSONS OF HISTORY AND HAVING COME TO THE hEND OF HISTORY v WE SHOULD BEGIN TO CONTEMPLATE THE PLAUSIBILITY OF TRANSHISTORICAL -AN AS ) HAVE TRIED TO EXPLAIN ELSEWHERE /UR TIME IS RIPE FOR SUCH AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL MUTA TION )T IS AFTER ALL A QUESTION OF SURVIVAL

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"UT CULTURAL DISARMAMENT IS AS RISKY AND DIFl CULT AS MILITARY DISARMA MENT 7E BECOME VULNERABLE )T IS A MATTER OF COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS IS AN ECONOMIC AS WELL AS A POLITICAL PROBLEM "UT ECONOMICS IS A FUNDAMENTALLY CULTURAL PROBLEM 4HE PASSAGE FROM AGRI CULTURE AS A WAY OF LIFE TO AGRIBUSINESS AS A MEANS OF l NANCIAL GAIN COULD SERVE AS A PARADIGM OF WHAT ) MEAN TO SAY #ULTURAL DISARMAMENT DOES NOT MEAN A REVERSION TO PRIMITIVISM )T ENTAILS A CRITIQUE OF CULTURE NOT ONLY IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE GONE WRONG IN 7ESTERN CULTURE BUT ALSO WITH THE PERSPECTIVE OF A GENUINE CROSS CULTURAL APPROACH 3UTRA 6) .O ONE CULTURE RELIGION OR TRADITION IN ISOLATION CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD .O RELIGION TODAY IS SELF SUFl CIENT NOR CAN ANY ONE RELIGION PROVIDE UNI VERSAL ANSWERS NOT ONLY BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS ARE NOT THE SAME #ROSS CULTURAL APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD ARE IMPERATIVE 7E STILL SUFFER FROM THE REMNANTS OF COLONIALISM OF WHICH THE ESSENCE IS A BELIEF IN THE MONOPHORMISM OF CULTURE 7E NEED EACH OTHER AND ARE INTERDEPENDENT ON ALL LEVELS 3IGNIl CANTLY WHEN MOST TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS TODAY ARE PRONE TO LAY DOWN THE MANTLE OF IMPERIALISM COLONIALISM AND UNIVERSALISM THE SO CALLED SCIENTIl C VISION OF THE WORLD SEEMS TO BE THE CULTURAL HEIR OF SUCH ATTITUDES -ODERN ASTRONOMY PHYSICS MATHEMATICS AND SO FORTH SEEM

OFTEN ONLY IMPLICITLY TO ASSUME THAT THEY ARE SUPRA CULTURAL UNIVERSAL AND DEl NITIVE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT 3CIENCE SAYS &INALLY WE KNOW THAT !NDROMEDA LIES AT SUCH AND SUCH A DISTANCE THAT THE ATOMS ARE NO LONGER ATOMOI THAT GRAVITATION WORKS IN SUCH AND SUCH A WAY THAT QUARKS

BIOMOLECULES CHROMOSOMES AND WHAT NOT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE "IG "ANG

REPRESENT THE REAL THINGÂ&#x2C6;OPEN OF COURSE TO REl NEMENTS AND CORRECTIONS ACCORDING TO POSSIBLE NEW PARAMETERS ) HAVE CRITICIZED THE TECHNOCENTRIC ATTITUDE TOO MUCH ELSEWHERE TO LINGER HERE ON THE SUBJECT ANY LONGER ,ET ME ONLY RECALL THAT ) AM SPEAKING ABOUT 0EACE ON %ARTH AND IN THE (EAV ENSÂ&#x2C6;AND NOT WHETHER WITHIN A VERY LIMITED CONTEXT A CERTAIN hPHYSICAL LAWv IS VALID OR NOT 4HE WORD TO BE MENTIONED HERE CONCERNING CULTURES

RELIGIONS AND TRADITIONS IS PLURALISM ABOUT WHICH ) HAVE ALSO SAID ENOUGH ELSEWHERE 3UTRA 6)) 0EACE BELONGS MAINLY TO THE ORDER OF THE MYTHOS

NOT TO THE ORDER OF THE LOGOS 0EACE IS NOT A SINGLE CONCEPT 4HIS IS ALREADY EVIDENT IN THE RESONANCES AND CONNOTATIONS OF THE DIFFERENT WORDS FOR PEACE IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES PAX

