Peace, Peace, Peace

It is very unlikely that the great physician Albert Einstein ever expected that the development of science and technology would be as vast as how it is now. However, it is the law of nature that there shall never be any improvement without sacrifice. In this respect, the progress of science and technology takes a great cost indeed.

Humans capability to utilize science and technology advances greatly followed by an even greater force of destruction. Referring to the outcome of a research in The Social Construction of Technological Systems conducted by some experts in the particular field (as Bijker, Hughes, Pinch ), it is identified that even though we, human, initially developed science and technology in order to provide assistance, presently we are facing difficulties in adjusting to our own discoveries.

All aspects of life (religion included) are unsuccessfully responding to the immensity of science and technologys advancement. Observe the leading countries in the science and technology development such as the United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany and France, one will distinguish that there are numerous disheartening social indicators (as depression, mental disorders, war and conflict) that signify that science and technology are not merely fail to provide solution to those indicators for they even give birth to further sophistications.

The situation is similar to the race between the development of pesticide and the evolution of its target. The harder science and technology struggle to terminate them, the more bugs with advance and complicated immunity emerge. Global warming and never-ending conflicts are only a few examples among the science and technologys lacks of competence in this issue.

In the midst of these ineptitudes let there be a time when it is not science and technology those speak but silence. In this matter, the authors intention is not to alter the common order and definitely not to lecture, but solely to share fragments of contemplation.

Perfection in Nature

When J. Krishnamurti presented the idea to return to the childrens innocence of vision (therefore his masterpiece was entitled Freedom from the Known), a lot of Westerners frowned their eyebrows as a sign of puzzlement. Some even suspected the matter as a stepping back in spiritual evolution.

People definitely own the very right to have whatever opinion as they wish. As free as a butterfly perches lightly on a flower and as liberate as an eagle flies high in the sky. A soul frequently experience union with nature will recognize the perfection that lies within.

Coconut trees grow on sunny beaches while Casuarinas remain fresh on the cool mountains. Fishes swim the water, wolves roam the woods. During the pour of a cold rain, chickens take shelter under the trees while ducks plunge their selves into ponds. All are perfect and happy in their natural habitation. No words, analysis, judgment nor comparison needed for the only thing required is the effort to see things as they are. Whoever might flow perfectly in this nature, he or she has become the perfection itself.

By doing a more profound study about nature, one shall witness that everything flow without grievance. Every day and night, no matter how scorching or freezing the temperature is, nature accepts all seasons without any melancholy. The outer performance of nature might seem weak and submissive for the ignorance, while the seers may behold in wonder how the inner side of nature is magnificently firm in its frankness.

Trees, in particular, are extraordinary models. Eons before the mortal prophets taught about the sincerity within silence, trees have been practicing the very attitude in absolute wordlessness. Therefore, Kahlil Gibran admired trees for they might serve as the symbols of the recluses those are stepping toward the light in perfect silence and sincerity.

An Australian reputed architect, Andrian Snodgrass, wrote in his profound masterpiece The Symbolism of the Stupa that stupa and pagoda of the Buddhists and the Balinese meru share the same point in which they are intending to demonstrate how the life of an ascetic is similar to a tree: walking toward the light in flawless serenity and wholeheartedness. Ramana Maharsi, a divine recluse in Arunachala hill (India), termed this journey as Dhaksinamurti (Shiva teachings in silence); that is Shiva that might only be greeted in silence.

By this point of view, then it is outstandingly wonderful that our Moslems fellows define the word Islam as complete sincerity before God. The same greatness also reflected by Jesus Christ whose inner expression was so full of loving-kindness even when His physical body was experiencing the sorrow of crucifixion.

Home of Harmony

This kind of supreme submissiveness is more likely to be achieved when there is no more desire left, no more lamenting the past nor fearing the future. The only matter remains then is a perfect sincerity in this eternal present-time that belongs to a tranquil and silent spirit.

In relation to this subject, Nagarjuna once stated that: One who is in harmony with emptiness is in harmony with all things. This is the cause for Simpkins and Simpkins conclusion that emptiness is marvelous.

Sakyamuni Buddha was once insistently questioned by His disciple during a walk in a forest. Buddha then took a handful of leaves and asked whether the leaves in His hand or those scattered on the ground were greater in number. Obviously, the quantity of leaves in His hand was nothing compared to the ones spread on the earth. Words are similar to the leaves in ones hand: they are limited and often become the sources of arguments that spoil the journey.

This might be the reason of numerous Balinese difficulty in touching the ultimate peace as the finale of their worship. A word always leads to its antonym. Wrong is contradicted to right, failure to success, divinity to impurity, and there come the clamors into life.

The seekers who dare to bring words back to the original position as instruments, and then guides their selves with the tree-like qualities during their inner wondering, shall return to the children’s purity of vision and reach the supreme understanding of ultimate peace, that there is nothing positive to accept nor anything negative to reject. They will achieve the condition termed by Suzuki Roshi as Zen mind beginners mind. Moreover, they are going to experience the existence of shanti, shanti, shanti (peace, peace, peace) within their spirit.

It should be understood that the peace mentioned here is not the one that might be contradicted to chaos, as well as it is not the kind of peace that may be followed by attachment and suffering upon its departure. Instead, this peace is generated by the perfection of all in their nature. In the center point of Pura Besakih Bali (between kiwa and tengen) it is termed as Parama Shunya (the supreme emptiness). Buddha referred to it as Shunyata. In Rohit Mehta’s words (The Call of the Upanishads), there is silence in chaos as well as there is chaos within silence.

These elaborations conclude that nothingness is the real/ultimate self. For those with emptyness alone dwells in their spirit, the only purpose of the cycle of life is to give as they realize that liberation is the act of giving itself.