HINDU THOUGHTS ON HAPPINESS --AN
INTRINSIC QUALITY OF HUMAN NATURE
(Compilation by N.R. Srinivasan, Nashville,
TN, USA, May 2018)
“All of us want to be happy. We differ
only in the way we look for happiness. All our actions are directed towards
achieving happiness or avoiding sorrow. Vedānta gives a systematic approach to
happiness. It classifies happiness as those obtained in objects, situations or
persons as vishaya-ānanda and happiness that can be discovered
in ourselves as ātma- ānanda.
vishaya-ānanda is mixed with sorrow
and struggle and it is never completely fulfilling. It also leads to
bondage as, without that object, situation or person, we cannot be happy.
ātma- ānanda is free from such defects. However ātma-
ānanda is possible only under the guidance of a competent
teacher or Guru.
The Guru points out that our mind, if
not trained, can be the source of sorrow and the same mind can be the source of
happiness. The mind training involves doing all our actions as an offering to
God and to have the maturity to accept whatever we get for our actions as prasāda.
Mind training also involves various
forms of meditations so that the mind is no longer focused on the glitter and
glamour outside but is able to experience the peace in stillness, in the now
and here.
The teacher uses yukti or
logic, anubhuti or our own experiences and finally, once the
student develops complete trust, scriptural wisdom or śruti to
discover happiness.
There is nothing to do or anywhere to
go to find happiness. Happiness is discovered in the here, now and in ourselves.
The search for happiness ends in Just Being happy.” Says Dr. Thimmappa Hegde of
FOWAI Forum.
“
Happiness is the
meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence” says
Aristotle.
Everyone
in this world desires happiness, although few know exactly what it means. It is the state of well-being and
contentment, marked by an atmosphere of good fellowship, and a pleasurable or
satisfying experience often favored by luck. If we don’t really know what true
happiness is, or how to cultivate its sweet fragrance inside ourselves, then our
efforts to find true happiness in outer circumstances alone are likely to be in
vain. Daniel Gilbert says a wandering mind is not a happy mind.
Psychologists say that those with a
spiritual practice or who follow religious beliefs tend to be happier than
those who don’t. Religious people tend
to be less depressed and less anxious than non-believers, better able to handle
the vicissitudes of life than non-believers.
A review published in the journal JAMA on
Internal Medicine found that even small amounts of meditation training can help
with anxiety, depression and pain. But that doesn’t mean scientists know
exactly why it works. A pilot research findings of The Department of Physiology,
Pondicherry, International Stress Management Association, Hyderabad, Department
of Physiology, Little Flower Medical Research Center, Kerala reveals
depression, anxiety, stress and cortisol were significantly
decreased and blood pressure was regulated within normal limits and MMSE
scores and spatial memory was significantly improved followed by regular
chanting of Vishnu Sahasra Nama(VSN). There are many such earlier studies with similar
conclusions drawn, studying
chanting of Veda Mantras or meditating in Sanskrit language. The divine
Sanskrit Language which is called a Divine Script (Devanagari) has something to
do here though there is no direct evidence by comparative study!
The same goes for the protective
qualities of religious belief and spirituality. Some experts think that
believing in a religion gives you a greater sense of purpose and meaning in
life than a secular viewpoint alone does, and that can help carry you through the low periods and elevate
the higher ones. It could be that belief in an afterlife—something nearly all
mainstream religions have in common—can make you happier in this one, knowing
that if you lead a clean and good life
you’re headed for something better. Jesus told his faithful their
“reward is great in heaven,” but that promise seems to pay off in this life itself.
When
it comes to religion and spirituality, it may not be what you believe or how
you believe it that protects you from unhappiness so much as the fact that
you believe at all—and that you practice
those beliefs with other people.
Western
view of practicing religion with others comes from Matthew 18:4 of the Holy
Bible—“For where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them”.
This might probably be reflecting the thought from Rigveda:
Sangacchadhvam sam vadadhvam sam vo manaamsi jaanataam
/ devaa bhaagam yathaa purve sanjanaana upaasate // Rigveda (X-191-20)
Come together! Speak together! Let our minds be all
of one accord like the divines that sat
together in the past in harmony to
worship. Did this
inspire Bhajana Sampradaya and Kalakshepa in Hinduism?
