The cold war has allegedly ended. There is now a scramble to share the peace dividends. Can we be sure of a future era of sustained and unsuspecting peace? Open warfare, civil wars, bitter enmity among leading nations hit headlines everyday. In such a context the contents of this article, eloquently expressed from a Buddhist standpoint, are most topical and relevant. The article is based on a lecture given by the author at the second general conference of the World Buddhist Supreme Tathagata Followers held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1994.

Throughout this century Western leaders have made great efforts to ensure world peace. How far have they succeeded in these efforts? We have had two world wars, and the periods that followed have been full of civil strife, terrorism and blood letting. To ensure world peace, many agreements have been entered into. The main strategy behind them has been the creation of a balance in the production and deployment of armaments. This has, of course, led to an 'equilibrium of terror.' Can we call this peace? Now there is another great fear that was not originally envisaged or visualised : the fear that the nuclear stockfile of the former USSR and the now independent Eastern European block will be sold to the highest bidder! Did the balancing of armaments ensure peace? Perhaps it curbed the possibility of another world war for a few years, but the world will be much more dangerous if the nuclear armaments get into wrong hands. And still the manufacture of arms continues as a major world industry.

Buddhist view There is a simple description of the highly emotive word 'peace'. Peace is the active presence of JUSTICE. If we aspire to create or achieve peace at all, let alone world peace, justice must be at the forefront of all our ideals. Justice is 'respect' - respect for the whole of the humanity, for all beings and for all of nature.

The Buddha constantly explained that the world was full of dukkha. This is human existence. There is no peace for any ordinary individual. The only totally peaceful state for a human being is Enlightenment. But this state does not abolish violence. What it does, however, is to allow the mind to be completely detached from fear and bodily attachment. After all, even Maha Moggallana was murdered! And, assassination attempts were made even on the greatest human of our time, the Tathagata himself.

We have a right to talk about peace and to aspire to world peace. More than any other religion or philosophy, Buddhism presents a clear vision of peace. The Noble Eightfold Path unambiguously maps out the way to achieving lasting personal peace. If everyone could but perfect their own personal life, world peace would come almost naturally. Buddhism preaches love, kindness, compassion, benevolence and respect for the lives of all. It advocates abstention from causing any harm to or inflicting any suffering on any living being. All disputes and conflicts among families, communities or nations should be settled by peaceful means, such as tolerance mutual respect, mutual agreement and wisdom.

The three motives The Buddha was very clear about the causes of rivalries, conflicts, quarrels and wars. These, he explained, resulted from three kinds of motives:

TANHA - selfish desire for pleasure and acquisition.

MANA - Egotistical lust for power and dominance.

DITTHI - clinging to opinions, faiths and ideologies.

Modern situations caused by economic systems, political ideologies and religious fanaticism all fit in to one or more of these categories. There is no situation in today's world that is outside of what the Buddha's teachings explored.

Society grows through a network of relationships which are interdependent. We can do nothing, nor can we exist or progress, unless we are committed to one another. As human beings, we are unique in our ability to see what is good. We can choose to realise it in our own speech and actions. It is we who can create a safe and peaceful world by means of practising love, tolerance and mutual respect in the way the Buddha taught.

Karmic laws To create a safe and peaceful world there are factors more important than the mere control of arms. These are the five Karmic laws which can often be thrown off balance by modern science and technology.

Physical laws - such as seasons. Rain forests are being cleared, rivers diverted, scrub land on our hills cleared for the cultivation of cash crops such as tobacco. When the physical laws are altered in such ruthless ways, can the world remain peaceful?

Biological laws - seeds, genes, germs, etc. There is no need for any elaboration on this topic. The threat of science is being constantly discussed. Science is able to produce new breeds of animals, or reproduce exact likenesses. Genes are being reproduced and implanted into humans. Germ warfare is an ever present threat. But we cannot restrict the ever-expanding field of science.

Psychological laws - many countries seems to excel in psychological torture! Psychology is used throughout the world today, even down to advertising which aims solely to produce a state of covetousness and envy. There is no way that the widespread abuse through psychology can be stemmed.

Moral laws - action and results. If only the law of kamma could be successfully taught to all peoples of the world! If everyone understood rebirth and karma most of their actions would become wholesome.

Order of Norms - such as gravity. Atomic warfare, burial of atomic waste, bad building techniques of atomic plants and the like will surely break the order of Norms should a large disaster happen. The ozone layer is breaking, which threatens global warming. Who knows what terrible inventions science will produce in the 21st century?

Even in this situation of unpredictability, the great thoughts expressed by the Buddha remain solid and unreputable. Take, for example, the Buddha's explanation of the three types of impurity: gross, sensuous and subtle. Gross impurity is wrong conduct in deeds, words and even thoughts. Anger and violent thoughts form sensuous impurity, while subtle impurity is to do with nationality, country, family, home and reputation.

Buddhism teaches that there is nothing called "righteous anger"! Is there any other religion that considers such a view? The Buddha was deeply moved by inhumanities and political oppressions in his time. The concept of good government aroused great concerns in him. Hence the introduction of the notion of "Dasa raja dhamma" - the ten duties of a King. These are as valid and relevant today as they were 2500 years ago. The Buddha has said that "nothing is fit to be clung to." If world peace is to be achieved, all nations, religions and persons must rid themselves of all ego.