Golden words of Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba - 37.

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37. Happiness

 

Every man aspires for happiness and wants to avoid sorrow. But in this world,

truth and untruth, righteousness and unrighteousness, joy and sorrow pass and

change with time. Man should have faith in the ultimate principle out of which

both good and evil arise. True man is the one who treats pain and pleasure

equally. You should trust the Divine and experience His love in your hearts. In

this world, the gain from sorrow is more than that out of happiness. The saints

and sages of yore, who have become immortal in history, aspired for hardships

rather than happiness. The joy that arises out of overcoming hardships is more

lasting than that gained from happiness. Hence, we should not be averse to

sorrow nor should we look for happiness alone.

 

Realize that human happiness is not to be found in sensory objects or

experiences. Whatever pleasure is derived from these is transient and momentary.

Real and enduring bliss is to be derived from within oneself. The senses should

be regarded as instruments for rendering service to others. The foolish idea

that happiness lies only in indulging in sensual pleasures, should be given up.

Only animals are content to derive satisfaction from the senses alone. Hence,

every man should firmly declare, " I am a man and not an animal. " Only when he

has this firm conviction will man shed his animal nature and assert his

humanness. Therefore, it is only when the senses are brought under control that

the nature of Divinity can be comprehended.