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Most people in the world claim to seek lasting peace and happiness for themselves and their family and friends. Yet these fundamental goals seem unachievable – we tend only to witness conflict and sorrow around us. At a global level, wars of all kinds seem to be never ending. The saints and sages tell us that we fail because we look for peace and happiness in the wrong place: in the material world that is not only ever-changing but seems not to understand what peace and happiness are, and how they can be attained. We are fortunate that the Lord Buddha and Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba provided the pathway and illumination for each person to unveil the peace and happiness latent in them and in all creation.
It is commonly thought that peace is the absence of external conflict and that happiness is a state of well-being that includes contentment, positive emotions, personal achievements, and meaningful connections to others. Peace and happiness are inter-connected: without inner peace, lasting happiness eludes us. The Buddha taught that peace evades us due to our ignorance and cravings (desires). In a discourse on July 26, 1996, Swami asked: “Can one attain peace by wealth, gold, and other worldly possessions?” Most people seem to think so, although one sees that even rich people are in the grip of unrest, as Swami pointed out.
Peace is not a mood or emotion; it comes when all our inner dispositions – our sankhara or samsara – are quietened. With our mind and senses under control, in that stillness our single-minded concentration on our Buddha nature or Atma invites the peace latent within us to reveal itself to us. The Guru’s grace is so important for this unfoldment of the godly qualities within.
The Buddha said, “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” In that discourse on July 26, 1996, our beloved Swami said, “Peace cannot be acquired from outside, it has to be manifested from within.” In this regard, it is important to remind ourselves that the world is but a reflection, reaction and resound of our inner selves. Whenever we perform adharmic actions, and live without awareness of the importance of good thoughts, good speech, and good actions, we need to remember Swami’s words, “When you are indulging in evil pursuits through your senses, how can you get peace? Peace should come from Hridaya (the spiritual heart) filled with compassion,” (divine discourse on May 11, 1998).
The exhortations from the Buddha and Sri Sathya Sai Baba are clear: changing the internal state will allow us to function freely; inner peace will be reflected in our outer world. In the Dhammapada, verse 226, it is written that those who are vigilant, who train their minds day and night, and strive continually for Nirvana, enter the state of peace beyond all selfish passions. Similarly, in His discourse on July 26, 1996, Swami said, “Peace is divine. To experience this divine quality, you have to purify your heart.”
This instruction to purify the heart is the most direct, the most clear instruction of the purpose of our daily sadhana. Both Lord Buddha and Sri Sathya Sai gave guidance, what remains is our dedication, devotion, discipline, discrimination and determination to transform ourselves so that we might achieve divine love. This goal of inner transformation is not to be confused with performing rituals, especially without proper understanding as to how these practices can help extinguish the individual self, the sense of separation from the Divine.
In His discourse on July 26, 1996, Swami said, “Some people are under the mistaken notion that they can attain peace by performing some worship (puja) and rituals. They also think that the welfare of the world can be achieved by the performance of rituals and sacrifices (yajna and yaga) … world peace cannot be achieved by these external practices. World peace can be achieved when you develop inner peace.”
What then is the disciple to do? The Buddha’s teachings are in the Noble Eightfold Path which emphasize sila (morality), samadhi (mastery over the mind), and panna (proper insight to purify the mind). He said this is true Dharma, the path to liberation. The Eightfold Path is: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. He explained that virtue appears from good deeds and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind.
The Eightfold Path emphasizes, inter alia, freedom from resentful thoughts and jealously, and putting a limit on selfish desires so that fear does not arise within. The Buddha observed maunam, setting an example on the importance of silencing one’s thoughts and senses and living with deeper awareness, or mindfulness, as a means to developing loving kindness. Thus, He said: “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.”
In the July 26 1996 discourse, Swami said, “Where there is sacredness, there peace manifests.” To develop this sacredness in our lives, we should study Swami’ teachings, reflect on them, and imbibe them into ours heart, mind, and intellect. Having been called by Him, we need to make every effort to unmake the self that our vasana and learnings and experiences in this life have made of us so that Swami can remake us as He Wills. This requires constant practice. It is important to remember that the when we take one step towards Him, He takes 100 towards us. And that, ultimately, our success does not depend on the challenges ahead of us, but on His Grace.
In a discourse on May 13, 2006, Swami pointed to one of the most important changes that we must make within us. He said, “So long as you have the dualistic feeling of ‘you and I’, you cannot experience unity. Buddha recognised the principle of unity and based his life on this truth.”
The Buddha said, “Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.” “Only change within can enable us to live freely at all times. When the mind is at peace, that peace will be reflected in our outer world.”