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THE IDEAL OR PERFECT STATE

Samanera U Pandita,
Ye Ngone Kyaung, Yan Kin Taung,
Mandalay, Burma

Vol. III, No. 5, 1958

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      The golden age, or era of prosperity, can be revived or brought to pass and established on the earth and made a possibility — by this I do not mean to suggest that the earth may he converted into a teeming flourishing paradise in the Communist sense or in the Communist way; but I do venture to say that such a condition is possible, and may be brought into actual existence and established on earth and in this world, by the entire change of heart the reconstruction and reformation of Man's Inner Kingdom namely the development of his moral and spiritual nature or character.

      The ages, eras and epochs which mark certain events in the world or in the course of history are determined by men as are, the various phases and changes of the geological formation or composition through which this planet has passed; determined by the elements or by the forces of nature and the phases and processes of geological and terrestrial formations and planetary changes marking the various Geological Epochs. Therefore, as regards the physical formation and structure of the earth, it is within the power of the elements and forces of Nature, to determine. But in the case of the order, conditions and era or type of period, forms, fashions, customs and mode of government and social conventions and dealings which prevail in various forms from age to age on the earth are within the power of men to determine. Where in each age and in each generation men of inferior calibre Spirit - low in the grade, status or scale of mental intellectual and moral evolutionary development prevail or in other words whenever and wherever the mass of back-brained type of' men are found to prevail and bear rule in any nation or country, bloodshed, war, injustice and autocratic authority and oppression is the result. Such a country or nation gradually declines, degenerates and recedes into insignificance retrogrades or reverts towards barbarism, ruin, destruction and loss as witness the two Fascist and Narzi countries in the recent World War.

      But whenever and wherever in each age or generation men highly evolved, advanced and cultured — arise or appear; men of sound moral fibre and of great or high intellectual calibre; men highly advanced in the scale of mental intellectual and moral evolution are found to prevail and bear rule. Such a nation, country, or people advances or makes a rapid advance towards true progress, development, harmony, prosperity and peace. Therefore to effect or bring about that glorious change leading to the Golden Age or Era of prosperity and Bliss; Spiritual Regeneration of Man is vitally essential. By this is meant that all the peoples of the earth should come to an actual realisation of the need for reforming their ways, their moral conduct, life and character and to understand the beneficial results of such reformation and the evil baneful effects of' wilful omission of negligence to conform to and live and act in perfect harmony with the Moral Law and Order which prevails or holds sway in all the realms of sentient life through out the Universe, operating in all planes of life mental, emotional and physical with unerring precision and exactitude.

      The observance or abiding acting living by this law of righteousness this moral law, Dhamma or truth is conducive to the harmony, prosperity and well being of the whole world and mankind and all beings individually and collectively and on the other hand the violation of this moral law is attended with serious painful consequences as the transgressor sooner or later learns to this own cost and sorrow "The bygone wrongs and evils brings forth sorrows and woes." "But the bygone right breeds bliss."

      So therefore if all the Nations and peoples of the world could effect a perfect reformat ion of moral character or moral renovation through sound education or the Buddha's system of psycho-ethical training in all walks and departments of life, and more particularly if in every department of life, everywhere, all the constituent units or members, forming the political or ruling body or government as well as the spiritual or clerical organisations and assemblies and the traders, merchants, financial and commercial business people and artisans down to humble labourers or the lower strata of society reformed their moral character and lived in perfect purity and peace shunning, abhorring all unrighteousness and evil as one would avoid deadly poisonous or venomous reptiles, and purging cleansing, purifying all evil unwholesome unfavourable undesirable elements of immorality and unrighteousness from their midst cutting off and severing all corrupted defiled polluted members or units severing them and casting them forth apart, as one would amputate, sever, and remove a gangrene or septic limb or part from the body, lest the source of corruption should spread, affect and endanger the well being and wholeness of the unaffected and sound parts of the Body. Similarly in like manner all immoral depraved corrupted members, are like deadly and dangerous bacilli or like venomous reptiles, detrimental to the health, wholeness well being and to the peaceful harmonious working and prosperity of the state, wherein bribery and corruption is to be regarded and abhorred as a capital offence or crime against the state and the moral order; where vice is loathed or dreaded as bane or poison and where all work for the common interests and good of the state as a whole even as all the organs of the body function in harmonious co-operation for the entire well being of the organism as a whole.

      Therefore, if in this world man earnestly and sincerely desires the real lasting peace and prosperity, harmony and well being it is of the utmost importance for him to realize the fact that upon the reformation, cultivation and perfection of his moral character these issues hang.

      It seems now that the world has entered the Kali Yuga or the dark Era, a period when men and all creatures alike are sunken in the mire or slough of universal degeneracy and corruption where evervthing seems chaotic and confused. But yet out of this state of affairs, man can emerge supreme if he recasts, purges, purifies and remoulds his moral character anew after the pattern and in the mould of the Buddhist eightfold system. Mind is preeminent or supreme. Mind is the forerunner, the creator, the progenitor. As already pointed out in the foregoing; it is not the Age or Era that makes man but it is man, that makes History, his doings and activities—which depends on his mind and knowledge the state or level of mental, moral, intellectual and spiritual development attained which determines the Era or Age and the course of events in the World which make History. Remember, the world is a reflex of mental states; as you are, so is your world.

THE WORLD IS WHAT WE MAKE IT.


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