The Art of Being Happy

VAC
The Art of Being Happy

Ms. Soumya Sharma Prof. Sarita Nanda
Department of Commerce Department of Biochemistry
Daulat Ram College Daulat Ram College
Unit 2: Indological Theories of Happiness
+ Panch Kosh theory & Idea of Well-Being
+ Idea of Self & other
+ Hierarchy & Stages of Happiness
Compiled for personal use by Ms. Soumya Sharma, Prof. Sarita Nanda, Daulat Ram College 12/23/2022 2
Background on the Vedas
+ The Vedas are the oldest scriptures of Hinduism.
+ There are 4 vedas: Rig Veda Sama Veda
Yajura Veda Atharva Veda
+ The Vedic Literature comprises of 4 literary productions:

The Samhitas The Brahamans Granth
The Aranyakas The Upanishads
Happiness in the Vedantic tradition
+ The Vedas are the first available document of human
culture and thought.
+ A significant number of passages in the Upanishads deal
with the topic of happiness.
+ Two common terms that have been used to represent the
concept of happiness:
Ananda Sukha
Happiness, joy, enjoyment, pleasure, Pleasant, comfort, easiness, prosperity,
pure happiness; mainly refers to the pleasure, happiness etc.
ultimate happiness or bliss
Happiness in the Vedantic tradition
+ Both terms – Ananda and Sukha – are usually used
synonymously. However, they are different.
+ Sukha denotes the absence of Dukha (pain, sorrow,
suffering etc.).
+ Ananda is beyond sukha; it transcends both sukha and
dukha.
Taittiriya Upanishad – “Brahmanandavalli”
+ The chapter discusses the nature of happiness.
+ The innermost core of the being is Ananda – pure
existential/transcendental bliss, along with
Sat (Existence) and Cit (Consciousness).
+ Ananda is the core of the human personality around
which the individual exists and functions.
Taittiriya Upanishad – “Brahmanandavalli”
+ There are many sheaths or layers around this core that
impede the experience of Ananda. These sheaths, five in
number, constitute the Pancha Kosha.
Pancha Kosha
+ Concept originated from the Taittiriya Upanishad, a
Vedic era Sanskrit text, embedded within the Yajurveda.
+ Derived from Sanskrit terms – pancha meaning “five”
and kosha meaning “sheath”.
+ Concept in yogic philosophy that there are 5 levels of
awareness through which all experience is filtered.
+ At the centre of these 5 layers is atman, also known as
“true self” or “consciousness”.
Pancha Kosha
+ Knowledge and understanding of the atman would
invariably result in Jiwanmukti i.e. Moksha (Spiritual
Liberation). Spiritual liberation is a state of bliss wherein
there is complete negation of all sorrow.
+ A gradual process of moving inward through the five
sheaths and resolving imbalances is believed to reveal a
true understanding of the nature of the self (atman) as
one with universal consciousness (brahman).
3 types of Shariras
+ Pancha koshas are divided into 3 Shariras (or bodies):
Sthula Sharira Sukshma Sharira Karana Sharira

(the gross body) (the subtle (the causal
• Made up of physical body) body)
matter • Consists of • Consists of
• Consists of Manomaya Kosh and Anandmaya Kosh
Annamaya Kosh and Vijnanamaya Kosh.
Pranamaya Kosh
What are Koshas?
+ In Yogic philosophy, being human encompasses physical and
psychological aspects that function as one holistic system.
+ The Kosha system views these aspects as layers of subjective
experience.
+ These layers, therefore, include the physical body as well as
the more subtle levels of emotions, mind and spirit.
+ Pancha kosha, therefore, provides a model through which
physical, psychological and energetic imbalances can be
addressed.
The 5 Koshas
Annamaya Pranamaya Manomaya

