Happiness

By M.P.BHATTATHIRY 

Everywhere in this universe, in one respect man's condition is the same. No
matter how vastly different he may be in the outer appearance of his life,
different countries, different races, different cultures, different
languages, different ways of living, eating, dressing, etc., he may be
completely different in all of these aspects, but there is one thing that is
the same to all human individuals. And it is this factor that binds them
into a global unity. If analyzed, it will be discovered that all humanity is
engaged ceaselessly, day after day, from the cradle to the grave, only in
trying to avoid painful experiences and in trying to attain that which gives
them happiness.

Yet, beloved seeker, let me ask you this one very important question. Since
the time of creation, is there one single individual who has been born onto
this earth who can stand up boldly and declare, "In my life I have never
experienced any sorrow or pain or suffering whatsoever. My whole life has
been a life full of joy, full of happiness, full of bliss". You will find
that there is not even one single individual on earth who has not had at
some time or another some type of pain or suffering or grief or sorrow.

This is a world of pain and sorrow. With a few minutes thoughtful reflection
you will see that this is so. Many painful experiences are brought about by
natural forces beyond our control-floods, earthquakes, tidal waves,
cyclones, fires, famines. Then there is suffering brought about by other
forms of life-germs, microbes, bacteria, viruses, insects, reptiles,
animals. But by far the greatest source of suffering is caused by man
himself. It is suffering that is self-created, that arises within our own
psychological self due to desire and attachment for worldly objects-love and
hate, anger and passion, fear, worry, tension, anxiety, jealousy, envy,
greed, frustration, disappointment, disillusionment, the sorrow of
separation, bereavement, and all other varieties of restlessness of mind due
to our multitude of desires.

Everyone thinks happiness is to be found in objects and experiences.
Everyone thinks, "If I could only attain certain objects, if I could only
possess them, if I could experience them, I will get happiness." In spite of
countless disappointments and disillusionments, man never learns.

There is not an iota of happiness in earthly objects. No object is perfect.
They do not have in them the power or ability to give you lasting happiness
or joy because they are finite and they are imperfect. Otherwise, they must
be able to give a homogeneous state of happiness to all beings at all times
under all conditions. But what do you actually see?

If you like milk and you take a glass full of sweetened milk flavoured with
spices, the first glass may give you satisfaction. And if you are pressed
upon to take another glass, the second glass may give satisfaction, but it
is not the same degree of happiness or pleasure as was the first glass. And
if your stomach is already full with two glasses of milk, if you try to take
a third glass of milk, it becomes unpleasant, it becomes undesirable. And if
it is forced upon you, a fourth glass of milk produces nausea and you will
have to throw it up. Where then is real happiness?

If milk had in it the power of giving happiness, it must be able to grant
you this happiness at all times, under all conditions. It cannot change its
nature. Such examples show that all experiences derived from the contact of
senses with their respective sense-objects ultimately are experiences that
end in disappointment.

Therefore, the great world teacher, Lord Krishna had this very important
insight to impart to us when he said: "O Arjuna, all these experiences
brought about by the contact of one or other of the five senses with their
respective sense objects, these experiences are ultimately the source of
sorrow. There is no real happiness in these sense contacts and sense
experiences. They are but mere momentary sensations afterwards giving you
pain."