Happiness

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Dear All,

 

I found this interesting and giving me food for thought. So sharing

with all of you.

 

Regards and prayers

 

Savitri

 

There are three types of happiness, namely - worldly happiness, that

in the subtle worlds and spiritual happiness. The first is the

happiness obtained in this world which can also be called pleasures,

the second is that obtained in the subtle worlds. Both these types of

happiness are relative to some object. Spiritual happiness however is

unrelated to an object. Since spiritual happiness is self-attained, it

is considered the best type of happiness. Spiritual happiness is

superior to worldly happiness and that in the subtle worlds because it

is permanent and unrelated to any kind of unhappiness. This spiritual

happiness is the ultimate. Such unparalleled happiness is termed as

the Final Liberation (Moksha).'

 

Examples of three happiness:

 

1.Happy to eat a food that we love- it ceases when we are full or

ceases when we are hungry again..

 

2.Feelings of happiness when we help somebody in need or sacrifice

something for somebody with out expecting any thing in return.- The

relation with the object makes it fade, but persuades us to do more of

that kind of actions to advance spiritually.

 

3.Unparalleled eternal happiness experienced when in union with the

Chaitanyam in us- only experienced when we start seeing God in

everything- no external object is necessary.

 

Here are some interesting definitions of happiness. I liked the last

definition best.

A. अनà¥à¤•à¥‚लवेदनीयं सà¥à¤–मà¥â€Œ ।

पà¥à¤°à¤¤à¤¿à¤•à¥‚लवेदनीयं दà¥:खमà¥â€Œ ।

- वातà¥â€à¤¸à¥â€à¤¯à¤¾à¤¯à¤¨ १.१.२

Meaning: Happiness is a pleasant sensation and unhappiness is an

unpleasant sensation experienced by the embodied soul through the five

senses, mind and / or intellect.

 

B. यदिषà¥â€à¤Ÿà¤‚ ततà¥â€à¤¸à¥à¤–ं

पà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤¹à¥à¤µà¥â€à¤°à¥à¤¦à¥‡à¤·à¥â€à¤¯à¤‚

दà¥:खमिहेषà¥â€à¤¯à¤¤à¥‡ ।।

- महाभारत १२.२९५.२७

Meaning: In this world what one feels favourable is happiness and

whatever one feels like despising is unhappiness. - Mahabharat

12.295.27

यदà¥à¤¯à¤¤à¥â€à¤ªà¥à¤°à¤¿à¤¯à¤‚ यसà¥â€à¤¯ सà¥à¤–ं

तदाहà¥à¤¸à¥â€à¤¤à¤¦à¥‡à¤µ दà¥:खं

पà¥à¤°à¤µà¤¦à¤¨à¥â€à¤¤à¥â€à¤¯à¤¨à¤¿à¤·à¥â€à¤Ÿà¤®à¥â€Œ ।।

- महाभारत १२.२०१.१०

Meaning: One regards what is dear to oneself as happiness and the same

thing when it is disliked, as unhappiness. - Mahabharat 12.201.10

 

C. बाधनालकà¥à¤·à¤£à¤‚ दà¥:खमà¥â€Œ । -

नà¥â€à¤¯à¤¾à¤¯à¤¦à¤°à¥à¤¶à¤¨

Meaning: Badhana (बाधना) means pain. That which has the form of pain

is unhappiness. - Nyayadarshan

 

D. 'अधरà¥à¤®à¤œà¤¨à¥â€à¤¯à¤‚ सचेतसां

पà¥à¤°à¤¤à¤¿à¤•à¥‚लमà¥â€Œ - भाषापरिचà¥â€à¤›à¥‡à¤¦'

means that which

arises from unrighteousness (adharma) and proves to be unfavourable

for living beings is itself unhappiness. - Bhashaparichcheda