Scientists
have long known that having strong social ties is one of the greatest
guarantors of happiness. When life is hard, the communal support of a religious
community—and, presumably, the hope for something better to come in an entirely
different world—is especially valuable.
That may be one reason religious community was so important to slave
populations throughout history, from the ancient Israelites under the pharaoh’s
boot in Egypt to African Americans trapped in the antebellum South. It may also
be why in USA, states with lower life expectancies and higher poverty rates
have the largest proportion of religious people. A rich man may find it harder
to get into heaven than a camel does passing through the eye of a needle says
even Bible.
Religious
people (at least in the United States and other religious countries) are
happier on average than non-religious people. But, the key variable does not
appear to be religion itself. Instead, it is the social connections that religious
life facilitates that make people happy. The idea that happiness should be the
goal of religion is a fairly recent one in Western concept. In Hindu culture from time immemorial the
social fabric is so knitted that no human activity is segregated from the
divine. It often derives happiness from its Temple traditions and
celebration of festivals and sacraments. In Western culture this has been
brought to focus by the Pilgrim Fathers who landed on Plymouth Rock,
who believed that the point of existence was the glorification of God—not human
happiness. They were probably influenced by Hindu religion that had made the
happiness as the goal of religion long back.
Western
authors mostly talk about physical happiness necessary for healthy living.
Ayurveda also suggests “Laughing Exercise” as a pre-requisite to Yoga and Meditation to balance Kapha, Vaata and Pitthaa contributing to healthy and long living.
But
Vedanta describes two other kinds of happiness Sreyas and Preyas apart
from the Western thought of physical Happiness. Sreyas is inward happiness and leads to Eternal bliss making human
spiritual life good leading to liberation while Preyas makes our living pleasant to lead a healthy physical life.
Bhagavad Gita which reflects the Upanishadic thoughts of Kathopanishad often
mentions about Sreyas and Preyas.
Its real difference and deeper meaning can be better understood by the
following mantras in Kathopanishad:
Sreyascha preyascha manushyamet tau sam -pareetya vivinakti dheerah |
Sreyo hi dheero abhi preyasoe vrineete
preyo mando yogakshemaad vrineete
Both
the good and the pleasant approach the mortal man; the wise examines them
thoroughly and discriminates between the two; the wise man prefers the good to
the pleasant, but the ignorant man chooses the pleasant for the sake of this
physical body through avarice and attachment (for getting and keeping).
Two mutually
opposing options are open for man; one is śreyas (श्रेयस्) and the other is preyas (प्रेयस्). Out of these, śreyas is that which brings about inner enrichment
and preyas is that which ruins the
person by entangling him in worldly entailments. Only the wise men choose śreyas; Nachiketas did the same,
rejecting all the trappings of preyas.
This is what earned him the commendation of God of Death (Yama) and an
opportunity to receive the desired instruction. Sreyas means ultimate well-being and preyas means immediately palatable, that is called preyas. So everyone should be interested
in śreyas, not in preyas. Again refer to the Blind men and
The Elephant analogy in Hindu
scriptures:
avidyāyāmantare vartamānāḥ svayaṃ dhīrāḥ panditam manyamānāḥ
dandramyamāṇāḥ pariyanti mūḍhā andhenaiva nīyamānā yathāndhāḥ (2.5)
dandramyamāṇāḥ pariyanti mūḍhā andhenaiva nīyamānā yathāndhāḥ (2.5)
Meaning: ‘The
foolish ones, thinking themselves to be intelligent and learned, despite being
totally immersed in ignorance, wander around, going from one thing to another,
like the blind being led by the blind’.
This verse
implies that if one opts for the path of Preyas,
he is actually foolish, though he may think himself to be wise and learned.
Being already ignorant, he is led by ignorance too; the phrase ‘blind led by
the blind’ emphasizes this fact, blindness being a reference to ignorance.
