Maharishi Mahesh Yogi argues that tensions within a nation provide enemies with strength and advance their cause. He states that if a nation wants to stop enemies and prevent war, it must reduce internal tensions by generating peaceful and harmonious attitudes. Enemies are provoked by collective tensions, not because of faults within the enemies themselves. Therefore, the ultimate cause of war lies within the tensions of the nation, not with external enemies.

1. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Public Lecture, USA, 1966
The enemy has no strength of his own. The enemy
advances on the road that the people of this country
provide him. And the road on which the enemy
advances is built on the tensions of the individuals.
If you want to cut off the roads and stop the enemy
from advancing, release the tensions of the nation.

2. Cease to be the generators of tensions and,
instead, become the generators of peaceful and
harmonious influence in the surroundings. The
enmity of the enemy will be lost!
The enemy will not be required to be killed.
And you will save the danger of being killed by
the enemy. It is the enmity of the enemy that is
the root of war. It’s not the person, not the
nation, not the enemy—but the enmity! And the
enmity is provoked in him by the collective
a t m o s p h e r e o f t e n s i o n .

3. When we go into scientific investigation
of war and peace, we come to the conclusion
that it’s not the enemy that is at fault.
It is the cause which has provoked the enmity
in the enemy.
And the cause lies on THIS side!