The world is experiencing economic, political, military, ethnic, and religious conflicts. In your opinion, how can we can resolve and limit conflicts and violence?

Throughout history, and even during the pre-historic period, war, conflicts, and violence have been prevalent. Even the religious texts of various faiths depict war and conflict during ancient times. 

Life and existence in the world are characterized by apparent conflicts. Therefore, our focus should be on finding ways to achieve relative peace. This entails making efforts to increase peace and decrease conflicts. Conflict is inevitable as long as we identify with our body and mind and have attachments and desires.

If we look back through history, we can see that all conflicts originate from conflict within the individual. And what is the real source of this inner conflict?  It is the lack of awareness of our true nature, the one living power within us, of which we are all a part. So, the spiritual solution for war and violence is to awaken the awareness about the oneness principle that unites all living beings, thereby developing qualities such as love, compassion, humility, etc.  

Peace is not just the absence of war and conflict; it goes well beyond that. Peace must be fostered within the individual, within the family and within society. Simply transferring the world’s nuclear weapons to a museum will not, in itself, bring about world peace. The nuclear weapons of the mind must first be eliminated.  

Love is the only medicine that can heal the wounds of the world.  Just as the body needs food to grow, the soul needs love to unfold.  Where love exists, there cannot be conflict of any kind; peace alone will reign.

Wars and conflicts, all the suffering and lack of peace in the present-day world, will certainly lessen to a great extent if women and men begin to cooperate and support each other. Unless harmony is restored between the masculine and the feminine, between men and women, peace will remain a distant dream. 

Unfortunately, in today’s world, it is the language of the intellect that prevails, not the language of the heart. Selfishness and the eyes of lust—not love—dominate the world. Narrow-minded people influence those with weaker minds and use them to fulfil their selfish goals. The concept of love has been distorted. This is why the world is filled with conflicts, violence, and war.

The world has degenerated to such an extent that people no longer know what real peace and harmony are. Selflessness must flourish instead of selfishness. People should stop bargaining with one another in the name of relationships. Love shouldn’t be a chain of bondage; it should be the very breath of life. This is Amma’s wish.

Once we develop the attitude that “I am love, the embodiment of love,” then we need not wander in search of peace; for peace will come in search of us. In that expansive state of mind, all conflicts dissolve, just as the mist fades when the sun rises.

Today, people do not experience peace within themselves because of the conflicts in their minds. To avoid such conflicts, we need to attain knowledge of the mind, which is spiritual knowledge. Those who receive spiritual training have fewer mental conflicts and more inner peace. They will have less greed and illusions. 

Today, people have learned how to air-condition the outer environment, but they don’t know how to “air-condition” their minds. They can’t sleep even in their air-conditioned rooms. They need pills, alcohol, or drugs to help them forget their troubles. When you possess spiritual knowledge and wisdom, there is no need for any of that. Your mind will be at peace always, whether you happen to be in a hut or in a palace, because that wisdom is the understanding of the mind. 

Understand that, just as violence is part of the human mind, peace and happiness are also very much part of it. And if people really want, they can find peace both within and without. It is the conflict in the individual mind that manifests as violence and war. When individuals change, society will automatically change. Just as hatred and vengefulness exist in the mind, peace and love can also exist in the mind. 

The enemies that are today attacking us from within and without cannot be dealt with just by increasing the strength of our weapons. We can no longer afford to delay the rediscovery and strengthening of our most powerful weapon, spirituality, which is inherent in us all.

According to studies by Harvard University on happiness since 1938, people's happiness increases with their annual income up to a threshold of about $75,000. Beyond this threshold, money does not appear to have a significant impact on personal happiness. The group of countries with the highest happiness index belongs to the Nordic countries, while some countries, such as Singapore and Saudi Arabia, have high income but do not have correspondingly happiness levels. How do you perceive the relationship between happiness and money? What defines a happy country, happy people, and a happy individual?

Indeed, there is no clear relationship between money and happiness. But, where there is selflessness, there will be happiness. The one who helps others, benefits physically and mentally. But if we live a selfish life, we will suffer from unfulfillment, stress and conflict, loneliness, lack of trust and guilt. Truly intelligent people, endowed with the power of discernment, will not stake their happiness on wealth. 

Spirituality is an inner wealth that makes you feel fully content. Even if you lack material possessions, you can still feel fulfilled. Once you possess this inner wealth, you will experience a state of fullness. While you may not have external riches, you will feel rich and complete within. Such people will always smile, even in the face of sorrow. Sorrow cannot make them cry, nor do they need happiness to make them rejoice. Their happiness is not dependent on external factors like objects or a favorable environment.

We should always remember that all people are the same--the top people in society and the people at the bottom. But the very existence of those who are extremely poor depends on the love and compassion of others. A wealthy person usually has a lot of support from others; but a very poor person is looked down upon by almost everyone, except a few good-hearted people.

You can become wealthy and lead a family life, but your life should be based on an understanding of spiritual principles. Family life and the acquisition of wealth, without any awareness of the spiritual principles, is like collecting combs for a bald head!

There is a paradox: as society develops and more material wealth becomes available, people seem to feel more psychologically insecure. It appears that many individuals are experiencing increased sadness and anxiety. How can individuals find happiness in a world filled with turmoil, widespread natural disasters, epidemics, economic crises, and poverty?