Man is his mind. We Train the mind to
think and to act in terms of the values of life for the higher Values of life
of love tolerance, service with a smile, etc., get ourselves cultured and
perfect ourselves to become a Sthitaprajnya (steadfast in mind) which is the central theme of this
discourse. Un-intelligent person
chooses the pleasant for the purpose of Yoga-kshema.
Yoga is the development of the body and Kshema
is its protection. Sankara says Yoga is
acquiring what one does not have and
Kshema is the preservation of it after having attained. A wise man who has trained his mind
spiritually attains steadfastness of the mind and chooses Perennial joy
(Ananda) instead passing Pleasures (bodily pleasures).
Sthithaprajnya
is translated in English as man of steadfast wisdom. Our scripture says one who has gained
spiritual wisdom and gained wealth of spiritual education is Stithaprajna. Stithaprajna remains undisturbed with his
mind focused on Brahman called Brahma-Jnaani.
Stithaprajna state is close to Samadhi, a state that one directly
perceives the Supreme spirit that abides in one’s own soul, synonymous with the
Supreme spirit.
Within the various schools of Hindu
thought, there are different paths and ways of achieving Ananda
(Sreyas or Divine Happiness.) The
main four paths are Bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga,
Karma Yoga
and Raja Yoga.
Meditation
is one of the most direct and powerful ways to awaken to who we really are and
to experience happiness as a state of consciousness that already exists within
us. When we meditate, we go beyond the swirl of thoughts, memories and emotions
that tend to keep us stuck in our ego’s story of who we are. We enter an
expanded state of awareness and discover our own inner fountain of joy, a
source of happiness that isn’t dependent on anyone or anything.
Ānanda
literally means Bliss or happiness
which accompanies the ending of the rebirth cycle. Those
who renounce the fruits of their actions and submit themselves completely to
the divine will, arrive at the final termination of the cyclical life process (
Samsara) to enjoy eternal bliss (ānanda) in perfect union with the
godhead. The tradition of seeking union with God through passionate
commitment is referred to as Bhakti or devotion.
Sat-Chit-Ananda is the triple consciousness on the
highest plane, and that plane is for the absolutely chosen few. Sat is existence, Chit is
consciousness and Ananda is bliss. To
reach Sat-Chit-Ananda is a most difficult
thing. It is much easier for people to
reach the illumined mind or the Super-mind, but Sat-Chit-Ananda is absolutely the highest. That absolute
consciousness is almost impossible to attain, even for the spiritual Masters.
(God, Avatars and Yogis)
The
Kingdom of Heaven about which the Holy Bible talks is more than just a mere
plane, like other planes. It is a plane of divine Consciousness. It is a state
of Realization. It embodies Sat-Chit-Ananda.
Sat is divine Existence, Chit is divine Consciousness, Aananda is divine Bliss. When we go deep
within we feel these three together, and when we acquire the inner vision to
perceive them all at once, we live verily in the Kingdom of Heaven. Otherwise,
Existence is at one place, Consciousness is somewhere else and Bliss is nowhere
near the other two. When we see and feel Existence-Consciousness-Bliss on the
self-same plane, each complementing and fulfilling the others, we can say that
we live in the Kingdom of Heaven. Yes, the Kingdom of Heaven is within us. Not
only can we feel it, but without the least possible doubt, we can become it.
Bhagavad
Gita on Sreyas and Preyas
Nachiketas
in the story narrated in Chhandogya Upanishad asked Yama for the grant of Sreyas and not Preyas. He thus did not choose the low path
of the ignorant such as damsels and other temporary worldly pleasures that are
tempting and desired. He understood such a path leads to sorrow only ultimately
and is not a solution to attain permanent happiness. The path way to liberation
is different and highly praiseworthy. The pathway to enjoyment is pleasant and
it is different.
All virtues, strength, self-denial,
and sublimity come out of Sreyas. Yoga and spiritual enlightenment lead to
Sreyas. A life of triumph and conquest is available to all who tread the path
of Sreyas. This is the essence of the teaching
of the Bhagavad Gita. Each of the subsequent chapters in this book is an
elaboration of this theme from a particular angle.
