Do You Dare Become an 'Assassin' to Bring Peace to the World?

**Summary:** How can we find true peace? A surprising answer from Venerable Thích Chân Quang: become an 'assassin' who destroys the evil within people's hearts through the Buddha's teachings.

I have a friend who often sighs, "Why is there so much conflict in society today? Wherever you go, people seem angry and aggressive. I wish everyone could just live in peace." Then he shakes his head and adds, "But what can you do? It's not like I have the power to change others." Do you see yourself in that story? Each of us yearns for a peaceful life, but is that dream truly so distant? Or are we overlooking a powerful, invisible force already within our grasp?

**Peace – a universal dream, but why is it so hard to achieve?**

We often think peace simply means no one attacks us, so we don't have to fight back. It sounds simple, yet wars still break out, crime persists, and communities remain in turmoil. There's a humorous story: A man walking down the street is confronted by some youths. He rolls up his sleeves and declares, "Let me tell you, I haven't hit anyone all day. I demand that from now until evening, nobody hit me!" and then runs away. The joke carries a hidden truth: the human instinct is to desire peace only when left unprovoked. But in Buddhism, there is a higher principle, which is the boundless forbearance.

"In the sutras, this is called the perfection of forbearance, or endless patience. 'Endless' means that no matter how deeply others offend us, we can restrain our heart. We never seek to offend in return, and even in the deepest core of our being, we feel no anger or resentment towards that person."

**Is Boundless Forbearance the Same as Weakness?**

Many misunderstand forbearance as cowardly endurance. But it is not! Consider the story of the monk Punna. He asked the Buddha for permission to teach in a region known for its violence. The Buddha asked, "What if they insult you?" – "I will think they are still kind for not hitting me." – "What if they hit you?" – "I will think they are merciful for not killing me." – "What if they kill you?" – "I will thank them for freeing me from this impure body." It may sound unreasonable, but the precious lesson here is in finding a reason to forgive. It is like an optimist whose tire blows out on the road, who then says, "How fortunate, only one tire blew out, not two, and it happened safely, which allowed me to change to a new tire and prevent a future accident." Forbearance is a positive, non-resentful approach to life; it is not a sign of weakness.

**When Should We Fight? – The Wisdom to Discern**

However, Venerable Thích Chân Quang emphasizes: boundless forbearance is only correct when it does not harm the collective. If you are the pillar of your family, and someone attacks you to the point of death, do you have the right to remain silent and endure? No! Because when you die, your wife and children will suffer. At that point, forbearance becomes irresponsibility.

"If our forbearance harms the collective, then it is no longer forbearance but a form of weakness and irresponsibility. Why is that? Because we still have our family, our homeland, and our Dharma to protect."

Therefore, a true Buddhist must possess the wisdom to know when to endure and when to act. Regardless of how we may have to struggle, our heart remains free of hatred. Like our ancestors of old, who, after defeating the enemy, still treated prisoners with decency, providing them with boats and provisions to return home. That is true nobility.

**"If You Want Peace, Prepare for War" – Is This Correct?**

A certain doctrine suggests that to have peace, one must be so powerful that others dare not attack you. At first, it seems plausible, but the Venerable points out its flaw: it creates an endless arms race. When one country becomes strong, others must become even stronger. Ultimately, the entire world turns into an arsenal, always ready to annihilate itself. This is not lasting peace.

**The Buddhist Solution: Become an 'Assassin' Who Kills the Evil Heart**

The Venerable offers a fascinating image: Imagine you are a ninja dressed in black, leaping from house to house – not to kill people, but to destroy the evil within their hearts using the "knife of wisdom" from the Buddha's teachings. When each person no longer harbors evil intentions, the world will naturally become peaceful.

"We will use the Buddha's teachings to transform the heart of every single person. And when people are no longer wicked towards one another, then naturally this world, this community, this nation will be serene and at peace."

To achieve this, we must first eliminate the evil in our own hearts – by living with goodness and setting an example for others. Second, we must overcome laziness and passivity. Bringing the Dharma to others is not easy; it requires time, effort, and sometimes even money. But it is the only way to create true peace.

**Each Person, a Brick Building a Peaceful World**

Imagine if each of us Buddhists became such a "ninja," visiting one neighbor, one colleague, or one family member each week to share a Buddhist story or a gentle piece of advice... then gradually, the evil heart will recede, and loving-kindness will spread. Peace is not some distant, lofty ideal; it begins in each person's heart, in small but meaningful actions. Do you dare to begin today?