Question: Do you feel that there is a revival of the principles of non-violence in our present-day world?
Sri Chinmoy: The revival of non-violence is only in theory, not in practice. In India 2,500 years ago Lord Mahavira and Lord Buddha preached non-violence, and in those days they did practise it.If India had continued to remain with her ancient heart-power and soul-power, eventually the Western world would have valued what India was offering. When there is something new or totally different, we may not value it at first. It may seem meaningless to us. But eventually we try to dive deep within to see if there is any reality in it.
Although the India of today may believe in non-violence in her soul, I do not feel that there is a sincere longing for peace in the heart, in the mind, in the vital and in the body. To our extreme sorrow, the present-day India is in no way better than the rest of the world in terms of restlessness and vital aggression.
Non-violence is not something that is on the physical plane only. It has to be found in the vital and in the mind. If the mind is clear of wrong thoughts, then there cannot be any violence. To clear the mind, to have an iota of peace in the mind, we have to practise the spiritual life.
From our spiritual life we will come to discover that there is something that is even more important than non-violence, and that is peace. Peace is like a peak in the Himalayas that is high, higher, highest. It has its origin in the Supreme Himself. Prayer and meditation can feed us with inner peace. This inner peace will inundate our soul, our heart, our mind, our vital and our body. But it is we who have to cultivate the inner hunger for peace. Without that hunger, it is impossible for the Supreme to feed us with His all-fulfilling Peace.
