Weekly definition - 'Ananda' or 'happiness'

April 15, 2007

'Ananda' is happiness, the happiness that's sought in all feelings

and desires.

That happiness is not a passing state of mind. It is not a 'happy'

state of satisfied desire, alternating with 'unhappy' states where

desires fail to be achieved. When we speak of 'happiness', the

suffix '-ness' implies a common principle. That principle is common

to both happy and unhappy states. Happiness is just that principle

of value which both happy and unhappy feelings show.

When someone feels happy, this feeling is positive. It feels at one

with 'hap', with what has *hap*pened to take place. By contrast,

when someone feels unhappy, this feeling is negative. It feels

itself at odds with 'hap', with what is seen to have *hap*pened

here. In either case, a common principle of happiness is shown.

In feelings that are happy, the principle of happiness is positively

shown, by a positive acceptance of one-ness with what happens. In

feelings that are unhappy, exactly the same principle is negatively

shown, by a negative avoidance of disruptive differences between

what feels and what is felt to happen.

That principle of happiness is not just personal. It is not merely

'nanda', the personal enjoyment that so differs from person to

person, as we pursue our many different objects of desire. It's more

specifically described as 'Ananda', with the prefix 'A-' implying a

return back to an underlying depth. By Ananda is meant an experience

of enjoyment that is shared in common, beneath all differences of

personality and world.

In coming back to that depth of enjoyment, all personal pleasures

must be left behind, in search of a truer happiness. All desire for

partial objects must be given up to a truer love, for something that

is more complete. All falsely independent ego must be surrendered,

in devotion to a self that is truly free. This approach is called

the 'bhakti mArga' or the 'way of devotion'.

One use of the bhakti mArga is concerned with religious worship.

Here, truth is approached through devotion to a worshipped God,

whose form is conceived by telling stories and performing rituals. A

form of God is thus imagined and worshipped, through stories and

rituals that appeal to the liking and desires of a personal

worshipper. Such an appealing form of God is called an

'iShTa-mUrti', which means an 'embodiment of liking and desire'.

In this kind of worship, God is approached through personal desire,

although the final aim is to surrender all desires to an ultimate

value that is represented by God's form. Through personal attentions

of worship, a devotee's love is meant to grow towards a final

fulfilment, in which everything is seen as an expression of the

ultimate. In that fulfilment, no matter what is done, nor where

attention is directed, the devotee sees always the pervading

goodness and truth that has been shown by the worshipped form.

In the Hindu tradition, there is a great variety of different

religious sects. They each have their stories and rituals, their

beliefs and practices, their written and chanted texts, their

world-views and schools of thought, their institutions and their

teachers. Through this variety of sects, the tradition has kept

growing, in the course of its long history. That's how it has come

down to us, in both classic and vernacular languages.

But, underneath the sectarian variety, there is a further use of

devotion that is shared in common. This use is individual. It occurs

in the relationship of teacher and disciple. For a disciple, the

teacher stands for truth that has been taught. So love for truth

gets naturally expressed in a spiritual devotion towards the

teacher. But this is a very delicate matter of sensibility, where an

impersonal truth is seen expressed in the person of a teacher.

Such a devotion must arise unforced and unpretended, of its own

accord. It must be felt from an impersonal depth of being, from far

beneath all words and thoughts and all their spoken or conceived

intentions. All teaching works by leading back to that unspoken

depth, through clearer knowing and uncompromised devotion.

The 'Ananda' aspect is described in the Taittiriya Upanishad 2.7, as

appended below (with a rather free translation).

Ananda

yad vai tat sukR^itam raso vai saH

[it is just this essential savour

that is quite spontaneous and natural.]

rasaM hy evAyaM labdhvAnandI bhavati

[it's only when one reaches this true savour

that one comes to happiness.]

ko hy evAnyAt kaH prANyAt

yad eSha AkAsha Anando no syAt]

[For what could be alive at all,

what could move with energy,

if there were not this happiness --

here at the background

of all space and time,

pervading the entire world?]

April 15, 2007

May i please be allowed to add the following from a dialogue between

Sri Ramana Bhagwan and his disciple?

Disciple : In what sense is happiness or bliss (ananda) our real

nature?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Perfect bliss is Brahman. Perfect peace is the

Self. That alone exists and is consciousness. That which is called

happiness is only the nature of Self; Self is not other than perfect

happiness. That which is called happiness alone exists. Knowing that

fact and abiding in the state of Self, enjoy bliss eternally.

If a man thinks that his happiness is due to external cause 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 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 realise the Self in

order to open the store of unalloyed happiness.

May i in this context quote a verse from Srimad Bhagawat Gita ?

Chapter 14. The Yoga of the Supreme Person

brahmano hi pratisthaham

amrtasyavyayasya ca

sasvatasya ca dharmasya

sukhasyaikantikasya ca verse 27

Srila Prabhupada's Translation (literal)

And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is the

constitutional position of ultimate happiness, and which is

immortal, imperishable and eternal.

