Prayers are neither light dreams nor vague wishes. They should be firm pledges of determination. Prayers made with such strong resolve invite clear results just as magnets attract iron.
By changing our inner state of mind, we can change any suffering or hardship into a source of joy, regarding it as a means for forging and developing our lives. To turn even sorrow into a source of creativity–this is the way of life of a Buddhist.
Peace is not simply the absence of war; it is a state in which people come together in mutual trust and live with joy, energy, and hope. This is the polar opposite of war—where people live plagued by hatred and the fear of death.