We are all allured to Preyas—things
that bring prosperity, pleasure and fame to life. Jevaatma often enjoys them even
in Svarga or incarnates in order to acquire these pleasures based on past
merits. This
enjoyment has a place for a limited time in this world of pleasures. Soon the
Jeevatma realizes the very temporary nature of such pleasures and yearns for
permanent happiness to merge with its source of Bliss or permanent happiness. The Gita teaches one to equip oneself
for the battle of life. Without self-preparation the battle of life cannot be
waged successfully. Arjuna was still under the grip of Preyas as he
started and was not convinced when he started the discussion in the battle
field. Lord Krishna slowly and steadily
teaches him Karmayoga, Bhaktiyoga, Rajayoga and Jnaanayoga in the 18 chapters
which made him visualize the merits of Sreyas and so he makes up his mind to
fight the battle to attain Sreyas.
Bhaghavad Gita is not opposed to
Preyas as you read in the following sloka. It only says progressively we should
move towards Sreyas. We are temptingly beckoned to playfully dance through a
seemingly well-lit path of Pleasant, but the path ultimately leads us to dark
cave of sorrow and endless death. Through Yoga and meditation we can achieve
this says Gita.
Raagadveshaviyuktais
tu Vishayaan indriyaischaran | Aatmavasyair
vidheya-atmaa prasaadam adhigacchati || 2-64 ||
A disciplined person, enjoying sense objects with
senses that are under control and free from likes and dislikes, attains
tranquility and permanent happiness.
Gita
describes the fate of one who sets his
goal on Preyas:
Chintaam apari meyaam cha pralayaantaam
upaasritah | Kaamopbhoga-paramaa etaavadati nischitaah ||
Obsessed
with innumerable anxieties, those end only with their death they regard the
enjoyment of sensual pleasures as their highest goal of life and are fully
convinced that, that is all and everything.
These men are bound by hundreds of
expectations, dreams and worries and aspirations all at once. They do not treat
others with respect and reverence. Their mind becomes bewildered by innumerable
hopes and anxieties, and they fall into very impure, immoral and unhealthy circumstances. They do not pay attention to
their inner voice and disregard all spiritual values. They are born again and again to the lower
grades of life.
An unintelligent person chooses the
Pleasant path (Preyas) for the purpose of Yoga-kshema. Yoga is development of
the body and Kshema is its Protection.
An intelligent person chooses Bliss path (Sreyas), the pathway to liberation
which is different and highly praiseworthy. These two are also known as Path of
Ignorance (Avidya) and Path of Knowledge (Vidya) in Vedanta.
Vedas refer
to Avidya as secular sciences or worldly knowledge and Vidya as spiritual
knowledge. They are often referred to as Para vidyaa and Apara Vidyaa
also. Isavasyopanishad is very practical in saying: "vidyaam cha
avidyaamcha yastad vedobhyagam saha | avidyayaa mrityum teertvaa vidyayaa
amritamasnute"-- “We need to transcend hunger and thirst through the
secular sciences and then alone we can obtain immortality through spiritual
science.” So we need to concentrate on both. After achieving success with
secular knowledge in the first phase of our life we should concentrate on
spiritual knowledge in the second phase of our life to be successful in life.
Synthesis of material pursuits and spiritual knowledge has been
often advocated by modern teachers of synthesis like Chinmayananda. He
who combines both Vidyaa and Avidyaa would overcome death by Avidyaa and obtain
Immortality by Vidyaa. Don’t we need both?
“The wise and
discriminating individual at each moment intelligently judges the various
phases of the challenges he is in, and solidly determines ever to stick to the
Path of Good (Bliss). He continues his pilgrimage and ultimately fulfills the
mission of his life. The ignorant one, on the other hand, lives like a mule
following the generality and leads the path of least resistance motivated
mainly by the animal urges of his body-consciousness. He follows the Path of
Pleasant, the sensuous modes of satisfying every demand of ever-craving senses
and thus ultimately stoops so low as to commit state of eternal death in the
lower scales of evolution” says Swami Chinmayananda.
Pleasures
that are sense-bound and prone to mutation come under the category of Preyas. The majority of mankind are
seekers of Preyas. But there are a
rare few who aspire for transcendental. Scriptures describe this transcendental
experience as the Sreyas.