Swami Chinmayananda explains this 'bliss' aspect of Brahman

beautifully thus

" FOR, I AM THE ABODE OF BRAHMAN --- The Self that vitalises the

seeker's bosom is the Pure Consciousness, that is the same

everywhere, " IMMORTAL and IMMUTABLE, ETERNAL and BLISSFUL. " To

realise the Self within, is

to realise the Infinite Self. To taste a piece of cake is to taste

all cakes of all times and for all times, because the KNOWLEDGE OF

the taste of cake is ever the same. In the realm of experience, if a

meditator apprehends the Self in him, he at once experiences the

Omnipresence of the Self. As long as a pot exists, the pot-space is

seen distinct from the space around. Once the pot is broken, the pot-

space itself becomes the unbounded space in the Universe; similarly,

when life's false identifications with the body, mind and intellect

are broken down --- in short, when the ego is dead, the Awareness of

the Infinitude rises up to flood the bosom with THE ETERNAL DHARMA

AND THE UNFAILING BLISS.

Shri Shankara, in his extremely rational and analytical commentary,

gives for this stanza three alternative interpretations, each one

not contrary to the others, but each one elucidating more and more

the philosophical contents of this verse. Shankara says " BRAHMAN IS

PARAMATMAN, IMMORTAL AND INDESTRUCTIBLE. HE ABIDES IN ME WHO AM THE

SELF (PRATYAG-ATMAN). THAT BEING THE SELF, ONE RECOGNISES, BY RIGHT

KNOWLEDGE, THE IDENTITY OF THE SELF IN ONESELF AND THE SELF

EVERYWHERE. "

Shankara gives an alternative meaning to the verse: " IT IS THROUGH

THE POWER (MAYA) INHERENT IN BRAHMAN, AS ISHWARA, THAT HE SHOWS

GRACE TO HIS DEVOTEES. I AM THAT POWER IN MANIFESTATION, AND

THEREFORE, BRAHMAN AM I. "

Again, as another alternative interpretation, he suggests a third

meaning which, as we said earlier, is not contrary to the former two

suggestions, but, in fact, paints in greater detail, the beauty of

the stanza and its contents. " BY BRAHMAN IS MEANT HERE

THE 'CONDITIONED-BRAHMAN'; WHO ALONE CAN BE SPOKEN OF BY SUCH WORD

AS 'BRAHMAN'... CONDITIONED-BRAHMAN ALONE CAN BE CONCEIVED OF IN THE

FINITE INTELLECT, PERCEIVED BY THE MIND AND EXPRESSED THROUGH

LANGUAGE AS A CONTRAST TO MATTER. Here the term Brahman only means

Spirit as opposed in nature to inert Matter. Thus, Matter and

Spirit, both factors conceived by the limited intellect, are limited

and so finite objects of knowledge. But both are known by the

Consciousness, the Supreme. Therefore " I, THE UNCONDITIONED AND THE

UNUTTERABLE, AM THE ABODE OF THE CONDITIONED-BRAHMAN, WHO IS

IMMORTAL AND INDESTRUCTIBLE. "

The Illuminator is always different from the illumined.

The " subject " is the knower, and the " object " is the known. Krishna,

the Infinite, represents the Eternal Subject, and therefore, He is

the Abode of all " objects, " including the concept of the Self which

is the Spirit that vitalises and gives a similitude of sentiency and

appearance of activity to all the Matter-envelopments. The

conditioned Brahman (sa-upadhika) rests upon the Consciousness that

is aware of it, which is the Unconditioned (nir-upadhika) Brahman. "

Since Krishna is the reservoir of all pleasure , he is called

Rasaraja !

Sri Anandaji gave his interpretation of this verse from Taittriya

upanishad , here is how a Rasika premi ( devotee of Nanda lala)

interprets this famous quote

raso vai saH rasaM hyevAyaM labdvA ''nandI bhavati "

Taittiriya Upanishad 2.7.2

" The Supreme GOD HIMSELF IS BLISS.

IT IS ONLY BY REALIZING HIM THAT

THE INDIVIDUAL CAN BECOME BLISSFUL. "

Nanda means Joy - source of Joy is Nandalala!

It is bhakti ( devotion) one reaches the state of Unalloyed Bliss -

this is called 'ecstasy' or Unmatta bhava!

" sarvasya dhataram acintya-rupam

aditya-varnam tamasah parastat "

OM SAT-CHIT-ANANDA SWARUPAYA NAMO NAMAHA!

April 16, 2007

Ananda Wood <awood wrote: 'Ananda' is

happiness, the happiness that's sought in all feelings

and desires.

Dear Sir,

Happiness has been equated with ecstacy by the late teacher

J.Krishnamurthy, ecstasy meaning to be outside oneself. Hence, true happiness is

not one of memory and time, recalling something. It is not an experience. In

true happiness there cannot be awareness of oneself, as an individual entity

enjoying something, the very awareness of which is the creation of time. One

cannot search for happiness because that would involve motivation, motivation

dictating happiness. All one can do is to be aware of oneself, the what is, not

for looking for anything outside of that which is

It is worthwhile considering the following words of J.Krishnamurthy regarding

what is true happiness and meditation. J.K says, " Happiness and pleasure you

can buy in any market at a price. But bliss you cannot buy for yourself or for

another. Happiness and pleasure are time-binding. Only in total freedom does

bliss exist. Pleasure, like happiness, you can seek, and find, in many ways. But

they come, and go. Bliss that strange sense of joy has no motive. You cannot

possibly seek it. Once it is there, depending on the quality of your mind, it

remains timeless, causeless, and a thing that is not measurable by time.