Kosha Kosha Kosha
Vijnanamaya Anandamaya
Kosha Kosha
Annamaya Kosha - the food sheath
+ Refers to the physical body that needs food and
nourishment.
+ Believed to be the most vulnerable kosha because issues
with the physical body can manifest as imbalances in
other layers.
+ Asana practice, dietary changes and sleep quality all
impact this kosha.
Pranamaya Kosha – the sheath of energy
+ This kosha is responsible for animating the physical
body.
+ It is composed of prana (life force energy).
+ Greatly influenced by pranayama (breathwork).
Manomaya Kosha – the psychological sheath
+ Refers to the aspect of the mind which governs
perception of the world.
+ In this kosha, one’s sense of self develops, along with the
habits of thinking that influence behaviour.
+ Mindfulness is the most effective way of influencing this
kosha.
Vijnanamaya Kosha – the intellect sheath
+ This sheath is the seat of intuition, connected to inner
wisdom and deeper states of consciousness.
+ Responsible for inner growth and authenticity.
+ It is impacted by all aspects of yoga.
Anandamaya Kosha – the bliss sheath
+ This kosha is closest to atman.
+ Transcends the logical, thinking mind, providing an
experience of unity with universal consciousness.
+ Daily meditation helps connect practitioners with this
kosha.
Taittiriya Upanishad – “Bhrguvalli”
+ Using the imagery of a bird, the chapter introduces the
threefold concept of priya, moda and pramoda.
+ The priya is the head of the bird, moda denotes the left wing,
pramoda denotes the right wing, ananda is the soul and
brahman is its base.
+ When an object is seen or perceived with a sense of wanting,
it is termed as ‘priya’.
+ When the object is possessed, the happiness experienced is
termed as ‘moda’.
+ When the object is enjoyed or utilized, the happiness
experienced is termed as ‘pramoda’.
Taittiriya Upanishad – “Bhrguvalli”
+ The chapter also discusses the grades of happiness that
can be experienced by a person.
+ Human happiness or ‘manusa ananda’ is considered to
be the baseline and ‘brahmananda’ is perceived to be at
the top of the scale, with nine levels in between. Each
level marks a hundredfold increase of happiness than the
preceding level – as desire grows less and less, bliss also
rises higher and higher.
Brhadaranyaka Upanishad
+ This Upanishad emphasizes that only experiential
knowledge of Atman (True Self) and Brahman (The
Universal Self) can help a person attain Samadhi (or
Enlightenment).
+ The text also describes specific methods of meditation,
rituals, and rites.
+ It recommends 3 virtues that should be practiced all -
compassion, generosity, and self-restraint.
+ The first chapter contains Vedic theories regarding the
creation of the universe.
+ There was nothing before the Universe started. Prajapati
(another name for Lord Brahma) created the Universe from
nothingness, imbued it with prana shakti (life force) in the
form of cosmic inert matter and individual psychic energy.
+ It asserts that the world is more than just matter and energy
alone. It also consists of Atman or Brahman as well as
Knowledge.
+ It states that the Soul is imperishable and invisible and is
concealed pervading all reality.
+ The second chapter starts with the conversation between
Ajatashatru and Balaki Gargya in which they discuss the
theory of dreams.
+ It asserts that the human mind has the power to perceive
the world as it is. It can even fabricate the world in
whichever form it wants to perceive it.
+ The mind, therefore, is prone to flaws, and so man
struggles to realize the “true reality behind perceived
reality.
+ The second chapter also presents a dialog between a
husband and his wife, Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi.
+ Yajnavalkya asserts that it is the knowledge of the Self,
Soul, and the Brahman, which makes one immortal. He
clarifies that the Soul is the cause of immortality and
infinite bliss.
+ The third chapter presents the concepts of Graha and
Atigraha (sensory action and sense).
+ It lists down the following 8 forms of graha and atigraha:
Breath and Speech and Tongue and Eye and

Smell Name Taste Form
Ear and Skin and Mind and Arms and

Sound Touch Desire Work
+ The chapter states that one’s ideas, actions, and work
(karma) continue to affect the universe.
+ One needs to adopt childlike curiosity and simplicity.
+ One also needs to become silent, meditative, and
observant.
+ It is only due to the true knowledge of Self-Atman that
one can become free from all frustration and sorrow.
+ The fourth chapter states that the human soul manifests
in 6 forms:
Prajna Priyam (love and Satyam (reverence