The senses
are created with outward tendencies like a bar door with hinges that allow it
to swing open outward only. The ignorant pursue outward pleasures, they walk
into the wide-spread net of death. The wise, however, recognizing eternal life,
do not seek the constant among inconstant things. All virtues, strength, self-denial, and
sublimity are born of sreyas. Yoga
and spiritual enlightenment are all contained in this sreyas. A life of triumph and conquest is available to all who
tread the path of Sreyas. This is the
core of the teaching of the Bhagavad
Gita.
In the social front, when pāpa karmas become rampant threatening
the peace and well-being of the society, the ultimate ruling principle, SAT-CHIT-ĀNANDA, intervenes by churning
out sufficient opposite forces to contain the adverse impacts and to finally
assert itself. This is what Gīta says ‘saṃbhavāmi
yuge yuge’ (4.8). Pāpa
karmas are like obstructions to natural flow of water in a river; when they
reach an intolerable level, water musters sufficient force and thrashes away
all the obstructions with a violent sweep.
All self-centered pursuits for physical
yields will end up in retaliations and entanglements. Only by abiding with the
principle of Ātmā that one can secure hassle-free, durable happiness. We should
therefore get enlightened about that principle. That is why Upanishads say that
only by knowing the Ātmā one can attain bliss. Gīta prescribes this knowing as
the only one goal deserving to be pursued, not too many, as would be the case
with physical benefits (Gīta 2.41 to 2.44).
Yaamimaam pushpitaam vaacham pravadantyavipaschitah | vedavaada-rataah
partha naanyadasteeti vaadinah || 2-42 ||
Kaamaatmaanah svargaparaa janma-karmaphala-pradaam
| Kriyaa-visesha-bahulaam bhogaisvarya-gatim prati || 2-43 ||
Men of petty
knowledge who are dull witted and whose minds are full of desires, are very
much attached to the flowery words of the Vedas, which recommend various
fruitful activities for elevation to heavenly planets, resultant good birth,
power, and so forth. Being desirous of sense gratification and opulent life,
they say that there is nothing more than this.
Vyavasaayaatmikaa
buddhirekeha kurunandana | Bahusaakhaa hyanantaas-cha
buddhayo-avyavasaayinam || 2-41 ||
Bhogaisvarya-prasaktaanaam
tayaapa-hritachetasaam | Vyavasaayaatmika buddhih samaadhau na vidheeyate ||
2-44 ||
The will that pertains to yogic
discipline here is but one, that is one pointed, while the will of those not
given to such discipline are multi-pronged and unending. Even the resolute will, one pointed and
disciplined, does not incline naturally to the yogic state of atonement, when
the mind, intent on enjoyment and power, is seduced by the promises of the ritualistic
texts.
Attracted by the ritualistic portion of
the Vedas, people perform the prescribed rituals for the attainment of worldly
desires, pleasures, power and fortune.
In this process they get trapped in desires and can never develop a
determined intellect for self-realization because of the illusive nature of
desires keep distracting the mind from the final goal of Liberation. The
ultimate goal of reciting Vedic hymns,
and performing the Vedic rituals is self-purification, self-realization and
God-realization. In the words of Sri Ramanuja,”In performing obligatory and
occasional rituals (Nitya and Naimittika
karmas) all fruits—primary and secondary—promised in scriptures, should be
abandoned, with the idea that Release from Samsara or Salvation is the only
purpose of all scripture-oriented rituals. These rituals should be performed
without any thought of selfish gains”
In the
karma-kaanda section of Vedas it is said that those who perform the four
monthly penance (Chaturmasya) become
eligible to drink the somarasa
beverage to become immortal and happy forever. Even on this earth some are very
eager to have somarasa to become
strong and fit to enjoy sense gratifications.
It is also said in Vedas that there are gardens called Nandana --kaanana in which there is good
opportunity for association with angelic, beautiful damsels and having profuse
supply of Somarasa wine. Such bodily happiness is certainly sensual;
there are those who are purely attached to material, temporary happiness as
lords of the material world attached to Preyas.
