STRATEGY FOR BURMA

STRATEGY

Have we not men with us royal,

Men the masters of things? …

I have continually had a feeling of growing up, and that feeling is still with me and gives a zest to my activities as well as to the reading of books and generally makes life worth while.

I was particularly interested in directing people’s attention to social and economic changes.

The only real tragedy in life as Bernard Shaw has written, is the being used by personally minded men for purpose, which you know to be base. All the rest is at the worst mere misfortune and mortality: this alone is misery, slavery, and hell on earth.

The whole of Burmese tradition is warped by the vicious assumption that each generation will substantially live amid the conditions governing the lives of its fathers, and will transmit those conditions to mould with equal force the lives of its children. We are living in the first period of human history for which the assumption is false.

In considering a method for changing the existing order we have to weight the costs of it in material as well as spiritual terms. We cannot afford to be too shortsighted. We have to see how far it helps ultimately in the development of human happiness and human progress, material and spiritual. But we have always to bear in mind the terrible costs of not changing the existing order, of carrying on as we do today with or enormous burden of frustrated and distorted lives, starvation and misery and spiritual and moral degradation. Like an overwhelming and carrying away to destruction vast numbers of human beings. We cannot check the flood or save these people by some of us carrying water away in a bucket. Embankments have to be built and canals, and the destructive power of the waters has to be converted and used for human betterment.

I do not think it is very difficult to convert the masses to social reform if the state takes the matter in hand. But alien rulers are always suspect, and they cannot go far in the process of conversion. If the alien element was removed and economic changes were given precedence, an energetic administration could easily introduce far reaching social reforms.

I would say that my quarrel is with a system and not with individuals. A system is certainly embodied to a great extent in individuals and groups, and these individuals and groups have to be converted or combated. But if a system has ceased to be of value and is a drag, it has to go and the classes or groups that cling to it will also have to undergo a transformation. That process of change should involve, as little suffering as possible, but unhappily suffering and dislocation are inevitable. We cannot put up with a major evil for fear of a far lesser one, which in any event is beyond our power to remedy.

Every type of human association- political, social or economic has some philosophy at the back of it. When these associations changes this philosophical foundation must also change in order to fit in with it and to utilize it to the best advantage.

Our final aim can only be a society with equal economic justice and opportunity for all, a society organized on a planning basis for the raising of mankind to higher material and cultured levels, to a cultivation of spiritual values, of co-operation, unselfishness, the spirit of service, the desire to do right, goodwill and love-ultimately a word order. Everything that comes in the way will have to remove, gently if possible, forcibly if necessary. And there seems to be little doubt that coercion will often be necessary. But if forced is used it should not be in the spirit of hatred or cruelty, but with the dispassionate desire to remove and obstruction. That will be difficult. It is not an easy task; there is no easy way, and the pitfalls are numerous.

Technical Part

If you want to take it up, you must be prepared to lose everything, and you must subject yourself to the strictest non-violence and discipline. When war is declared martial law prevails, and in our non-violent struggle there will also have be dictatorship and martial law on our side, if we are to win. You have energy right to kick me out, to demand my head, or to punish me whenever and howsoever you choose. But so long as you choose to keep me as your leader you must accept my conditions, you must accept dictatorship and the discipline of martial law. But that dictatorship will always be subject to your good will and to your acceptance and to your co- operation. The moment you have had enough of me, throw me out, trample upon me, and I shall not complain.

In a famous article “ The Doctrine of the sword”, Gandhi had written in 1920, but I change India place to Burma. “ I do believe that when there is only choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence…. I would rather have Burma resort to arms in order to defend her honor that that she should in cowardly manner become or remain a helpless victim to her own dishonor. But I believe that non-violence is infinitely superior to violence, forgiveness is more, manly than punishment. Forgiveness adorns a soldier. But abstinence is forgiveness only when there is power to punish; it is meaningless when it pretends to proceed from a helpless creature. A mouse hardly forgives a cat when it allows itself to be torn to pieces by her… But I do not believe Burma to be helpless. I do not believe myself to be helpless creature. Let me not be misunderstood. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will…

I am not visionary. I claim to be practical idealist. The religion of non-violence is not meant merely for the Monks and saints. It is meant for the common people as well. Non-violence is the law of our species as violence is the law of the brute. The sprit lies dormant in the brute and he knows no law but that of physical might. The dignity of man requires obedience to a higher law to the strength of the spirit. Courage is the one sure foundation of character, without courage there is no morality, no religion, no love. One cannot follow truth or love so long as one is subject to fear. Cowardice is a thing even more hateful than violence. And discipline is the pledge and guarantee that a man means business. There is no deliverance and no hope without sacrifice, discipline, and self-control. Mere sacrifice without discipline will be unavailing. Words only and pious phrases perhaps, rather platitudinous, but there was power behind the words, and history knew that this little man meant business.

If at first you don’t succeed, cry again.

Modern definition of faith: to believe in something which your reason tells you cannot be true, for if your reason approved of it there could be no question of blind faith. I am not agree with this definition. Buddhism is influence in my life. Because of faith is essential important for human being. Do not simply believe what you hear just because of you have heard it for a long time. Believe nothing on the faith of traditions, even though they have been held in honour for many generations and diverse places. Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it do not confirm anything just because it agrees with your scriptures. Do not fooled by outward appearances. Do not believe what you yourself have imagined, persuading yourself that a god inspires you. Do not accept as fact anything that you yourself find to be logical. Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests. But whatever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings- that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.(Buddha).

The article was created during a particularly distressful period of my existence.

Nyan Thint (P.J)