Victory - within or without?

Recently US president, George Bush, visited Iraq as a last visit to the country whose present state is his creation or destuction. Normally this incident would have passed away like any other normal one but it caught the attention of the World as one of the journalist threw shoes along with verbal abuses at him for what he has done to his Country a known fact. Whatever may be his justification for this devastation and loss of lives of thousands of innocent people, it has inflicted immense sufferings on the survivors under the name of justice and Peace. In spite of all these, there was no regret of any kind in George Bush, this modern invader of a sovereign country...

This incidence brings up memories of a great event in the history of mankind. Emperor Ashoka, after his victory in the Kalinga war, visited the battle field. He saw the death and destruction caused by him and the suffering inflicted on the survivors.

An impartial observation of what he had done along with the thought of Victory at what cost? And an instant transformation followed with a resolve never to take up weapons again in his Life.

The victory of the good over the bad within manifested. He came in contact with Lord Buddha's teaching through one of Buddha's disciple Upgupta and started practicing and spreading teachings of the Enlightened One to the World.

Even after over two thousand years of this event, we are still experiencing the results of his benevolent action. Large part of the World still pursues path of Love, Compassion and Peace and continue to demonstrate it to the rest of the mankind at the cost of their own social and political welfare may it be Tibet or Myanmar or any other country in the east.

Mind wonders....

There are two emperors along with many which are part of the history of mankind who were responsible for the death and distruction of innocent human beings. Both experienced remorse over their action. But who emerged truly victorious?

Why are two forms of remorse vastly different and their effects poles apart?

Is it because of the teachings of Buddha or Christ or others great beings?

How does one imbibe the teachings in oneself? Merely by regretting or being remorseful of ones past actions?

Mind deliberates....

Why every metal does not get attracted to magnet? Is it because of the quality of the magnet or because of the quality of the metal?

Do we have different magnets for different metals? If not, then definitely it is the metal which needs transformation to establish relationship with magnet by acquiring the quality of the iron or let us say quality capable of establishing connection with the magnet and feeling the force of the magnetic pull.

Does this relationship not demonstrate the law of nature?

Whether, one has the quality of brass, gold or platinum, unless one transforms oneself into iron, one will not be capable of feeling the force of the magnet according to the universal Law or Dhamma.

Mind further deliberate...

Metals may require laboratories and processes for transformation, even then it may be next to impossible to change them. But human beings are gifted by nature and have an in-built capacity to change themselves.

How do human beings change themselves? by rites, rituals or any other means?

Did emperor Ashoka change himself by any such means when he visited the battlefield.

Or it was just a mindful observation of his actions and results in few silent moments?

A victory within?