..续本文上一页gmatic views and erroneous nationalism murdered many millions of young people in their prime of life. Surely this is a crushing indictment of humanity”s folly

　　Each side named other the “enemy-aggressor” and pretended to attack in self-defense only. The irony is that for the sake of self-defense, they crushed others.

　　Ethical Reasons

　　Many nations claimed that they had good reasons for war. Some countries came to warfront in the name of defending another country. For them, they went to war for a moral and worthy reason. But was it really the real motivation

　　For years, newspapers had created a violence-charged atmosphere throughout Europe. The paradox is that even celebrated scientists, professors, writers, and thinkers lost their mental balance and supported unreasonable policymaking. The meaning of life because one of death. This was the product of catastrophically imprudent thinking.

　　Mental Balance

　　Soon, the self-appointed peacemakers forgot their priorities and were in favor of war. Even the ideal peace lovers abandoned their principles and analyzed everything through the paradigm of conflict. Newspaper editors misled their readers by paving the way for the bloodlust of patriotism.

　　While massacres were being perpetuated in many parts of Europe, people were saturated with pompous phrases in their homelands that were supposed to justify killing. Fighting was, “a war to end war”; “war for the freedom of small nations”; “war for Democracy”; and “war for honor”. They created fine patriotic slogans and young ones were also expected to play their nationalistic part. The reality of humanity had been denied, replaced by pitiless ideologies that only ended with death.

　　Needless to say, war is a terribly expensive business. It easily consumes staggering quantities of priceless materials. It directs people”s energy towards destruction. Some rich nations pay for war in order to satisfy their “conceit” (māna). Also, some countries begged for financial help from other nations. The countries that lent money to war movements were, of course, interested in the triumph of their borrowers.

　　Central Asia

　　We can see the scars of past wars all over the world. Many Buddhist oases were situated in Central Asia. But they were demolished by religious extremists who sought to justify their erroneous views (ditthis) about idolatry. They had no common sense in either ethics or propriety. Ruthless rulers ransacked great cities and killed many people, including monks. Fanatics reduced the great cultural city of Bokhara, with over a million in population, to ashes. In the ancient city of Samarkand they killed nearly a million people.

　　All the amazing artistic monuments that flourished in Persia and Central Asia for centuries have disappeared, their host civilizations and histories lost with them. Millennia of wondrous cultural heritage were consigned to historical amnesia. Today, we can see only the remnants. Who can ever create such amazing architecture, art, and culture again

　　It is estimated that 20 million people died in the First World War. The Second World War consumed the lives of 55 million people. Where is the sense of humanity

　　 If world leaders are sincere about rational decision-making, they cannot attach any satisfaction to the superficial statistics of the battlefield.

　　The Buddhist View

　　What are the reasons for humanity”s impulse conquest and oppression

　　 Why does he hate others

　　 When the Buddha was explaining the Mahanidhāna Sutta (The Great Causes Discourse), he said:

　　 “Feeling conditions craving (tanhā),

　　 craving conditions seeking (pariyesana),

　　 seeking conditions acquisition (lābha),

　　 acquisition conditions decision-making (vinicchaya),

　　 decision-making conditions lustful desire (c…

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