By Vanly Seng, Assistant Dean, Techo Sen School of Government & International Relations

Date: June 09, 2017

Introduction

The more scientifically and technologically advanced the world has become, the more problems we seem to be facing. Due to better transport and communication, the world is becoming a global village. As such, what happens in one corner of the world may affect another corner of the globe too. The beginning of the new century has not brought us much hope for a peaceful and harmonious human existence. People are blinded by their greed and concern over personal or self-interest. To make matter worse, we are all still very much divided over our ideological, political and religious views points.

To tackle a problem, we have to start from the root cause. Right education forms the basis of a just, harmonious and peaceful society. Thus we have to begin from education because something is lacking in our present system of education. We, therefore, need to have an education that helps to diminish selfishness and promote a spirit of universality. Universality is whole, permeating into all. The whole world no longer has divisions. The three universalities are shown below:

I. Universal human-being

It is not important wherever you were born or wherever you reside because after all you all are human. Nationalities such as Cambodians, Chinese, and Indians are only conventional constructions based on alliances from former barbaric-tribal affiliations. Racial information is only known to support narrow-mindedness and ignorance. The way to treat and respect others is through wisdom. We all share the common foundation of being human, as part of the whole of humanity. Nationalities are irrelevant. Humans need to only know and behave properly. We must think about and treat others in humanity as members of our every own family and household.

Regarding religious divisions, when people meet face to face, they judge and ponder about which religion the other person recognizes, instead of thinking of as family, or fellows inhumanity. Beginning with these social divisions, difficulties are created and universalities cannot occur. We must start from the universal human being, because this enables us to recognize all people as human. In every tradition of civilization and humanity, killing people is considered as a sin an act of murder.

The universal principle that killing is immoral never specifies killing as specific race is a wholesome principle. Civilization would unravel into disorder. Some people determine to suggest different races or different beliefs are sinful advocating killings. Discrimination on any grounds must be eliminated as not being conducive towards or deviating from universal principles. Therefore, it is required to begin from universalities as members of humanity. When we see that all people are our siblings as cohabitants in humanity, we become humane serving humanity as the greater foundation for everything.

II. Universal love or loving kindness

In religious terms: Universal kindness illustrates humanity’s familiar loving-kindness towards all. We would like people to give respect and expressing kindness or loving-goodwill towards anyone. Human can live well enough together when we are consumed with kindness, willingness to perform favors, grant good wishes, and lend assistance without anger and deceitful intention to harm others. Presently though, people only give loving-kindness to their own associates, not to others. Some religions discourage the interacting with others, preventing a greater humanity. This issue must be spoken about, openly.

III. Rules and Universal Truth

There is no social-guideline suggesting that if human believe in a specific concept, only they will receive benefits, excluding others for the common belief. A universal-truth demands anyone performing an action receives the same result regardless of place, time, and affiliation. This is universal truth. Natural truths are different from human-manifested regulations or divisions rooted from tribal beliefs. Therefore, we must expand rules to be universal. This natural fact is indivisible as normally universal. We are required only to behave humanely universally towards humanity.

For example, it has been mentioned that all wholesome people regardless of races or religions will venture into heaven. On the other hand, all unwholesome people regardless of races or religions will venture into a hellish realm. No particular religion mandate only its adherents are taken to heaven and others must go to hell. Despite performing well as instructed. Therefore, equality must correspond with universal truth.

Conclusion

When society and humanity permeates with three universalities, it becomes possible to create the peaceful world desired by all. No universality is divided, conflicted, or strife-ridden. However, we question or challenge humans to implement these practical suggestion. It can be said that if you cannot do this, peace may never be accomplished. Again, no one can claim ‘difficulties’ this conserves any contemporary oppression and illustrates one’s involvement in deviance from humanity. Human has the duty to engage in efforts together,social arrangement, measures and education to develop humans into humanity. We are surprised to learn that humans claim a high level of civilization and advanced education when humans cannot develop these three common universalities.

If humans respect the same ideals together and adhere to the three universalities, universal human-beings; universal love or loving-kindness; and universal truth, there will be no further separation and only unity. When mental separations or barriers have fallen, other frontiers can be eliminated. However, there is no solution if human mentality pervades in wicked separation although humanity has already transformed positively. Finally,humans have told themselves that there is no external separation that we live in a borderless world; in fact, only humans still have mental barriers or separation. It will be difficult for the humans to progress into humanity. Therefore, to make the minds of humans to be borderless: the above-mentioned factors should all be encouraged and developed in order to overcome conflict and to be free from trouble with another. By so doing, the peace and happiness of the world can only then be prevailed. To end with, “A change in perception leads to a change in attitude, which leads to a change inbehavior, which leads to a change in the world”.