Topics

Earth is 4.5 billion years old. We have been on this earth as modern human beings–only as "modern human beings" for around six thousand years. What have we done? What have we done? What have we done?

On one hand, we stand at the brink of extinction. As human species created— this problem created by ourselves, not by somebody else, not by Martians, not by people from moon, but by us.

And on the other hand, we are here today to talk about Kind Malaysia. We're not here to discuss war. We're not here to discuss the extinction of mankind. We are actually here to talk about the very fundamental thing that can make a huge difference in this world. What this world needs is kindness, compassion, understanding.

And that... as Datuk said, the word that hit him is ‘noble.’ And that indeed is noble. Because those people who understand the necessity of compassion carry a bigger burden on themselves than those who don't.

And this is what I mean. There is a law, a very fundamental law of nature. And you really have to understand this law because this is the law behind that one word called ‘kindness,’ of what it means.

There are so many NGOs here, so many people with good wish and will to help humanity. And I know that sometimes it's very disappointing. You make your effort–you make your effort day after day after day after day–and nothing happens. Or seemingly nothing happens. Another war takes place, more innocent people get killed–stupidity. And you wonder, is it going to make a difference?

I started speaking about peace when I was 4 years old. I started taking this responsibility of spreading the peace, first in my native India when I was 9. I was around 13 years old when I went to the west, to England, America and brought this message to outside of India. So, here I am, and I'm sure there's a lot of people, "Oh, Ambassador of peace, Ambassador of...". What does "Ambassador of Peace" mean anyway? You're all Ambassadors of Peace, don't you know it? I'm not the only one. You're Ambassadors of Peace. And it is your responsibility too, to make sure that the peace spreads in this world. Because what other option do we have, by the way? What other option is there?

So, what is this law that I am talking about? This is what gives me heart. My effort that has been going on for such a long time. This is what gives me heart. And what is this law? Here's the law. If you take two candles - a lit candle and an unlit candle, and bring them together. Guess what happens? The lit candle will light the unlit candle–not the other way around. That's the law of nature. A lit candle will light the unlit candle–not that the unlit candle will put out the lit candle. No. Not even 50-50. Every single time, the lit candle will light the unlit candle.

- Prem Rawat

There’s a lot of businesspeople here, they want to make money. I don’t blame you. Money is a nice thing to have, it can get you into a lot of trouble. So far you’re making it, it’s fine. So far you stop making it, you are in a lot of trouble. You become nobody. So far you keep making money you’re somebody, you stop making money, you’re a nobody.

And yet you realize that you’re not going to be able to take a cent of it with you. Money belongs to no one. What you say is yours…That house you live in has your name on the front. One day it’ll have somebody else’s name in the front. That’s the nature of things. Not good, not bad, not right, not wrong. That’s just the nature of things.

Yes, people need food. But people also need compassion. Yes, people need money but they still need compassion. And compassion is not pity.

What is empathy? What is empathy? Look it up. What is empathy? It is: to understand, to see the similarity between you and the others. It is not to take pity. And I’m not talking about taking pity. That’s not what this kindness is about. This kindness is about helping people. First of all, realize in themselves, their potential, their understanding. This is what the world needs.

- Prem Rawat

What is my message? And you’ve all heard “peace ambassador”, “peace ambassador.” Don’t, don’t get taken up by that. In my opinion, you’re all peace ambassadors because you all have peace in you. So you have, you’re also peace ambassadors.

But the problem is that word, peace is possible– it’s not a problem if you understand what peace is. If you don’t know what peace is, ‘is possible’ really becomes ‘impossible.’

And as I travel the world and I say to people ‘peace,’ and people have no idea what peace is. No idea. For most people, escaping from their problems is peace. You see? Let me ask you a question. Why do you want peace? Why? Why do you want peace? Well, so what? You want dahl too, no? Do you like rice? Do you like rice? So, you like rice too. But that doesn’t say ‘rice as possible.’ That says ‘peace is possible.’ Why do you want peace? Ahh, to be happy. Oh, how many of you want peace because it makes you happy? Raise your hand.

So, next question. Why do you want to be happy? It feels good? That’s why you want to be happy, because it feels good? Why do you want to feel good? Why do you want to be happy? Why do you want peace? So, is your happiness not always there? Does happiness fall from the sky? Does happiness grow in the field? What is your happiness? What is happiness?

To you, your bus is leaving and you’re not on it, and the bus driver sees you running behind the bus and he stops. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” Is that what peace is, getting on the bus?

So, I’m asking these questions because I want to engage you. I want you to think; I want you to understand that peace isn’t running away from your problems. Peace isn’t about your problems. Peace isn’t about the good and bad. Peace isn’t about the confusion.

What is peace? As human beings, we have two parts to us; it’s just a physical rule. You cannot have one-sided coin. Every coin has two sides. Even if you split the coin to get rid of one side, you will still have two sides. Just the law of nature, right? So, every time you are confused, guess what the other side of that is. Clarity—that far away.

When you find yourself in darkness, light is that far away. When you find yourself in sorrow, happiness, joy is that far away. I’m just being, so you can see, it’s less distance than that, believe me.

