Extinguish the Flames of Hatred with a Flood of Dialogue

More than half a century ago, Gandhi sought to break the cycles of violence 
and reprisal.  What distinguishes us from brute beasts, he said, is our 
continuous striving for moral self-improvement.  Humanity is at a 
crossroads and must choose, he asserted, violence (the law of the jungle) 
or non-violence (the law of humanity).

   The world today, in fact, has an extraordinary and unprecedented 
opportunity. We have the chance to open a new page in human history.  Now 
is the time to make the following declaration:

    We regard terrorist attacks to be a challenge to the law of 
humanity.  It is for just this reason that we refuse to follow the law of 
the jungle upon which the attacks were based. We declare our determination 
to find a solution not by military means but through extensive dialogue. 
Rather than further fuel the flames of hatred, we choose to douse them with 
a great "flood of dialogue" that will enrich and benefit all humanity.


  This is the best, the only means to assure that such horrors are never 
repeated, and we believe it is the most fitting way to honor the memory of 
those who lost their lives in the attacks.

Such a declaration, put into action, would certainly be met with the 
unstinting praise of future historians.

   Great good can come of great evil.  But this will not happen on its 
own.  Courage is always required to transform evil into good.  Now is the 
time for each of us to bring forth such courage: the courage of 
non-violence, the courage of dialogue, the courage to listen to what we 
would rather not hear, the courage to restrain the desire for vengance and 
be guided by reason.


****
Some of the Japanese involved in preparing for the "King Ashoka, Mahatma 
Gandhi, and Nehru" exhibition at first had difficulty appreciating the 
"healing touch" theme proposed by our Indian partners.  This may have been 
partly because "healing" in the broader sense was not as familiar a term in 
Japan as it has since become.   But no them goes more to the very heart of 
non-violence.  For violence is born from a wounded spirit: a spirit burned 
and blistered by the fire of arrogance; a spirit splintered and frayed by 
the frustration of powerlessness; a spirit parched with an unquenched 
thirst for meaning in life; a spirit shriveled and shrunk by feelings of 
inferiority.  The rage that results from injured self-respect, from 
humiliation, erupts as violence.  A culture of violence, which delights in 
crushing and bearing others into submission, spreads throughout society, 
often amplified by the media.

   The American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a 
student of Gandhi's philosophy.  He declared that a person whose spirit is 
in turmoil cannot truly practice non-violence.  It was my hope that the 
light of India - a country known in the East since ancient times as "the 
land of moonlight" - would help spread the spirit of peace, much as the 
cool beams of the moon bring soothing relief from the maddening heat of the 
day.  From a healed, peaceful heart, humility is born, from humility, a 
willingness to listen to others is born; from a willingness to listen to 
others, mutual understanding is born; and from mutual understanding, a 
peaceful society will be born.


     Non-violence is the highest form of humility; it is supreme 
courage.  Prime Minister Nehru said that the essence of Gandhi's teachings 
was fearlessness.  The Mahatma taught that "the strong are never 
vindictive" and that dialogue can only be engaged in by the brave.

****

Start by Asking Yourself

It is vital that we each ask ourselves some important questions.  For 
example:  Do I accept without question the images provided to me?   Do I 
believe unconfirmed reports without first examining them?   Have I 
unwittingly allowed myself to become prejudiced?  Do I really have a grasp 
of the facts of the matter?  Have I confirmed things for myself?  Have I 
gone to the scene?   Have I met the people involved?  Have I listened to 
what they have to say?  Am I being swayed by malicious rumours?


I believe that this kind of "inner dialogue" is crucial.  This is because 
people who are aware that they may harbour unconscious prejudices can 
converse with people of other cultures more easily than those who are 
convinced that they have no prejudices.

   When we stop looking at ourselves, when we no longer question ourselves, 
we become self-righteous and dogmatic.  Our discourse becomes a one-way 
street:  We cannot bear others, and real dialogue becomes impossible.

This kind of dialogue that can create peace with others must start with an 
open and earnest "inner dialogue."