They do not want anything more than sense gratification proposals for enjoying
life in heaven too where wine and women are available and material opulence is
very common.
Different
Thoughts on Ananda (Spiritual Happiness) in Hindu philosophy
Swami Vivekananda
has claimed that the reason different meanings of ānanda and different
ways of achieving it are present in Hindu philosophy is that humans differ from
each other, and each chooses the most appropriate path to ānanda for him
or herself.
According
to Sri Aurobindo, happiness is the natural state of
humanity. He describes it as delight of
existence in his book, “The Life Divine”.
However, mankind develops dualities of pain and pleasure. Aurobindo says
that the concepts of pain and suffering are due to habits developed over
time by the mind, which treats success, honor and victory as pleasant things
and defeat, failure, misfortune as unpleasant things.
According to the Vedanta
school of Hindu philosophy, ananda is that state of
sublime delight when the Jiva
becomes free from all sins, all doubts, all desires, all actions, all pains,
all sufferings and also all physical and mental ordinary pleasures. Having
become established in Brahman
it becomes Jivanmukta
(a being free from the cycle of rebirth).
The Upanishads repeatedly
use the word Ānanda to denote Brahman,
the innermost Self, the Blissful One, who unlike the individual Self has no
real attachments.
Based
on a reading of the Bhagavad Gita, Dvaita Vedanta interprets ananda as
happiness derived via good thoughts and good deeds that depend on the state and
on the control of the mind. Through evenness of temper and mind, the state of
supreme bliss is reached in all aspects of one’s life.
According
to the Vishishtadvaita Vedanta school which was proposed by Ramanujacharya,
true happiness can be only through divine grace, which can be only achieved by
total surrender of one's ego to the Divine.
According
to Ramana Maharshi, happiness is within and can be known
only through discovering one's true self. He proposes that ananda can be
attained by inner enquiry, using the thought "Who am I?"
Religion of the Upanishads
asserts unity with the origin and unity of essence of all beings. It is all
about transcending the diversity of external appearances and characteristics
and attaining the unity of inner essence. The spirit of this inner equality
makes it devoid of all kinds of discrimination and hatred. It is the universal
religion. What it presently lacks is proper dissemination of its principles.
Effort to inculcate these principles in the minds of all has to start at the
very stage of childhood. This is essential to illumine their future lives with
positive values and broader vision of universal oneness.
Swami Krishananda in his ‘Realization
of the Absolute’ says “Absolute being is the highest perfection. Perfection is
Bliss”. Krishnananda quoting Chhandogya Upanishad, asserts that “The great
Infinite alone is Bliss, there is no bliss in the small finite” Taittiriya Upanishad says: “That, verily is
the essence. Only on getting this essence, does one becomes blissful. Else who
would breathe and who would live – if there is no bliss in existence (space).
Truly, this essence is the source of bliss”.
Mundaka Upanishad calls Reality as the “Blissful Immortal”. The inherent
quality of the Atman or the embodied self is Brahman which is Infinite Being (Anantham
Sathyam), Infinite Consciousness (Anantham Jnaanm)and Infinite Bliss (Anantham Aanandam). The epithet
Anantham is required for
understanding Sathyam Jnaanam Aanandam. Upanishads often describe Brahman as Sat-chit-Ananda.
But Brahman while Sat-Chit-Aananda is also Bhuma (Plentitude)
and Anantha (Infinite) besides. He is
clearly described as Sathyam Jnaanam
Aanandam Anantham in Chandogya to understand the difference between Atman
and Parmaatman (anantha kalyaana guna).