(consciousness) the will to live) for truth, reality)
Ananta
(endlessness and Ananda (bliss and Stithi (calm
the curiosity for the contentment) perseverance)
eternal)
+ The chapter discusses the premises of “moksha” that is
freedom, liberation, and self-realization.
+ It declares that Knowledge is freedom, and it powers
inner peace.
Mandukya Upanishad
+ The self of the individual is described using two words
‘ānandamaya’ (filled with bliss) and
‘ānandabhuk’ (experiencer of bliss).
+ This work deals with the spiritual significance of the
sacred syllable OM as an expression of the self and
essential unity of all things. The work begins with the
lines, “OM stands for the supreme reality. It is a symbol
for what was, what is, and what shall be. OM represents
also what lies beyond past, present, and future”.
Mandukya Upanishad
+ The Mandukya also discusses the Four States of
Consciousness – Waking, Dreaming, Deep Sleep, and
Pure – noting that pure consciousness is the underlying
form of the other three. This consciousness may be
realized by directing one's focus inward to self-
improvement and spiritual exercises which clear the
mind of external distractions and illusion.
Chandogya Upanishad
+ In the conversation between Narada, a great scholar
himself and sage Sanat Kumara, Sanat Kumara says that
happiness lies in fullness or vastness and not in a sense
of limitedness.
+ The narratives further develop the concept of Atman-
Brahman, the importance of right action in accordance
with one's duty, and how the Atman-Brahman connection
works.
Kath Upanishad
+ This Upanishad, which in the form of a dialogue between Yama (Lord of
Death) and Nachiketa, one gains rich insights into the concept of
happiness.
+ In this story, young Nachiketa and his father argue and Nachiketa's father
angrily tells him to go to death. Obedient to his father's will, he does so
but there is no one home when he arrives in the underworld.
+ Nachiketa waits outside of the door of death for three days until Yama
returns, apologizes for keeping him waiting, and offers him three wishes to
make up for his poor hospitality. The boy asks to be able to return safely to
his father, to learn the fire sacrifice of immortality and, most importantly, to
know what happens after death.
Kath Upanishad
+ Yama agrees to the first but refuses the last, offering
Nachiketa anything else, but the boy refuses.
+ Yama's initial refusal turns out to be a test and he is pleased
that Nachiketa could not be tempted by worldly pleasures nor
distracted from the search for truth.
+ Yama then reveals to Nachiketa the secret of life: there is no
death because the soul is immortal and there is no self
because all is one. No one is ever alone, nothing is ever finally
lost, and everyone – eventually – will return home to God.
Bhagvad Gita
+ The text defines happiness as ‘something which the
individual rejoices having attained with effort and which
also marks the absence of unhappiness’.
+ It classifies three kinds of sukhas:
1. Satvika (Noble) Sukha - Happiness which appears
to be effortful but eventually tastes very pleasant.
Arises as a result of intelligent and creative efforts
with a right knowledge of oneself.
Bhagvad Gita
2. Rajasika (Dynamic) Sukha - Results from the
contact of sensory organs with something that
initially appears to be pleasant but is actually very
unpleasant. The experience leaves the person
with a sense of wanting.
3. Tamasika (Lethargic) Sukha - Happiness that is
delusionary in nature, from beginning to end.
May arise from sleep, laziness, ignorance, illusion
etc.
Panchadasi
+ According to this Vedantic text, happiness can be
broadly classified into 3 categories:
1. Visayananda
2. Kavyananda
3. Brahmananda
Visayananda
+ Refers to happiness experienced by an individual after
coming into contact with objects of desire.
+ It is pleasure associated with yearning, possessing,
consuming material objects.
+ Indic tradition does not negate the role or necessity of
material happiness, but it does highlight the limitations of
material happiness, thereby encouraging the individual to go
beyond immediate gratification and seek a deeper, more
lasting happiness.
+ Similar to hedonistic happiness defined in Western tradition.
Kavyananda
+ Refers to class of activities requiring talent, skill, courage,
grace, will etc.
+ This happiness is experienced wherein an external situation
requires an individual to rise above their comfort zone and
excel in a task, and their internal system rises to the occasion
successfully. Consequently, there is a sense of fulfillment,
accomplishment and enhanced self-worthiness.
+ Such a sense of happiness is enduring in nature.
+ Similar to eudaimonic happiness defined in Western tradition.
Brahmananda
+ Refers to the highest form of happiness or bliss that a person can
experience.
+ It transcends the limitations of compartmentalized individual existence.
+ It is the core aspect of human existence; it cannot be separated from
human identity.
+ It is subjective in nature and not dependent on any external object,
situation or person.
+ This form of happiness results from Self-Realization which is qualitatively
