Ramana on Happiness

[Guest guest]

A question was asked as to the nature of happiness.

 

Maharishi: If a man thinks that his happiness is due to external

causes and his possessions, it is reasonable to conclude that his

happiness must increase with the increase of possessions and diminish

in proportion to their diminution. Therefore if he is devoid of

possessions, his happiness should be nil. What is the real experience

of man? Does it conform to this view?

 

In deep sleep the man is devoid of possessions, including his own

body. Instead of being unhappy he is quite happy. Everyone desires to

sleep soundly. The conclusion is that happiness is inherent in man

and is not due to external causes. One must realize his Self in order

to open the store of unalloyed happiness.

[Guest guest]

> In deep sleep the man is devoid of possessions, including his own

> body. Instead of being unhappy he is quite happy. Everyone desires

to

> sleep soundly. The conclusion is that happiness is inherent in man

> and is not due to external causes. One must realize his Self in

order

> to open the store of unalloyed happiness.

 

 

Namaste Benjamin-ji

 

What if someone says that in deep sleep the person is happy even

though he has no posessions because he DOES NOT KNOW that he has no

posessions? Can we still draw the above conclusion? Is there any case

when a man KNOWS that he has no posessions and still is happy?

[Guest guest]

Namaste Raghavendraji,

>What if someone says that in deep sleep the person

>is happy even though he has no posessions because he

>DOES NOT KNOW that he has no posessions?

 

A fair question.

 

In English, we have a saying, 'Ignorance is bliss.' :-)

 

The general tendency in Advaita is to seek happiness in the Self, in

a higher state of consciousness which we may call 'Enlightenment',

and not in objects.

 

This isn't as unreasonable as it may sound to the skeptic. After

all, we don't really want any object but the happiness that is

'triggered' by the object, and that comes from within. If we can

trigger that happiness without an object, then we have a more

efficient way of obtaining happiness. Also, we may obtain much more

happiness than any object can provide if we go directly to the source.

 

Of course, Advaita is not a cure for hunger or disease. The body

must be taken care of. But much of the suffering that we think comes

from the body is psychological and arises from the torment we feel at

lacking this or that.

 

Children are an excellent example of how happiness is not in the

object. They seem the happiest of all, but what do they play with?

Toys, sand, pets, each other... We should learn from them.

 

Hari Om!

Benjamin