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Ananda: Understanding the True

Nature of Happiness

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Ananda: Understanding the True Nature of

Happiness
Article of the Month - August 2015

We assume that our happiness is the result of an interaction with

external objects. But everybody knows that after being in contact with an
object for some time, the happiness terminates. Afterwards, one does
not even desire to come into contact with it for quite some time. If it is
true that happiness is the result of contact with objects, why should the
happiness terminate even while the contact with object is still there? Or
at the very least, why doesnt the desire to come into contact with the
object arise again soon after the termination of the happiness?
A non-believer may explain it like this: There is no question of
reconciliation here, because that is the nature of the process. The only
meaningful pursuit in life is to extend the duration of the pleasure by
some means. Efforts should be made only to that end.
This is not correct. Suppose that an individual is deprived of sleep and
food and pleasurable objects for a long time and then all of them are
simultaneously offered to him. It is known that the first thing he would
seek is sleep and then food and then the pleasure from outside objects.
Even when the pleasurable objects and food are in good supply and he is
deprived of the pleasure of sleep, he would give up everything and take
pills to get sleep. If there is an obstruction for sleep, he would rather
reject his wife or children or wealth. Therefore, it is clear that the
pleasure from outside objects, the pleasure from food and the pleasure
of sleep are in their increasing order. Therefore sleep, known in Sanskrit
as sushupti, is the greatest happiness.
Objection: How can there be happiness when there are no objects at
all?
Reply: Are you not getting happiness in dreams where there are no
objects at all?
Objection: The object of happiness in dreams is the vasana of objects.
Resolution: But you are happy in sushupti where there is not even a
vasana?
Question: In that case it means that there is no connection at all
between happiness and the objects. Then how is it that one gets

happiness while in contact with the object?

Answer: Actually, seeking the answer to this question is the most
significant pursuit in life. One will have to make deep introspection to get
the answer given by the Vedas to this question. One thing is certain
however; in the presence of objects there may or may not be happiness.
Therefore, it cannot be unambiguously stated whether or not the
happiness comes from the object. But the experience of happiness in
sushupti (deep sleep without dreams), where the objects are totally
absent is well known. This shows that happiness has no connection
whatsoever with external objects.
Without knowing this, the jiva in wakeful state hankers after pleasurable
objects according to his vasanas. When he comes into contact with the
desired object, he gets happiness because of his identification with it
(tadatmya). At the time of contact he is unaware of everything, even the
object. Indeed the transient happiness he experiences is a consequence
of the removal of the veil on his own ananda during that period. This
happiness was triggered by his past punya. The moment the punya that
triggered this happiness is exhausted, the happiness terminates. The veil
comes up again and the duality returns.
Therefore, the reason for happiness in sensual contact with an object is
not the object, but the removal of the veil on ones ananda swarupa
(essential nature). Nevertheless, it is called vishaya-sukha, or happiness
derived from external objects because because the process was triggered
by contact with the external object (Taittiriya Upanishad 2.5.4). In this
way, we realise that even sensual happiness is only a fragment of
Brahmananda and is not the result of contact with the object of
happiness.

The Nature of Dukha

In this background, we can now analyse the nature of dukha (grief). It
occurs when we are unable to attain a desired sensual pleasure or we are
deprived of some pleasure which we already possess. We have seen
above that material pleasure is the result of the temporary removal of
the veil over ones own swarupa. This implies that grief or dukha is the
result of the veil on our swarupa. Thus we realise a significant difference
between grief and material pleasure. In material pleasure, though the
notion that it is coming from a particular object is wrong, the pleasure is
only his swarupa. On the other hand, grief has no connection with the
swarupa at all.
This article is based almost entirely on the teachings of Pujya Swami
Paramanand Bharati Ji. However, any errors are entirely the author's own.

References & Further Reading:

Bharati, Swami Paramananda. Vedanta Prabodha - The Most

Exhaustive Book Ever Written on Shankaracharya's Advaita
Vedanta: Bangalore 2014.

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