POTENTIAL WAR FROM MODERN WEAPONS

Thich Nu Tinh Quang

Although peace in the whole world is impossible without the prohibition of nuclear weapons, the prohibition is in no way synonymous with peace throughout the world in the truest sense of the word. Nuclear weapons are not the only weapon in the arsenals of sovereign states. There are many other weapons, some of them are hardly less terrible than nuclear, and even if a nuclear war would be impossible; nevertheless, it could cause irreparable damage to civilization and generate unprecedented suffering of humanity. If we want to achieve peace in the full sense of the word, we need to work in order to destroy not only nuclear weapons, but also conventional weapons.
We do not want to eliminate nuclear weapons only to be in a situation like today, but without nuclear weapons. We also do not want to destroy it but to return to the situation of yesterday or the day before yesterday. Although, of course, it would be unsaid relief for humanity, the elimination of nuclear weapons by no means is enough. It is not enough even in the case of destruction of the two types of weapons both nuclear and non-nuclear. Peace in the full sense of the word can be achieved only if the disputes among sovereign states, as well as between smaller groups and individuals, will be settled exclusively by non-violent means.

         The Buddha used to say about the three origins of evil or the ‘three poisons’ of greed, hatred, and ignorance which lead people going a dark road, so cannot realize what the true value of life is.

If what we do is driven by the poisons, the inevitable result is suffering. The suffering is not only at the individual level, but it involves another persons; it reflects its image in the actions of the community and society.

So when politics and economics based on negative thoughts and worst of human, the inevitable result is the society being rife with inequality and violence.

Buddhist’s concern is also an incentive to promote sheds new light on the key questions of our time: the destruction of the environment, human exploitation, and the use of deception to quell the dissent and debate by human selfishness.

To achieve a peace in the whole world in a full sense of this word, we have to deepen our understanding of indivisibility of mankind and act for the sake of this understanding with even more consistency. We have to see ourselves as citizens of the world in a more specific sense than earlier and get rid of any taint of nationalism. We have to indentify ourselves more closely with all living beings and love everything that lives with a higher degree of unselfishness. Our voice of common sense and compassion for the world has be louder and clearer than ever before. We have to also apply to governments and peoples of the world, as well as to ourselves; the same pressure that is required for the prohibition of nuclear weapons, but even more persistent. And above all, we need to cultivate our devotion to the great moral and spiritual principle of non-violence, which applies both to relations between individuals, and relations between groups.

 Already at the dawn of history or maybe it started with the current cosmic cycle, in the world there were two great principles: the principle of violence and the principle of non-violence or as we might call the latter, the principle of love; however, in the sense of the Greek evangelical 'agape', not eros. The principle of violence is expressed in the use of force and deception, and such things as the oppression, exploitation, intimidation, and blackmail. Principle of non-violence or no harm (ahimsa) is reflected in friendliness, openness, and such qualities as courtesy, compassion, encouragement, empathy, and willingness to help. The principle of violence implies a reaction in response; ultimately it is destructive; the principle of non-violence means a creative attitude. The principle of violence is a principle of darkness; the principle of non-violence is a principle of light.

 To live according to the principle of violence is to be either a beast, or the devil, or a cross between the two while to live according to the principle of non-violence is to be a human in the full sense of the word, or even an angel. Of course, people still live more according to the principle of violence than non-violence. It happened because it was possible to follow the principle of violence and not destroy yourself completely; however, it is not so anymore. Due to the appearance of superpower possessing nuclear weapons on the world stage, now it has become impossible to live according to the principle of violence, because in this case, sooner or later we will destroy ourselves.

 Because of that, we are faced with the need to either learn to live in accordance to the principle of of non-violence, or cease to live at all. So, the real possibility of a nuclear disaster not only allows us to understand the true nature of the violence, what might be the consequences of violence that overgrown to the maximum, but also gives us a much deeper understanding of the true value of non-violence.

            “We the unhating live

Happily midst the haters
Among the hating humans
From hatred dwell we free.”[1]  

(Susukhaj vata jivama

            Verinesu averino

Verinesu manussesu

Viharama averino).  

“By harming living beings
One is not a ‘Noble’ man,

By lack of harm to all that live
One is called a ‘Noble One’.”[2]   

(Na tena ariyo hoti

Yena panani hijsati

Ahijsa sabbapananaj

Ariyo ti pavuccati.)  

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[1] DhP197/Translated from Pali by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero  

[2] DhP270/Translated from Pali by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero