สำนักราชบัณฑิตยสภา

Editor’s Note Peace and Harmony is the theme of the Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Volume II, 2010. As the present world is facing many conflicts and terrorist activities, we are looking for ways to attain peace and harmony. We cannot leave it to peace activists alone to find the solutions leading to peace and harmony. All of us must join forces to make the world a better place in which to live. The Journal Volume II is the forum. All religions stress the importance of peace and harmony, yet religions themselves are often the cause of conflict and violence. However, to turn our back on religion is a worse course of action. To see or hear both sides of the story, to reason, to forgive and to seek the middle path or moderation are recommended for all. If we can get to the root of the conflict which may be racial, political, religious, economic, psychological or moral, we can find the right solution to end the conflict peacefully and avoid violence in any form. Speaking of peace and non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi’s words and deeds come to our mind. Many people have heeded his words and adopted his method of non-violence or Ahimsa very successfully. Nelson Mandela in South Africa, Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States of America, Vaclav Havel in Czechoslovakia (now Czech and Slovakia) can be cited as examples. Yet we must take note that to attain peace, truth and non-violence must join forces. Without truth, that is, if the cause is erroneous, non-violence will be an empty word that will not be achieved, and peace will not be possible. That is why Gandhi calls his method Satyagraha which in Sanskrit means “holding fast to truth” Non-violence or Ahimsa for Gandhi does not simply mean “not using the violent means.” Non-violence, according to Gandhi, also means love, compassion and tolerance. Not using weapons may be easy, but it is very difficult to achieve true non-violence. Gandhi says, “We may never be strong enough to be entirely non-violent, in thought, word and deed. But we must keep non-violence as our goal and make steady progress towards it … The truth of a few will count. The untruth of millions will vanish even like chaff before a whiff of wind.” This volume offers readers various views concerning peace and harmony. While Mahatma Gandhi offers the use of Satyagraha, this forum is open wide for all ideas and contributions within and outside the theme. Professor Emeritus Srisurang Poolthupya Editor, Fellow of the Royal Institute ii