We all dream of a better world where there is peace, happiness and harmony, don’t we? No one would like degradation of the environment, loss of human lives due to wars and murders, dehumanization through poverty and troublesome social, economic and political conditions.
But the question is, what are those values and how can such a socio-politico-economic system be established which has those values and which will enhance human experience and enable men and women to have such lifestyle as can make such a society viable? Looking around, it can be said that much of the conflict in society today, is due to lack or absence of tolerance.
Yes! it is tolerance of difference in views, diversity of religious beliefs and cultures, plurality of races and nations, etc. that brings about unity and co-operation and that, in turn, leads to making concerted efforts for the amelioration of the miserable condition of the world.
Tolerance is easy where one is confronted with civilized and wise people even if the latter are one's bitter critics or opponents but one has to have a higher degree of tolerance if one is confronted with persons who are compulsive, vile and wicked and for this, one is required to develop in the self, the supportive values of good-will, patience, introvertness, calmness and love that is uppermost among these all.
Our present sorry state is the result of neglect or violation of those values. In other words, there has been rapid erosion of social, moral and family values. It is not that science and technology or management skills have caused our present sufferings. On the other hand, it falls in the standards of morality that have prevented even science & technology and management or administrative ability also from giving us their full fruits.
Moreover, it is not that people do not know that moral values are necessary to build a happy and peaceful society. People wish to have moral qualities in their life but they do not have that spiritual knowledge that should enable them to follow successfully these values in their life nor do they know that kind of Meditation which should make the values stay in them and should give them a deep experience of peace and happiness.
Thus, the need of the hour is that we create mass awareness among people for values like tolerance, humility, mutual respect in order to realise our dream of a world where there is peace, happiness and harmony.
(The writer is a spiritual educator and popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal and UK. You can write to him at nikunjji@gmail.com)