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EIRENE SALAM &RIEDE SANTI 0EACE IS POLYSEMIC IT HAS MANY MEANINGS )T IS ALSO PLURALISTIC ALLOWING FOR MANY DOCTRINALLY INCOMPATIBLE INTERPRE TATIONS 4O ME PEACE IS THE EMERGING MYTH OF OUR TIMES "UT A MYTH IS NOT INCOMPREHENSIBLE OR IRRATIONAL )T IS WHAT MAKES THE UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTANDABLE THE REASON REASONABLE )T IS WHAT GRANTS INTELLIGIBILITY IN ANY GIVEN SITUATION h'ODv WAS ONCE UPON A TIME A FAIRLY UNIVERSAL MYTH 7ARS HAVE BEEN FOUGHT IN (IS NAME AND EACH CONTENDER WANTED 'OD ON HIS SIDE h'OTT MIT UNS vv 0EACE WAS ALSO SIGNED IN 'OD S NAME 0EACE NOW SEEMS TO BE THE EMERGING UNIFYING MYTH OF OUR TIMES AND WARS ARE ALSO BEING FOUGHT IN ITS NAME "UT A MYTH DEl ES A FURTHER FOUNDATION )T IS BEYOND ANY POSSIBLE DEl NITION BECAUSE THE MYTH IS THE HORIZON WHICH MAKES THE DEl NITION POSSIBLE 4HE MYTHOS CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM THE LOGOS BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BE IDENTIl ED 4HIS IS WHY IMPOSING OUR CONCEPT OF PEACE DOES NOT BRING PEACE !ND THIS IS AGAIN A TOPIC SO NEAR TO ME THAT ) WILL ALLOW MYSELF TO CUT IT SHORT HERE 3UTRA 6))) 2ELIGION IS A WAY TO PEACE 4HE TRADITIONAL NOTION OF RELIGION WAS THAT IT IS A WAY TO SALVATION !ND PEOPLE FOUGHT FOR THEIR SALVATION )T IS A FACT THAT MOST WARS IN THE WORLD HAVE BEEN RELIGIOUS WARS 7E ARE WITNESSING TODAY A TRANSFORMATION OF THE VERY NOTION OF RELIGION AND IT MAY BE EXPRESSED BY SAYING THAT RELIGIONS ARE VARIOUS WAYS OF APPROACHING AND ACQUIRING THAT PEACE WHICH IS TODAY ONE OF THE FEW UNIVERSAL SYMBOLS h3UMMA NOSTRAE RELIGIONIS PAX EST ET UNA NIMITAS 4HE HIGH POINT OF OUR RELIGION IS PEACE AND CONCORD v %RASMUS WROTE IN A LETTER #ONNECTING THIS SUTRA WITH THE PREVIOUS THERE IS NO DANGER OF FALLING INTO A SUPERl CIAL ECLECTICISM WHICH WOULD PARE AWAY ALL RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY AND REDUCE RELIGIONS TO AN ALMOST POINTLESS COMMON DENOMINATOR !LL RELIGIONS DIFFER l RST OF ALL IN THAT THEY DO NOT SAY THEY ARE THE SAME 4HEY SAY AND AFl RM DIFFERENT THINGS AND THEY SPEAK DIVERSE LANGUAGES 3ECONDLY

WHAT IS THE SAME FOR MOST OF THE TRADITIONS DOES NOT EXIST DISCONNECTED FROM THEIR SAYING OF IT 4HE 7ORD IS PARAMOUNT IN MOST RELIGIONS 9ET MOST RELIGIONS WOULD AGREE THAT THEIR CONCERN IS TO BRING PEACE TO MAN AND EVENTUALLY TO THE ENTIRE COSMOS %ACH RELIGION UNDERSTANDS PEACE AS A SYMBOL POLYSEMIC AND PLURALISTIC ENOUGH TO ALLOW THEM TO USE IT "UT THIS IS NO SMALL STEP FORWARD BECAUSE IT SHIFTS THE EMPHASIS OF RELIGIOUS ENCOUNTERS IN ALL SENSES OF THE WORD FROM DOCTRINAL ISSUES TO A MORE EXISTENTIAL ATTITUDE AND THUS MAKES POSSIBLE A FRUITFUL COOPERATION BETWEEN RELIGIONS IN OUR PRESENT HUMAN SITUATION )N THE PAST RELIGIONS

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.INE 3UTRAS ON 0EACE

HAVE OFTEN BEEN FACTORS IN INNER PEACE FOR THEIR FOLLOWERS AND IN EXTERNAL WARS FOR OTHERS 4HIS INCONGRUITY IS TODAY SO EVIDENT THAT RELIGIONS SELF UNDERSTANDING HAS BEGUN TO CHANGE IN THE SENSE WE ARE INDICATING ! DIFl CULT WORD SHOULD BE MENTIONED HERE WITH REGARD TO THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PEACE AND RELIGION 4HE WORD IS REVOLUTION 4HE WAY TO PEACE IS NOT EASY IT IS REVOLUTIONARY UPSETTING AND CHALLENGING DEMANDING THE REMOVAL OF INJUSTICE SELl SHNESS AND GREED (ISTORY PROVES THAT ONCE RELIGIONS CEASE TO BE REVOLUTIONARY THEY DEGENERATE AND CEASE TO FULl LL THEIR ROLE WHILE THEIR REVOLUTION IS DIMINISHED TO A MERE CHANGING OF THE GUARD 4HE PROBLEMS TODAY ARE FORMIDABLE 3UTRA )8 /NLY FORGIVENESS RECONCILIATION AND ONGOING DIALOGUE CAN LEAD TO PEACE AND BREAK THE CYCLE OF KARMA 4HIS IS AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND THEOLOGICO PHILOSOPHICAL TRUTH WHICH IS EVIDENT IN HISTORY 0UNISHMENT REPAYMENT RESTITUTION REPARATION AND THE LIKE DO NOT LEAD TO PEACE 4O BELIEVE THAT A MERE RE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BROKEN ORDER WILL PUT THINGS STRAIGHT IS A CRUDE MECHANISTIC AND IMMATURE WAY OF THINKING ,OST INNOCENCE DEMANDS REDEMPTION NOT THE DREAM OF A RECOVERED PARADISE .O AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION WILL UNDO WHAT HAS BEEN DONE 0EACE IS NOT RESTORATION (UMAN HISTORY IS DYNAMIC 4HE VERY COSMOS ITSELF MOVES RHYTHMICALLY BUT DOES NOT REPEAT ITSELF 4O RETURN TO THE STATUS ANTE IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY 4HE ONLY WAY TO PEACE IS ABOVE ALL A WAY FORWARD AND NOT A WAY BACK WARD .OW FORGIVENESS IS SOMETHING WHICH TRANSCENDS THE MAIN DOGMA OF MODERNITY WHICH IS THE WILL 4O HAVE THE WILL TO FORGIVE IS NOT THE SAME AS TO FORGIVE )N ORDER TO FORGIVE ONE NEEDS A STRENGTH BEYOND THE MECHANICAL ORDER OF ACTION AND REACTION ONE NEEDS THE (OLY 3PIRIT +ARUNA CARITAS

LOVE ARE NOT JUST THE NOBLE SENTIMENTS OF SOME INDIVIDUALS 4HEY ARE THE PILLARS OF THE UNIVERSE )T IS INSTRUCTIVE TO REMARK THAT EACH TIME THAT THE 2ISEN #HRIST APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES HE BESTOWS PEACE ON THEM AND THAT ON EACH OCCASION WHEN HE CONFERS ON THEM THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS HE GIVES THEM THE POWER OF THE (OLY 3PIRIT 3OMETIMES THE CYCLE OF KARMA IS BROKEN JUST BY PUTTING TO SHAME THE DISPENSERS OF JUSTICE h7OMAN WHERE ARE GONE THOSE WHO ACCUSED YOU v 4HE #HALLENGE ) KNOW HOW RELATIVELY EASY IT IS TO QUOTE !SHOKA S EDICT ON PEACE THE VICTORY OF DHAMMA HE CALLS IT OR TO CONDEMN &LAVIUS 6EGETIUS 2ENATUS S DICTUM >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2AIMON 0ANIKKAR

QUI DESIDERAT PACEM PRAEPARET BELLUMÂ&#x2C6; IF YOU WANT PEACE PREPARE FOR WAR

OR TO CITE 0INDAR S FAMOUS APHORISM DULCE BELLUM INEXPERTIS Â&#x2C6; WAR IS SWEET ONLY TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT TASTED IT OR TO COPY THE BEGINNING OF %RASMUS S 1UERELA PACIS PEACE IS THE hSOURCE OF ALL HAPPINESSv AND TO RECALL THE MANY NOBLE SOULS WHO HAVE DISCOVERED THE CENTRALITY OF PEACE IN ALL TIMES AND LATITUDES 4HE REAL CHALLENGE COMES WHEN WE HAVE TO ACT ACCORDINGLY WITHOUT ANY OTHER SUPPORT THAN OUR CONSCIENCE 3POKEN WORDS ARE ALWAYS MORE FORCEFUL THAN WRITTEN SENTENCES !C TIONS ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN MERE WORDS 7E MUST ENGAGE IN ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING DIFl CULT AND LIFE ENHANCING TASKS FOR ALL OF US TODAY THE CREATION OF PEACE s 4HIS ARTICLE IS EXCERPTED WITH THE AUTHOR S PERMISSION FROM HIS PAMPHLET h%PISTULA DE PACE v WHICH WAS WRITTEN TO THE l FTY CONTRIBUTORS TO THE BOOK 0HILOSOPHIA PA CIS (OMENAJE A 2AIMON 0ANIKKAR -ADRID 3¤MBOLO %DITORIAL #OPIES OF THE BOOK ARE AVAILABLE AT 6IVARIUM %L #ENTRE % 4AVERTET "ARCELONA 3PAIN

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