Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Begin by defining the meaning of the given statements in your words.
• Explain the necessity of inner peace in order to achieve outer peace.
• Conclude suitably.

Answer

Peace is the lack of conflict and the condition of acceptance. Peace matters in our own lives, it matters to our neighbours, and it matters to the millions that share this earth with us. It allows individuals and society to reap healthy benefits out of their potential.

If we have inner peace, the external problems do not affect our deep sense of peace and tranquility. Without this inner peace, no matter how comfortable our life is, we still are worried, disturbed, or unhappy because of circumstances. Inner peace is the building block of peace in the world.

Inner peace is the key to good mental health, which is crucial for different roles in the society. It is linked to lack of greed, which has repercussions against inequality of wealth, status and income, rabid consumerism, climate change etc. When people are satiated from within, incidents of crimes like rapes, thefts, domestic violence, corruption etc. are likely to happen less. Inner peace helps promote religious harmony, which is the antidote to communalism.

However, peace within ourselves can also have negative repercussions. To illustrate, attainment of inner peace can sometimes lead to supine morality and unaware citizenry. It makes oneself unaware of the world’s happenings. Peace within can also be a barrier to intellectual growth. For example, acceptance of religious dogmas can undermine scientific explorations.

When we live with real peace, inside and out, we witness lasting change not only in our minds and hearts, but in our surroundings as well as in the lives of those we cross paths with throughout our lives.