Meditation is not the pursuit of pleasure and the search for happiness.

Meditation, on the contrary, is a state of mind in which there is no concept or

formula, and therefore total freedom. It is only to such a mind that this bliss

comes unsought and uninvited. Once it is there, though you may live in the world

with all its noise, pleasure and brutality, they will

not touch that mind. Once it is there, conflict has ceased. But the ending of

conflict is not necessarily the total freedom. Meditation is a movement of the

mind in this freedom. In this explosion of bliss the eyes are made innocent, and

love is then benediction. "

Ahhh...imagining that irresistible " new car " smell?

Check outnew cars at Autos.

April 16, 2007

Sankararamanji , if you read Anandaji's post line by line, his

definition will be clearer and pretty much what he says is quite in

accordance with J.K. Says specially the last few lines.

" It's only when one reaches this true savour

that one comes to happiness.

.......

For what could be alive at all,

what could move with energy,

if there were not this happiness --

here at the background

of all space and time,

pervading the entire world? "

Like J.K. Anandaji is also talking about the 'eternal' Bliss

TRANSCENDING SPACE , TIME ETC. ( I THINK)

SANKARARAMANJI , I LIKED READING YOUR POST . IT BROUGHT JOY TO MY

HEART !

may i please share this verse from the Srimad Bhagwat Gita

Brahmabhuta Prasanna atma na sochati na kankshati:

Sama Sarbesu bhutesu mad bhakti lavate param. (18:54)

Becoming BRAHMAN, serene in the Self, he neither grieves nor

desires; the same to all beings, he obtains a supreme devotion

towards Me.

Those who want a further explanation, pl go the files section and

read Swami chinmayananda's explanation !

now , read this verse !

Jam hi na byathaeneta purusham Purusarsava

Samadukham sukham dheera sa amritatataya Kalpate. (2:15)

That firm man whom, surely, these afflict not, O chief among men,

to whom pleasure and pain are the same, is fit for realising the

Immortality of the Self.

Sankararamanji, Bliss is not something external !

As per Katha upanishad :

" The man who has learned that the Self is separate from the body,

the senses, and the mind, and has fully known him, the soul of

truth, the subtle principle–such a man verily attains to him, and is

exceeding glad, because he has found the source and dwelling place

of all felicity. Truly do I believe, O Nachiketa, that for thee the

gates of joy stand open. "

Let the floodgates of Joy open!

Om Shanti ! Om Shanti! Om Shantihi!

April 17, 2007

dhyanasaraswati <dhyanasaraswati wrote:

......

Sankararamanji, Bliss is not something external !

As per Katha upanishad :

" The man who has learned that the Self is separate from the body,

the senses, and the mind, and has fully known him, the soul of

truth, the subtle principle–such a man verily attains to him, and is

exceeding glad, because he has found the source and dwelling place

of all felicity. Truly do I believe, O Nachiketa, that for thee the

gates of joy stand open. "

Madam,

True! Bliss is not external, external in the sense of being a phenomenal

category-an object. But it is outside of oneself, which is called ecstasy by

J.K. The term enstasy is being used by those who have gone deep in the yoga.

Enstasy is non-deliberaive, non-reflective, not admitting of any objective

prop-alambana.

with regards

Sankarraman

Ahhh...imagining that irresistible " new car " smell?

Check outnew cars at Autos.

April 17, 2007

hare krishna

namaskaram.

much has already been written about ananda which i wanted to write also.hence it

will be a repition if i do the same.still i write that comes to my mind now .yes

ananda is that which cannot be purchased and comes by itself at any time.in

taitareeya upanishad it is well defined under pancha kosa viveka .it is the

atma that is otherwise called atmananda the brahman.

but we do come across such ecstasys when you come across perfecion in arts

,music, sex, sports and in a child.when you see a baby of a year old smiling

at you and communicates in its own way un invited it gives you that bliss. in

temples like thennankur vittala temple and other less known temples un pollted

by the crowd you get that experience.when i took bath in thungabdra at

mantralayam for three hours it was inexplainable ecstasy i went through.it is

something unalloyed unexpected and when god's grace is on you.i have shed tears

while listening to songs by badrachala ramdas ,thulasidas, thyagaraja

irrespective of the singer- in that sate of bakthi you forget the world. blessed

am i that i could write a few of them with krishna directing me to do so for at

that time the experience is beyond words and i could never write one line on my

own when i attempted to otherwise. it is krishna krishna all the way till he

wishes to end that is what i know of ananda..

baskaran.

Ganesan Sankarraman <shnkaran wrote:

Ananda Wood <awood wrote: 'Ananda'

is happiness, the happiness that's sought in all feelings