Excerpts from Prem Rawat’s address at the Malaysian Chinese Association's (MCA), Kuala Lumpur, on August 8 2006

Where is Peace

There are certain traits that are innate to every human being, that are our truest nature. Some people may say that a human being’s nature is to fight, because we do it so much. But I disagree. No soldier wants to go to war. For every soldier that is out there, there is a wife waiting at home, praying every day that he returns. There is a child waiting for a father, a family waiting for a son, a brother, an uncle. And this family at home cannot stop the war. Maybe the only thing it can do is pray for the safe return of the soldier.

So, what is our nature? Peace does not belong to any religion. Peace does not belong to any country or society. The address for peace has been given again and again throughout history. And the address is: within the heart of human beings, within you and me.

Human beings are like unlit lamps that need to be lit. If you want world peace, it does not begin with the world. It begins with every single individual. It is people who need peace. Not the crows, not the monkeys, not the giraffes. We are the ones who hunger for peace. We are the ones who need peace in our lives.

A long time ago, Socrates said, “Know thyself.” Look within you for the answers that you want. Look within you for what you think is missing. And if peace is missing in your life, look no further than yourself for that peace.

You might ask, “So, if peace is within me, how do I get to it?” First, truly understand that it is within inside of you, because all this time, that is one thing you have been trying to avoid. Accept the possibility of peace being inside of you.

The search for peace begins with understanding that what you are looking for is truly within you. And then—and then alone—can you embark on the process of accepting peace in your life.

You need to know what is really important. You are alive. A gift is being poured into you every day. Understand what it means before it is too late. Then you begin to see what you have never seen before, to understand what you have never understood before about you.

Prem Rawat

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