You have two natures in you. You have kindness. You have clarity. This is your nature too. Kindness, clarity, compassion, joy, light is your nature too. And confusion, anger, frustration is also your nature. So don’t get, you know, like, “Oh yeah, I like that. I like, light is my nature.” No, darkness is your nature too. Darkness is your nature too. But so is light; so is light.

So there is a place in you, the place where that light is ,where that joy is, where that clarity is, where that understanding is, and that, experiencing that place will bring you peace. That’s what peace is. That’s what peace is.

- Prem Rawat

(Prem Rawat) This is the time to think about a new world. A world in which we care for each other. A world in which the heart means something. A world where we mean something. A world where kindness has a value. Not “money, money, money” but kindness has a value.

Because if we are incapable of creating a world like that, most of us won’t survive this. It’s going to be required that there is kindness, that there is understanding amongst us for a world, for a better world, for a brighter world in which we all move together going forward. It’s not too late. And such a world is possible.

This is not a question of “That’s impractical.” It’s now an issue of “If that doesn’t happen, it’s going to be a real problem.”

It’s a lot of poor people, a lot of poor people, countries like India, countries like Africa, in the African continent. So many countries. So many people. So many people.

And you, as a human being, are part of it. You’re a part of it. Your heart, your want, your fulfillment, your understanding – you’re a part of it.

Religion has its place. Absolutely, religion has its place, and politics has its place. But so does humanity. You are human, first. If you lose your humanity, you lose everything. Then you become poor; then you become weak.

But so far that, on the face of this earth, we do not lose our humanity, we will be strong enough to help each other.

– Prem Rawat

People go—and they go, “I want to live in the moment called now.” And I’m like, “Noble thought! But you don’t even know what that is. You have no clue what is now.” Because it’s gone by the time you say “now.” It’s gone! It’s not there anymore. It’s—it’s gone!

And in fact, the reality is, the things are happening very fast—really fast: “Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone!” And I, as a human being, I have no idea of the speed that this is going by—no idea. I’m like, “Oh, it’s okay; I’ll do it tomorrow.” Do you know how many “nows” will go by between now and tomorrow?

Somebody actually wrote me this question, “You know, people tell me you should think about tomorrow.” And she said, “People tell me to think about tomorrow, but I just want to be in the now.”

And I am like, “But what else can you do about tomorrow? Only think about it.” What else can you—but, by the way, what else can you do with tomorrow? You can imagine it; that’s all. Just think about it. Sit there and wonder what’s going to happen—if things will go your way or won’t go your way.

And you’re waiting for things to go your way. Aren’t you looking for the ultimate justice where everything will be put right? The only problem is you’re going to hit the wall before that happens. Because you have no idea how quickly that wall’s coming.

But, never underestimate the power of what’s keeping the two walls separated. Never underestimate the power of this breath.

Understand it, and you will understand what there is to understand about tomorrow, and what there is to understand about today, and what is there to understand about now—and what is there to remember about yesterday and what is there not to remember about yesterday. Because you’ve got to ride this moment called “now” to understand what now is about!

Think of it—think of it as this board, beautiful board—and they’re flying, whshew, whshew, whshew, whshew, whshew; you’ve got to catch one. And you’ve got to catch one, and you’ve got to get on it and ride it! And then you will understand. Then you will understand what now is all about.

It’s like, have you ever flown a kite? I have. And it’s a lot of fun. And logically it makes no sense whatsoever. It’s just a piece of paper or a cloth with bamboo in the case of paper or a fiberglass rod in terms of those big kites. And you have a string. And of course, you need the wind to fly it.

So you’ll get there in the field; you hold the string in your hand; the kite goes up, and you’re just looking at it. And it’s flying, and that’s a lot of fun. Does that make any sense? Because you could get somebody else to hold it and hold the string. And that guy can run out 300 feet and hold the kite, and you could just look at it. But that’s not any fun!

It flies in this wind, and you feel that power of that wind through that kite, through that string, in your hand. And to keep it up there you have to be with the game. Because when the wind starts to go down, you need to run backwards. And it goes back up, and the wind picks up, and now you can let it go, slowly, slowly, and you can get back to where you were.

It’s something about flying a kite; I don’t think anybody can explain to anyone why it’s so much fun. And it’s the same way, riding that board of the moment called now, of what it is like to get on it and go, go with that moment called now! And be there. And to ride—take that ride, and take that ride inside, not outside.

And all of a sudden, slowly everything starts to fall away; everything doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is the ride itself, the ride with the breath—to slide with this breath, like those waves in the ocean, this breath coming in, this mighty force that has been made so gentle, holding apart those two walls: “I exist. And I appreciate my existence.”

And it’s okay. I’m full! I’m not full because of some thing, but I have found the fullness of my clarity in me. I have taken that plunge and dove in—and loved, and know—I know I did not touch the bottom. And for as far as I could see, I saw clarity. There was no end.

And if that wasn’t enough, I’ve taken a dive in the ocean of kindness, and I did not touch the bottom; I didn’t even try. And I was overwhelmed by its vastness.

I am full because I have been shown the fullness of this life. This is what you should do too. I tell you this—I tell you this—because if I can do it, you can do it.

- Prem Rawat