FEELING OF HAPPINESS

“Happiness” as generally used is as omnibus word. Happiness was felt by different individuals under different sets of circumstances. In one case it is simply the prospect of future felicity. In another, it is used to express mere sensual pleasure or mental satisfaction. In a third, it indicates the relief felt when a danger recedes. Since an appreciation of the true nature of happiness is an essential step in resolving at least some of the endless conflicts of worldly existence, it would not be a mere intellectual exercise if we devoted a little of our time to the examination of its characteristics.

THE PATH OF KNOWLEDGE

The path of knowledge, is for the thinker, the contemplative. The path of knowledge is no doubt superior to any other paths, because knowledge is not mere intellectual conviction. It is realization. He who ‘knows’ becomes. He has realized the futility of worldly knowledge and worldly life and bends his will and energy to the Godward ascent through enquiry and discrimination-discrimination between the real and unreal, between the permanent and the transitory. By analysis and reasoning, with the help of the scriptures, he arrives at the unshakable conviction that God alone is real and all else unreal, and also the individual soul is nothing but a part of that Oversoul.

CHILDREN HAVE TO BE DISCIPLINED

We are living in a world of psychology. Nowadays anything passes for psychology. New words and phrases like repression, fixation and self-expression are bandied about by all and sundry. It is but common sense that we cannot allow our kids, not even ourselves, to indulge all our fancies. Children have to be disciplined, but it need not be a fierce or thoughtless process. All of us cannot hope to see our children blossoming into Nightingales or Lincolns. Still we must see that they take their place as enlightened, happy and relaxed themselves, useful to others, their society, their country and thereby their world. If we can achieve this, it will be no small achievement. That will be our individual contribution to the welfare of the world.

BEST PRAYER

The best prayers are like the improvisations of gifted lovers, always about the same thing yet never twice the same. Prayer is a binding necessity in the lives of men and nations. Prayer, the basic exercise of the spirit, must be actively practiced in our private lives. Prayer is the effort of man to reach God, to commune with an invisible being, creator of all things, supreme wisdom, truth, beauty and strength, father and redeemer of each man. This goal of prayer always remains hidden to intelligence. It is meaningless to pray in the morning and to live a barbarian the remainder of the day. True prayer is a way of life, the truest life is literally a way of prayer.

DEALING WITH CRITICISM AND SLANDER

There is no better method of dealing with criticism and slander than which is enjoyed in our scriptures: be equally indifferent to praise as well as blame- but only on one condition: you have taken all possible care and pains to see that your actions are based on pure foundations. Where the criticism is justified, it should be welcomed and in its light we should correct ourselves. That is the positive aspect of genuine, helpful criticism. Many people are extremely touchy about criticism and sensitivity to the opinion of others. The normal person comes nearer to taking criticism for granted and regarding appreciation as a bonus.

FALLACY OF PLEASURE

Pleasure is only a passing sensation which cannot survive separation of contact between the respective sense and its object of agreeability. To seek happiness in pleasure is to give external objects, over which we have little or no control, and which are equally ephemeral and unreal like the human body, the power to disturb your peace. Pleasure is neither good nor useful. For being pleasure, first realize the purpose of life. The nature of happiness is should rightly be our motive for living and comes to the mind which transcends all ideas of dualities like pain and pleasure, heat and cold, joy and sorrow.

THE REAL HAPPINESS

We can progress through life only by means of sacrifice. We have to give up infancy and childhood to grow up into adolescence and youth. Even for material security, we have to sacrifice the pleasure of spending today everything we earn, to put away something for a rainy day. If we want to taste the more refined enjoyment of noble thoughts and nobler life, we have to stop indulging in superficial activities which are more transient and transitory. Real happiness is vouchsafed only for that brave aspirant who sets at nought the comforts and consolations of the temporal life of worldly people for the greater delights that await him in the kingdom of God.