Fwd: Happiness

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Hare Krsna

 

For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is

already reached, for he has attained tranquility. To such a man

happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the

same.

GITA 6:7

 

O

best of the Bharatas, now please hear from Me about the three kinds of

happiness which the conditioned soul enjoys, and by which he sometimes

comes to the end of all distress. That which in the beginning may be

just like poison but at the end is just like nectar and which awakens

one to self-realization is said to be happiness in the mode of goodness.

 

That

happiness which is derived from contact of the senses with their

objects and which appears like nectar at first but poison at the end is

said to be of the nature of passion.

 

And

that happiness which is blind to self-realization, which is delusion

from beginning to end and which arises from sleep, laziness and

illusion is said to be of the nature of ignorance.

GITA 18:36/39

 

 

 

 

That which appears to be favorable to the mind and senses is deemed as

happiness and that which appears to be unfavorable to the mind and

senses is deemed as unhappiness. This is the definition and explanation

of happiness and unhappiness that is commonly understood among most

people.

 

We think that by getting food, clothing, house, car, property, land,

knowledge, medicines and other things cheaply and in abundance we will

become happy. But think through this more deeply - those that have

these aforesaid things in great abundance, are they truly happy ? Not

in the least bit, because with the increase of material abundance,

their longing for it grows, and this longing for material things is the

root cause of unhappiness.

 

In the Bhagavad Gita,

when Arjun asked God about the root cause of sin leading to sorrow and

unhappiness, God responded that it is "desire" (craving, longing) which

is the main reason why one commits sins. The real reason for

unhappiness is only desire (craving, longing). Wherever you see people

who are unhappy whether it be in prison, in hell, on anywhere, if you

investigate the reason they are in their current state, you will

conclude that either they had some desire and craving for something in

the past or in the present they are longing for something that they do

not have. By desiring, one does not attain things. Even the world does

not give to those who desire, rather they want to give forcefully,

willingly and gladly to those who do not want anything.

 

In this world, if a person gets everything to his liking and as his

mind desires, then too, he will not be satisfied. Rather his longing

for more will continue to increase "jimi pratilaabh lob adhikaayi". The

reason for increased craving is that he is experiencing something

lacking within himself, and as long as there lies this feeling within

of some void, something missing, till that time how can there ever be

happiness? Rather there will only be increasing unhappiness.

 

If you think about this deeply, then you will realize that happiness is

not due to acquiring things, rather by attaining anyone or anything,

the unhappiness resulting from craving or longing for more, further

increases.

 

In the Universe the amount of wealth, food, grain, gold, cattle, and

women that exist, they all in all, cannot satisfy a single man, nor are

they even capable of doing so. Realizing this, become quiet within.

Quieten the thirst, the longing within for more; as desires can never

be quietened through the enjoyment of pleasures and acquisition of

things. Rather just like when oil is added to a fire, the fire blazes

with even greater intensity, similarly, through the enjoyment of sense

pleasures, the impressions that are left in the mind, increases the

desire for more sense enjoyment.

 

All desire happiness, but the means to attain happiness are only

understood and seen in worldly things by them, therefore men are seen

as attempting to acquire only these worldly things. With the number of

people in this world, how can everyone get everything that they desire

from the world ? All have rights to the things in this world, and the

total number of available resources are limited, and those who desire

for these things are many in number. When even one person cannot be

entirely satisfied, then how will every person get everything ? Let us

assume that everyone gets everything, then too, being happy with these

things is an impossibility. The reason is that consciousness (Self,

Soul) can only be satisfied by perfect Consciousness, not by imperfect

and limited inert things. Let us say that the happiness that is

perceived through affinity with the perishable objects, is itself seen

as happiness; then too, the inert things are constantly changing and

perishing whereas the Self (Embodied Soul) is eternal and imperishable.

Therefore how can the union of the two, remain eternally forever ?

 

Then how can one gain happiness? What is the solution for happiness ?

The solution is - the desire and aim of attaining divinity, (Supreme

Consciousness) and following righteousness and virtuousness. The reason

is - when our behavior is righteous and fair, when we have no desire

for anything beyond what is rightfully ours, then true happiness is

possible. And this will come about when there is feeling of sacrifice

and generosity within you. If we are able to give up those things that

we think will give us happiness, and with a generous feeling if we

desire to give to others and not take from others, then the things will

automatically become plentiful, and the number of takers of those

things will become fewer. At that time, the fruits of our generosity,

the divine energy and more will work to it's fullest power, whereby the

things will increase in productivity and what we already have will be

protected. Thus happiness will pervade every where.

 

Due to inner feeling of sacrifice and generosity, as his mind and

attention moves away from inert objects, it will engage in Truth,

Divinity, and Supreme Consciousness (God). Thereafter, he naturally and

automatically becomes inclined and engaged in truth and divinity. The

main idea that that he was holding at one time that happiness comes

from external objects, will be wiped out. His aim and understanding of

truth, divinity, existence, consciousness, and blissfulness, will be

firmly established and he will naturally become realized and blissful.

 

On meeting, listening to discourses or through physical touch of such a

realized soul, other souls will also become joyful. What then to speak

off, he who is extremely blissful himself? In reality, only he is

happy, who gives up his selfishness, wanting only what is beneficial

for others and in return wants to take nothing for himself.

 

Some hold the opinion that by spreading the wealth out (taking from

rich and distributing to the poor), all will become happy, but one must

think about the kind of happiness that rich people really have. It is

happiness mixed with sorrow, that creates within a burning sensation

day and night. They are never at peace. Therefore the happiness that

one gets from wealth, will be the kind that is mixed with sorrow. Also

when the wealth is taken away from him, he will undergo immense

suffering. Thus by putting others into difficulty, by taking away from

others, how can the receiver be happy ? Rather, wherever wealth goes,

there will be nothing but suffering, lack of peace and distress.

 

It is a principle that when the giver gives and only gives and the

receiver has no desire to receive, then the giver will become

generously philantrophic and experience joy. In this situation, the

receiver too will experience joy in taking with an attitude of

sacrifice. Therefore that nectar filled gift wherever it goes, will

result in happiness - peace and will create an atmosphere of joy and

happiness. Thereafter all will be happy and all will have the inner

feeling of generosity, because happiness in not in the objects,

happiness is in the generosity of our heart.