Part VI

SCA 749-754. Excerpts from an interview with Mr. John Cairns and Ms. Nix Picasso, the two researchers who had collaborated with Mother Teresa on her book, A Simple Path. The interview took place at the United Nations on 14 July 1995.

Question: When problems seem so huge and individuals seem so small, when problems seem to be able to be solved only on a very large scale, by large-scale intervention by governments, what can individuals do to contribute to world peace?

Sri Chinmoy: Problems can be found everywhere — in each individual, in each government and in each organisation. When it comes to solving world problems, ordinary individuals like ourselves are helpless. But we are not hopeless. We can hope; in fact, we have every right to hope for the betterment of the world. Although ordinary individuals cannot change the world, there are some great individuals who belong to a different category. The Holy Father and Mother Teresa, for example, are a real source of inspiration to millions and millions of people. Mahatma Gandhi was in politics; then he went beyond politics and became the father of India. How significantly he advised and illumined Nehru, Patel and others! President Gorbachev also has shown us how one individual can change the face and fate of mankind. He is living proof that an individual can be stronger than a government. So we see what great individuals are able to do.

Again, although ordinary individuals are helpless, we have to know that we have access to a higher power that is infinitely stronger than any organisation or government. This power, which is within us, is the absolute highest Power. We call Him the Inner Pilot, the Absolute Lord Supreme. The power that operates through governments or large organisations can easily be conquered by this highest absolute Power, which is all-illumining and all-fulfilling.

There is God the Creator and God the creation. We are God the creation. But if we pray to God the Creator to change or illumine the minds of those who are running countries or large organisations, then easily He can do it. Right now the mind is ruling the world — the mind that wants to dominate others and lord it over others. But if we pray to God to bring forward the heart of mankind, we will see that heart-power is infinitely stronger than mind-power. Why? Because the heart immediately identifies with others and claims their strength as its own. If ten people are on one side, what can one strong individual do? Eventually he has to surrender, no matter how strong he is. This is true whether it is an individual, a government or an organisation because oneness-power will always eventually win in the battlefield of life.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Sri Chinmoy answers, part 20, Agni Press, New York, 1999
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