The Value of Calmness
This all important method was discovered by the Buddha twenty-five centuries ago. This method is to unify the personality by reorganizing it to reach a harmonious goal that does not come in conflict with reality. This is to seek the new and special goal - the goal of inner calm (ajjhatta santi). To achieve inner calm, one has to realize that calmness is goodness, happiness, and realism.
It should be noted that emotional excitement, which is accompanied by tension, is not a state of comfort or pleasure. It is only the release of tension, or the state of relaxation, that is pleasant. Satisfying desire is pleasant only because of the release of tension. The presence of desire, on the other hand, is unpleasant because it is accompanied by tension. It is to get rid of this discomfort of tension, and to obtain the comfort of relaxation that we seek satisfaction of desires. By reaching inner calm and relaxation, the goal of experiencing pleasure and happiness is attained without first experiencing tension.
Calm is also the way to goodness. The emotional impulse which comes in conflict with society and good principles is evil. The calming of these impulses is, therefore, goodness. This means that the aim of our sense of goodness is also achieved by seeking calm. Because the emotional impulse comes in conflict with reality, it follows that calmness gets us into harmony with reality. The aim of our rational thinking is to be in harmony with reality. Harmony with external reality, as well as the harmony with our reason, is achieved through the cultivation of inner calm.
This way, the whole personality is brought into harmony internally and externally by seeking calm. Understanding the problem of life and existence and the importance of seeking calm, is gaining harmonious perspective. When this special perspective is gained, the right sense of values is acquired. This gives a new direction to life. Then our life is reorganized to achieve a different goal. This way a personality transformation takes place; the character of the individual is changed; and mental health and happiness is achieved.
The aim of Buddhism is to transform the personality in this way. This transformation is also a process of growth. This is why Buddhism is also a growth technique. The growth takes place in four stages: devotion (saddha), discipline (sila), detachment (caga), and depersonalization (panna). When we speak of the practice of Buddhism, it is necessary to speak about these stages of growth. Each individual practices at his or her own level.
When one has acquired harmonious perspective, one has saddha. Saddha represents our sense of values. It is the appreciation of calm, which is goodness, happiness, and realism.
To appreciate is to value, to esteem, to hold in high regard or consider to be superior. When one appreciates calm, one appreciates the Buddha, the Awakened One; the Dhamma, the Experience of the Awakened One, and the Sangha, the Society of followers of the Awakened One. This triad (the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha) is called the “Triple Gem” (ratanattaya), because a “gem" represents value. Buddhists consider this triad to be the greatest thing in the world. They also call it the “Triple Refuge" (tisarana) because it is the refuge of the Buddhist in this world of suffering.