Guest guest Posted February 6, 2000 Report Share Posted February 6, 2000 We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Our life will always be filled with challenges. It's best for us to admit this and decide to be happy anyway. Alfred D Souza once said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life". This perspective can help us to understand that a path to happiness doesn't exist. Happiness is the way and we should reassure every moment we are the symbol of happiness. We have to treasure it more and share our happiness with someone special, special enough to spend our time...and remember that time waits for no one... So let us not wait until we finish school, until we go back to school, until we lose ten pounds, until we gain ten pounds, until we have kids, until our kids leave the house, until we start work, until we retire, until we get married, until we get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until we get a new car or home, until our car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until we are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until our song comes on, until we've had a drink, until we've sobered up, until we die, until we are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy... Happiness is a journey, not a destination. According to the Upanishads, "Life is a journey, enjoy while crossing, don't build a castle on it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2000 Report Share Posted February 6, 2000 namaste, As Sri Ramakrishna said: Mother is compassionate. She prepares dishes to suit the tastes and digestive powers of ALL Her children. The vedas (incl. upanishads) have lasted more than 8 millenia (if not eternally!). The document of Islam has also had as many different interpreters as in any other tradition. The test is in the actualisation in life of its foremost votaries. Regards, S. >"P B Varadharajan" <pbvrajan >advaitin >advaitin >Re: Happiness is a journey, not a destination >Mon, 07 Feb 2000 08:43:53 AST > According to one study this is more >because Indians have a genetic habit of disagreeing with each other. >Perhaps >this expalins why Islam maintains the same document for 1420 years. > >RAJAN > >Ram Chandran <chandran > >advaitin > >Advaitin List <advaitin > > > Happiness is a journey, not a destination > >Sun, 06 Feb 2000 23:19:03 -0500 > > > >We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, > >____ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > ____ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2000 Report Share Posted February 6, 2000 namaste, Gita 15:27 sama.n sarveshhu bhuuteshhu tishhThantaM parameshvaram.h . vinashyatsvavinashyanta.n yaH pashyati sa pashyati .. He sees who sees the Supreme Lord, remaining the same in all beings, the undying in the dying. THAT is true Happiness. Regards, S. >"Madhava K. Turumella" <madhava >advaitin >advaitin >RE: Happiness is a journey, not a destination >Mon, 7 Feb 2000 11:07:01 +0300 > >"Madhava K. Turumella" <madhava > > > > > Ram Chandran [chandran] > > Happiness is a journey, not a destination. According to the > > Upanishads, "Life > > is a journey, enjoy while crossing, don't build a castle on it." > >Catch the moment, enjoy it... you analyse it... YOU LOOSE IT... > >-M > >--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- > >Unique Valentine gifts, available now at eGroups. ><a href=" http://clickme./ad/SparksValentine2 ">Click Here</a> > >------ > >Discussion of the True Meaning of Sankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy >focusing on non-duality between mind and matter. Searchable List Archives >are available at: http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/ Contact Email >Address: advaitins > > ____ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2000 Report Share Posted February 6, 2000 too good---thanks a lot!! like the aerosmith song 'Amazing' goes: "life's a journey , not a destination.. and you just can't tell just what tomorrow will bring...." or like pink floyd in 'time' aptly sum up : "and you run and you run to catch up witht he sun but it's sinking... shorter of breath and one day closer to death.... every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines hanging on in quiet desperation is the english way the time is gone the song is over thought i'd something more to say......." --devendra ____ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2000 Report Share Posted February 7, 2000 > > Ram Chandran [chandran] > Happiness is a journey, not a destination. According to the > Upanishads, "Life > is a journey, enjoy while crossing, don't build a castle on it." For me --- life is like a soap bubble, you blow the bubble and it flys in to the air. Say you liked the bubble, because you are the one who created it. Because of that, you decided to paint the bubble with beautiful colours. No matter how ever hard you try, in a matter of minutes, it blows off... It blasts in to the same air that has sustained it, and vanishes off... Can we cry for a bubble that has taken its natural course? Bhagawad Gita says "having firmly established in this (buddhi) Yoga, he will not get deluded". Nobody will cry for a bubble that bursts off... A child also knows that bubble can not stand for long. Now I wonder how a child got that knowledge! The knowledge dawned on the child --- only because "bursting bubble" is an event that took