In the Taittiriya Upanishad Aaanda
has been described as bliss par excellence which is many hundredfold more than
the happiness one derives from any worldly act. Taittiriya Upanishad says
Brahman is the one that gives joy to us, the blissful Self that dwells within
the lotus of the heart because of whom we live and breathe, the cause of our
very existence. Tataittiriya Upanishad gives an interesting description of the
measure of bliss (Aananda) that a person well-versed in Vedas and unaffected by
Kaama would attain to. Let there be a noble youth with wisdom and good learning
who is resolute and strong; the happiness he would feel if the whole world and
wealth therein belongs to him is the measure of human bliss. Hundred times of
this measure of human bliss is the bliss of human Gandharvas; hundred times
thereof is the bliss of celestial Gandharvas; hundred times thereof is the
bliss of the manes who belong to the eternal world; hundred times thereof is
the bliss of devas born in the world of devas; hundred times thereof is the
bliss of Karmadevas; hundred times thereof is the bliss of Devas; hundred times
thereof is the bliss of Indra; hundred times thereof is the bliss of
Brihaspati; hundred times thereof is the bliss of Prajaapati; hundred times thereof is the bliss of
Brahma. This is same as the bliss of an enlightened person who is not felled by
Kāma. We need not break our heads on the puraanic characters mentioned here;
the aim of the description is to glorify the bliss that would accrue to a man
who is enlightened and who has got rid of all Kaama (passion or desires).
Advaita Vedanta suggests that Being
(Brahman) is non-dual (Advaita). It is existential. It is experiential and
non-relational. There is no difference between Self (Atman) and Being
(Brahman). It is supreme knowledge (Sat),
supreme
Consciousness (Chit) and supreme bliss (Ananda).
Advaita Vedanta propounds that it is nescience (aviyda) that enshrouds the individual self to assume that existence
is dual, that is there is a creator and creation, that there is the experiencer
and the experienced. It reinstates the Vedic theory that the substratum,
Brahman, is not identifiable and that it is not located in space-time-causation
continuum. The non-dual school of thought suggests that it is the delusive
force or energy (Maya) that veils the non-dual nature of Brahman.
Advaita Vedanta emphasizes that the
actions or activities undertaken by the Embodied Self is nothing but an innate
urge to express its expanse and freedom and unfold its nature as supreme
knowledge, supreme consciousness and supreme bliss. It believes that bliss is
not capable of being pursuit or sought, as man, as an embodied self, is by
nature blissful. It conclusively asserts that Self (Atman) is enlightened and
blissful by nature. It reiterates the concluding findings of the Hindu revealed
Vedas (scriptures) highlighting the non-dual nature of Brahman or Atman.
Advaita Vedanta suggests that creation is the ultimate expression of Brahman
which is inherently blissful, endowed with supreme knowledge and consciousness.
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad affirms in its sutra or aphorism, “Poornamadam Poornamidam, Poornaat
Poornamaduchyathe, Poornasya Poornamaadaaya Poornameva avasishyathe” which
means “from fullness (Brahman), fullness (creation) came and despite its expression,
fullness (Brahman) still remains full. Thus, creation is taken as a sportive
expression of Supreme Knowledge, Supreme Consciousness and Supreme Bliss.
Present
Hindu religious practices have to undergo thorough reformation to live up to
the most scientific spiritual philosophy of the world which constitutes their
essence. Unfortunately what is now being practiced as the Hindu religion is
only a highly corrupted version of this religion. All
known religions possess various sets of prescriptions on rites and observances
as a means to practice their distinct spiritual philosophy. These prescriptions
mostly aim at appeasing the God of their perception, for favors of physical
well-being and happiness Preyas and
not Sreyas, eternal Joy living in the
domain of the Supreme permanently (Salokya,
Sameepya or Sayujya). This short term appeasement is made by singing
praises to that God, visualized in human form, and by offering presents in the
form of money, gold and other valuables; this is akin to bribing some power-wielding,
greedy mortals for securing protection and favors.
BIBLOGRAPHY:
1)
Swami Chinmyananda,
Kathopanishad, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, Mumbai, India.
2)
Prabhu
Duneja, Bhagavad Gita, Hansaram Hasanand, Delhi, India.
3)
Ramachndra
Rao, S.K., Gita Kosha, Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bengaluru, India.
4)
Kartikeyan
Sridharan, The Science of Upanishads, IndiaDivine.Org
5)
Wikepedia,
Hindu Reflections <nrsrini.blogspot.com> and other Internet sources.
6)
Chandrasekharan
Veeraiah, The Pursuit of Happiness, SEGI University, Kota Damansara,
Malaysia.
