World Peace Newsletter - The online resource for internal peace, external peace and world peace.
Peace within means peace without.
World Peace Newsletter - The online resource for internal peace, external peace and world peace.
Peace within means peace without.
* (Tao Te Ching: 67) I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of your being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.
* (The Quran) Do you think you can enter the garden of bliss without facing the trials and pains of those entering before you?
* (Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind) Which is more important: to attain enlightenment, or to attain enlightenment before you attain enlightenment; to make a million dollars, or to enjoy your life in your effort, even though it is impossible to make a million dollars; to be successful, or to find some meaning in your effort to be successful? If you do not know the answer, you will not even be able to practice zazen; if you do know, you will have found the true treasure of life.
* (Thomas:113) His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?" Jesus said, "It will not come by waiting for it. It will not be a matter of saying 'here it is' or 'there it is.' Rather, the kingdom of the father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not see it." (see also Luke 17:20 - "the kingdom of God is within you") - The "Fifth" Gospel, The Gospel of Thomas. - - The Gospel of Thomas parallels to the Four Gospels
* (Buddha) The doorways to the realm of heaven (Brahma) are right here on earth and they are four in number: we enter the highest heavenly abodes through loving kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sharing joy (muditha), and equanimity (upekkha). It is through service in this world, not by abandoning this world, that we attain to heavenly realms or spiritual fulfillment.
* Nobel Peace Prize speech 1989 - Ethics for a new millenium.
By his holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. An excerpt:
Consider the following. We humans are social beings. We come into the world as the result of others’ actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from others’ activities. For this reason it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others. Nor is it so remarkable that our greatest joy should come when we are motivated by concern for others. But that is not all. We find that not only do altruistic actions bring about happiness but they also lessen our experience of suffering. Here I am not suggesting that the individual whose actions are motivated by the wish to bring others’ happiness necessarily meets with less misfortune than the one who does not. Sickness, old age, mishaps of one sort or another are the same for us all. But the sufferings which undermine our internal peace anxiety, doubt, disappointment these things are definitely less. In our concern for others, we worry less about ourselves. When we worry less about ourselves an experience of our own suffering is less intense.
What does this tell us? Firstly, because our every action has a universal dimension, a potenial impact on others’ happiness, ethics are necessary as a means to ensure that we do not harm others. Secondly, it tells us that genuine happiness consists in those spiritual qualities of love, compassion, patience, tolerance and forgiveness and so on. For it is these which provide both for our happiness and others’ happiness.
* (Tao Te Ching: 31) Weapons are the tools of violence, all decent men detest them. Weapons are the tools of fear; a decent man will avoid them except in the direst necessity and, if compelled, will use them only with the greatest restraint.
Peace is the highest value. If the peace has been shattered, how can one be content? His enemies are not demons, but humans like himself. He does not wish them personal harm. Nor does he rejoice in victory. How could he rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men?
He enters a battle gravely, with sorrow and with great compassion, as if he were attending a funeral.
* (Proverbs 16:32) He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty. He who rules his spirit is stronger than those who rule cities.
Thanks for visiting World Peace Newsletter.com . . . . . 1996-2005 
Love the World, Love your Neighbor, Love Life. Happiness will be your Reward!