Serving others who are in need, physically, mentally, or monetarily, is a very powerful experience. It puts our situation in perspective, gives us more objectivity, and turns our discontent into content. 

After the 2011 triple disaster in Japan, our volunteers immediately went to the disaster area to help the survivors. In the town where they went, over 80% of the survivors’ houses were destroyed or severely damaged. Teams of 10 to 20 people gathered there every week, some driving over 800 miles, to offer whatever help they could.

One woman shared her experience, saying, “On the first day, we went to help an elderly couple, by washing whatever had not been washed swept away by the tsunami. Even clothes that would just be thrown away under normal circumstances were now precious possessions for the refugees, who had no other way to fight the bitter cold. At first, I thought, ‘How are we going to do laundry when there is no electricity and no washing machine?’ Then I remembered how people in India hand wash their clothes in rivers or streams. So, I emulated them, like how Amma used to handwash the clothes of elderly people who had nobody to look after them."

Another volunteer narrated her experience. “I helped an old woman, about 70 years old, to take a bath. My back was aching from the hard work of the previous day, but I thought to myself, ‘Don’t over 700 million people in this world live without electricity, relying only on their own physical strength? Just for a few days, let me feel the suffering they feel every day.’ When it was time for me to leave, the woman and I cried together, and in my heart, I thanked Amma for giving me this life-transforming experience of selfless service.”

If we think positively, we can see disasters like this as an opportunity for us to awaken the love that lies dormant within us. We cannot remain aloof when such an emergency strikes. We already have compassion within us, but we rarely come into contact with it. We may have love for our friends and relatives, but never experience the flow of compassionate love towards a complete stranger. Ironically, though, this unconditional love is, in fact, our True Nature.

Every day, we meet the one within us who is angry, upset, or jealous, but how often do we meet the one who sheds tears of compassion for others? Touched by the suffering of others, many people are meeting that compassionate one within themselves after a very long time – maybe for the first time in their lives.

Not all of us will be able to go to a disaster area to do relief work, but do we really need to? Aren’t there already enough disaster victims around us? The only difference is that the cause of their disasters is not external, like an earthquake or a tsunami. For example, anger is a disaster. Nobody would consciously enter into such a state. It pollutes and poisons everyone and everything. Anger and all other negative moods of the mind are disastrous. So, if our inner negativity is the real disaster, then there are plenty of disaster victims around us all the time. We can start by feeling compassion for them and serving them selflessly.

In 2001, an earthquake devastated Western Gujarat in India. 20,000 people died, and most of the survivors lost their homes. Our NGO responded by adopting three villages in a remote area called Bhuj. When we arrived, the people were fearful that we would try to influence their culture, religion, and lifestyle. We patiently explained that we wanted to rebuild their villages exactly as they wished. We ended up building 1200 houses for the victims as well as temples, mosques, churches, and other halls of worship.

Three years later, during the 2004 tsunami in southern Asia, the area surrounding our NGO headquarters on the Arabian Sea was flooded. As soon as the people from Bhuj heard, hundreds of them put aside all differences of culture and religion and rushed to help us aid the victims. When journalists asked them why they had made the long journey from the North to the South of India, they replied, “When we faced suffering and loss, Amma's NGO did not try to change our culture, religion, or way of life. They compassionately gave us what we requested. We are forever indebted.” 

Compared to Kerala, these people have completely different traditions, food habits, and lifestyles. The fact that our NGO respected and recognized their traditions inspired them to wholeheartedly give back to society in a similar manner. Since then, whenever there has been any natural disaster in India, these villagers from Bhuj arrive on the scene to help our volunteers.

Thus, even amidst turmoil, natural disasters, epidemics, and poverty, we can enjoy the happiness of helping those who are suffering.

When we face challenges in life, we should not shy away from thinking, “I cannot do this.” Even when we feel helpless, we shouldn’t give up. Keep moving forward. This effort will help us become completely self-reliant.

In 2019, President Donald Trump chose Vietnam as the venue for the second US-North Korea Summit. Recently, President Biden visited Vietnam to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam. From a nation that endured painful wars, Vietnam has played a significant role in contributing to global peace efforts. How do you see Vietnam's image and position in the international arena?

Having recognized the travails of war the Vietnamese nation suffered in the previous century, there are other countries that have been war ravaged and subsequently recovered, like Germany, Japan, South Korea and more recently, Croatia. 

Amma, however, sees the whole world as a flower. Each petal represents a nation. If one petal is infested with pests, it will affect the other petals as well, and the beauty of the whole flower is compromised. Realizing this truth, the nations of the world should come forth and lay the foundation for a new golden era of cooperation and co-existence. Qualities such as love, sympathy, and generosity are not meant only for individuals. They should become the very hallmark of each nation, and the soul of society. They need a leader who is both wise and compassionate, practical, their actions steeped in selflessness, because this is exactly what the world needs today. 

Diversity is the nature of God’s creation. This universe is far too complex to be explained by any solitary religion or philosophy. Like a collection of flowers with varying colors and fragrances that can be woven into a stunning garland, love is the only thread with which we can blend all the complexities and diversities of this world to create a beautiful garland of unity and coexistence. 

Lan Anh