The Threat of War and the Danger of Nuclear Destruction

The air during the past few days has been thick with the dust and debris of war. The whole world was shocked while watching visuals of missiles that were fired from a superpower nation to a border country. There have been a lot of deliberations and heated arguments among nations who were in support of this attack as well as those who were against this attack. However, the fact remains that today the whole world is under the danger of a nuclear attack and that makes every nation build up heavy stocks of weapons of mass destruction in the name of self-defence and security.

Survival and Security: Prime Values or Limited Perspective?

In the present world, many people consider survival and security as prime values. They argue that if a person does not survive, then what is the worth of other values. In a similar vein, they further argue that if a person lives in a state of constant insecurity and fear, then what is the charm, the joy, the fun or the zest in living? Because the quality of life of a man in fear is like that of a man in a state of suspended animation and it’s not at all cherishable, relishable, enjoyable or valuable.

The Higher Purpose of Human Life

On the other hand, other people question the contention of the former people. The questions they raise are that ‘after all what is the purpose of survival?’ and ‘what is the goal of life?’. Further, they ask ‘what do we want to achieve by living or while living?’.

They argue that the difference between a human being and an animal is narrowed down to zero if a man also, like other animals, is concerned primarily and mainly about his physical survival only. They feel that there should be some higher and nobler aim of human existence and that there should be something more worthy for humans to be achieved.

Examples of Sacrifice for Noble Values

Arguing thus, they ask:

If personal survival is the main value, then why do military men endanger their survival or sacrifice their life at the battlefront to keep intact the sovereignty of the nation?

Why did the heroes of the Indian freedom struggle happily embrace death for the sake of independence of their motherland?

Why did kings in the olden times give up their palaces and bodyguards and go to the forest retreats in pursuit of truth, endangering their life, knowing well that there were tigers and lions there?

Fear and the Role of Moral and Spiritual Strength

With these questions in mind, they further argue that why should a man have fear if he has moral and spiritual strength and has good relations with all the human beings? Because fear, they assert, arises from guilt-consciousness, suspicion or enmity.

So, man should be free from these negativities rather than have additional negative tendencies or emotions, namely fear because one’s survival should normally be an assured thing if one’s actions are in harmony with other beings, with the environment and with the moral and physical laws.

Each one of us must understand that our life and death, or survival and happiness, are governed by the law of Karma and if our karma is good, why should we fear? As death will surely come to all on one fixed day; why should then we not sleep well night after night?

The Root Causes of Peacelessness in the World

Today, what makes the world-situation peaceless is that mankind has not yet been able to realise the truth that the factors that lead nations to race for military superiority, build-up of weapons, and subjugation of other people and their territories are religious bigotry, scramble for power or spirit of revenge.

Because he lusts for power, man cheats himself of happiness. It is a pity that he easily forgets that the power of arms or money without the power to rule one’s mind is worse than evil.