H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna’s Message On The Occasion Of The Meeting of Signatories Of The SSD
With The President Of India At The Rashtrapati Bhavan
On 15th June, 2004
'Om Araham'
Today is the 15th of June. It is also my birthday. Along with self introspection, I am also indulging in introspecting about the society and the nation.
When I see the conditions prevailing in society, I find there is no reason for happiness. About the nation too, the same can be said. And the important reason for this is that the economic organization is not healthy; not balanced.
The Surat Spiritual Declaration is a document into which a lot of thinking has gone. When the many spiritual leaders met they were of the unanimous opinion that we should work in the field of spirituality and simultaneously in the field of science. In other words, they opined that we should bring about a balance between spirituality and science. Along with this, there should be reflection on the economic aspect also.
The ahimsa Yatra has lent strength to my conviction that as long we do not look at religion in relation to economic organisation, I am doubtful of the benefits that religion can bring. It is necessary to reflect on both together. Economics and Religion seem contradictory, but I do not think they are contradictory. They influence and solve each others problems.
Many philosophers and intellectuals are meeting in Rashtrapati Bhavan, in the presence of the President and are meeting otherwise also. May all of them take forward the reflection on how to solve the difficult problems of poverty which is the greatest cause of violence. I know it is such a big problem that it cannot be solved in a day or even in a hundred days. But if we do not direct our attention to it in all earnestness now then we may not be able to solve the problem even in a hundred years. Therefore as detailed in the action plan of the Surat Spiritual Declaration, may we reflect seriously in the context of training in ahimsa and training in spirituality; taking into consideration all the branches of learning like science, economics, sociology and psychology and so on, to develop a comprehensive multi disciplinary view; on the basis of Arnekant, such that it can uncover a new path to solve the problems that defy solution when viewed from the narrow uni-disciplinary perspective.
I am confident that the meeting which is taking place in the presence of an enlightened scientist like the President will result in a change in our manner of thinking and conduct and along with it the attention of the society and nation will be drawn towards the most complex problem of fulfilling the basic needs of the people so that we may become partners in the process of getting rid of the external reason for violence.