place in front of her eyes. The event takes place with in a minutes of time. The child closely observes quite a few bubbles and finally realizes that bubbles do naturally burst... Every happening in this life, including the entire life itself, is nothing but an event like "bubble". It will have its own course. The only way that one will not get deluded is by understanding that nothing is permanent. Every thing is as permanent as a bubble. Since you understand the impermanency of the bubble, you catch that moment and enjoy the bubble as long as it is flying in the air. Same way, understand the impermanency of life. You have a choice, either to enjoy it like a child who is enjoying the bubble, or get attached to it and cry once it vanishes. You have a choice --- to stand in front of the doors of --- either happiness or sorrow, heat or cold, good or bad, friend or foe; And to say "Even this will pass away"... Dharmaraja is questioned by an yaksha: "what is the most astonishing thing in this world?" for that Dharmaraja replied: "everyone knows that they, for sure, die one day. Yet! everyone behaves/acts in this world like, as if they were going to live for ever!..." Catch the moment, enjoy it... you analyse it... YOU LOOSE IT... -M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2000 Report Share Posted February 7, 2000 Hari OM, Although the posting on Happiness by Shri Ramchandranji is not a religious note, it raised some questions in my mind which I share with our satsang. 1) It seems so simple & true but still most people do not seem to be following it. Since it is only a state of mind, what is the process in our minds which gives more importance to things we do not have (and thus feel unhappy) than to look what we have (and be happy). 2) Since our Hindu religious texts dealt extensively with analysis of mind and its control, are there any references in our upanishads to this particular aspect of human mind. 3) Recently I was fortunate to meet Dr Sadanand (Senior member advaitin -onelist) in IIT Madras. During the conversation he mentioned "What is it, that by knowing it, one will know everything?" a question raised by a King to remove the ignorance of his rather proud son. I asked him the answer. He said "For this you have to read the full Upanishad in which it is discussed". 4) Sometimes I wonder whether all faiths also simplify truth of existence to some simple formulas? May be it depends on the perspective. If you are a scientist or and Engineer, every step of the process is important, but if you area businessman, it is just manufacturing. If you are a worker " Can I get a job here" 5) There is one question for which I am trying to find an answer. If Shankara's Advaitin theory was correct (and so far it seems to me to be so), what prompted Hindus themselves, to formulate new theories by Ramanuja & Madhava with very wide following. According to one study this is more because Indians have a genetic habit of disagreeing with each other. Perhaps this expalins why Islam maintains the same document for 1420 years. RAJAN >Ram Chandran <chandran >advaitin >Advaitin List <advaitin > > Happiness is a journey, not a destination >Sun, 06 Feb 2000 23:19:03 -0500 > >We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, ____ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2000 Report Share Posted February 7, 2000 Everything is full of signposts if we have eyes to see. One of the mahavakyas is "Sarvam khalu idam Brhama". One zen master got enlightened when he saw a tender blade of grass sprouting through a crack in a wall. I find B'gita in Sanskrit very beautiful.An arabic reader will find qoran beautful. I find spiritual seekers rivaling,competing,downgrading each other distasteful.I think one's ego is a measur of one's chittashudhi and the distance away from Atman. The controling mind, the aware mind,the empty mind and mind myth, - these are all metaphors pointing to somethng which cannot be spoken. As one Vedic says 'only ? (god,God,It,Brahman) knows what was before. Or does even It know?' ______________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2000 Report Share Posted February 7, 2000 Namaste, This reminds of the Shloka on Bhaja Govindam. "Ma Kuru Dhana Jana Youvana Garvam Harati Nimaeshath Kala Sarvam. Mayaam Ayam Idham Akhilam Hithva Brahmapadam Twam Pravishya Vidhithva". " Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam Govindam Bhaja Moodamathe ...." "Do not be proud of wealth ,people, youth. All this will be stolen by time in a moment. This whole thing is but Maya, having firmly resolved Entering the abode of Brahman you understand." " Chant the name of Govinda Chant the name of Govinda 'O deluded person ....." Regards, Anand >Every happening in this life, including the entire life itself, is nothing >but an event like "bubble". It will have its own course. The only way that >one will not get deluded is by understanding that nothing is permanent. >Every thing is as permanent as a bubble. Since you understand the >impermanency of the bubble, you catch that moment and enjoy the bubble as >long as it is flying in the air. Same way, understand the impermanency of >life. > > A FREE web-based e-mail service brought to you by the PC World Technology Network. Get your FREE account today at http://www.myworldmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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