TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

because of them. Another way in which people might express this lack of tolerance is if, instead of working for their own social and economic development, they start making demands on others and take to protesting, demonstrating and engaging in other such forms of negative political action. Or, they may zealously rush ahead and take seemingly very daring steps without having developed their own character. Or, they may give inordinate importance to the challenges that they will necessarily have to face in society and then get provoked and start fighting with others. They may develop unrealistic expectations of others, and when these expectations are not met, they may get angry and start quarrelling with them. They may not take into account human weaknesses, and so when they see a weakness in someone, they may create a big hue and cry about it. They may refuse to negotiate with the political authorities, and, instead, start fighting with them. The principle of not allowing yourself to lose your patience and tolerance is based on great wisdom. If you violate this principle in the desire for obtaining the opportunities that you do not possess, you will only lose the opportunities that you presently enjoy. If you launch an agitation to topple the political authorities who allow you to work in the non-political field, the latter will perceive you as their enemy, and, using the power at their disposal, can easily suppress you. If your opponent is strong and commits some excesses against you and you fail to tolerate this, deadly violence will break out, which will play havoc with your entire life. Such are the perils of allowing yourself to lose your patience and tolerance. Whenever you want to start some work, you will almost inevitably have to face complaints from others. You will have to contend with stiff opposition. Now, if you give importance to every complaint and every sort of hurt or damage caused to you by your opponents, you will inevitably start fighting with them. You will leave aside your real task, being so engrossed in opposing them. Suppose those who claim to be on the path of truth do not abide by patience and tolerance and somehow still manage to acquire dominance in society. In such a situation, because of their lack of preparation, they will not be able to maintain this position for long. They will start The principle of not allowing yourself to lose your patience and tolerance is based on great wisdom. If you violate this principle in the desire for obtaining the opportunities that you do not possess, you will only lose the opportunities that you presently enjoy.