7)
Anantha Rangacharya, Principal
Upanishads, Bengaluru, India.
APPENDIX
True Happiness depends upon
Peace of Mind
Sri Swami Chidananda
of Paramartha Niketan
In a mind devoid of peace how can there be happiness? Happiness depends upon peace of mind. It is in a calm, tranquil state of mind alone that happiness arises, for essential true happiness is your inward spiritual state.
Desire and want which arise from the prime delusion, destroy all peace of mind.
Try to evaluate objects as they really are.
To lead a proper life here on earth, one has to assign a limited value to objects.
Simplicity of life is the true secret of happiness.
Unhampered
experience of joy which lies within comes out of simplicity. Your life
should never be complicated with too many things.
Have contentment. Have the capacity to derive joy out of whatever situation you may find yourself in.
Assert:
“The situation has not the power to alter my experience. My experience
is alterable only to the degree to which I allow it to be altered.
A simple and contented life depends more upon God-made things than upon man-made objects.
There are hundreds of things that can fill you with happiness if you only have the eyes to see.
Learn to experience joy from the happiness of others.
Instead
of envy, become filled with joy whenever you see others in happiness.
Feel happy by beholding the happiness of others. Train yourself to
derive happiness out of bringing happiness
into the lives of others.
Try to derive joy out of the beauty of all things, not only from those things which you possess. In this way you
will develop an impersonal capacity for happiness.
Learn to accept the experiences that come through life.
There
is no use fretting and fuming and making yourself miserable over them.
You, perhaps, may just add more misery to the misery which these
experiences already bring. Have calm and wise resignation.
There is one Supreme Intelligence that is guiding the lives of men here
and these experiences that come from that Source, learn to accept like
human beings.
Be friendly to all. Feel oneness with all.
With
those who are inferior to you in status, in health, in strength, in
beauty, have an attitude of kindness, love and compassion. To those who
are troublesome, wicked, unpleasant
and nasty, be indifferent,
Above all, do not give way to anger. Anger, more than any other single factor in this world, destroys happiness.
Maintain a rational restraint over the senses.
The
urge towards carnal enjoyment is the natural part of the human being,
but it pertains to the mental and physical part of your nature only. We
have to recognize this as such. However,
it is the prerogative of every individual, being endowed with a high
intelligence, to hold a reign over the senses. By that way they cannot
destroy happiness. If they are allowed to hold a sway over you, then
while you are thus unrestrained, you cannot have
any happiness. This is the Law of the Universe.
Base your life upon virtue, upon Truth and upon purity.
Happiness
fills those who base their lives upon virtue. Virtue is a direct
emanation from the Divine, just as happiness is the quality of the
Divine.
Even
more important, keep close to the Great Inner Source of all happiness,
all joy, all bliss! Call It by whatever name you choose—I do not want to
give It a name. Make That the center of
your being.
That
is the Eternal Thing that supports your life, which is your alpha and
omega, your all in all, your supporting substratum and your destination
and goal. Keep close to It by developing love.
Love the Supreme. Always remember the Supreme. Great Ones who have
immersed their lives and become absorbed forever in the supreme blessed
state of happiness and bliss have told us one great secret which
provides us with an unfailing method of attaining happiness.
Happiness, in the truest sense of the term, is that changeless experience right within you.
It is that awareness
which being present enables you to derive sweetness out of all other
things, and which being absent, deprives you of all the sweetness from
anything. That is the most important fact.
All things gain the capacity for giving happiness only in the presence of this One Being. Make Him the center of your life.
Make
Him the most important and paramount Thing in your life. Then you will
never be taken away from your happiness even for a single second. No one
will be able to take you away from
it, for you are yourself that happiness.
In God lies happiness and within me He is and He and I are One.
Within
lies the perennial fount of eternal happiness. May you live your life
in this Truth. Then I assure you that your life will become a stream of
happiness.
May your life thus flow forth not as a vale of tears but as a perennial stream of infinite happiness.
This is my prayer.
May your life become radiant with joy and happiness!
Supernal Happiness—may That be yours!
Commnts;
Many thanks for this link.
Commnts;
Many thanks for this link.
--Roger Darlington