different from Self-Actualization.
+ Every individual is capable of experiencing such a state of happiness
through a conscious and systematic process of Self-Discovery as it is the
very nature of one’s being and it is intrinsic to all of us.
Characteristics of
Happiness
based on discussion on happiness in Indian tradition
1. Happiness is the primary motivator and guiding value of
human life.
+ The Upanishads and folk literature reiterate the same idea
that ‘all beings act with the motive of attaining happiness
and getting rid of unhappiness’.
+ Happiness is the greater good than an individual considers
in activities and engagements.
+ It is the highest value against which all other
accomplishments and experiences are evaluated.
+ It is the supreme goal which brings meaning to all
endeavours of life.
2. Lasting happiness is realizable.
+ The experience of happiness may be difficult, but it can be
realized effectively by everyone, and in a lasting manner
depending on the kind of happiness one wishes to attain.
+ Elaborate roadmaps have also been provided in several
texts to attain happiness.
(a) Wisdom/knowledge framework
(b) Individual as the agent of happiness
(c) Self-cultivation as the means
(d) Favourable conditions for experiencing happiness
(a) Wisdom/knowledge framework
❑ The framework serves as a useful manual to discover
different stages of happiness in one’s life.
❑ Every individual has to choose between two paths in life –
preyomarga (path of worldly life) and sreyomarga (path of
spiritual life). Both paths are different, but equally valid and
accepted.
❑ The goal of sreyomarga is apavarga (liberation or self-
realization), therefore it demands an active pursuit of tripti
(contentment).
❑ The goal of preyomarga is bhoga (worldly enjoyment or
gratification), and therefore, it sanctions an active pursuit of
kama (desires).
b) Individual as the agent of happiness
❑ The individual is solely responsible for their own
happiness.
❑ All others – situations, objects, persons – are merely
instrumental causes for that experience.
❑ The choice of being happy ultimately rests with the
individual.
❑ Indian tradition suggests that individuals can
systematically cultivate the capacity of exercising such a
mastery and freedom.
c) Self-cultivation as the means
❑ The entire world of yogic knowledge provides various
exercises for self-cultivation, leading towards self-mastery.
❑ Branches of yoga, such as Jnana Yoga (path of knowledge)
suggests ways of working on oneself from a cognitive point
of view; Karma Yoga (path of action) follows the conative
path; Raja Yoga (path of psychic control) adopts the psychic
way and Bhakti Yoga (path of devotion) offers techniques to
work on the emotion well-being of an individual.
❑ The much encouraged virtues such as charity, gratitude etc.
are also beneficial in realizing one’s happiness.
d) Favourable conditions for experiencing happiness
❑ Physical and psychological health;
❑ Good, worthy, positive engagements in life; and
❑ Absence of sorrow.
3. Happiness is subjective.
+ Happiness has to be sought from within.
+ External factor may or may not always be conducive to
evoke happiness within a person, it has to be experienced
from inside only.
+ Objects, situations and people who are normally
considered to be the sources of happiness are simply the
catalysts, and not the cause of happiness.
4. Happiness is a psychological state.
+ Happiness is a profound psychological state of satisfaction
and contentment and is irrespective of the external
circumstances.
+ It is also accompanied by positive feelings of joy, comfort,
hope etc.
+ Sense of contentment makes one capable of experiencing
many other positive emotions frequently.
+ Happiness is also linked to a state of internal harmony. This
harmony is to be achieved at all levels of the being (as
discussed in Pancha Kosha theory)
5. Happiness is the essential nature of the Self
+ Every individual represents blissful and conscious existence.
+ The innermost essence of one’s being (Self) is bliss or absolute
happiness – anandamaya – as explained in the Pancha Kosha
model.
+ Self-discovery or Self-realization necessarily culminates in the
realization/experience of happiness.
+ This is the highest kind of happiness one can experience, and
hence, it is termed as transcendental happiness.
+ Such happiness is pure as it is absolutely independent from the
presence or absence of every possible external object of
happiness.
6. Happiness is active interconnectedness with others.
+ Happiness is not just self-directed, it extends to others as
well.
+ Others are seen as an extension of self. As one deeply loves
oneself and others, being the extension of the same self,
there is a natural tendency to love and be loved.
+ While relating to others, others’ interests are to be taken
into consideration as they become important determinants
for one’s overall experience of happiness, unlike in
individualistic cultures of the West.
7. Happiness is freedom and completeness.
+ An individual is said to be free if they can exercise their freedom
to select and act without being limited by internal conditionings,
prejudices, conflicts and doubts etc.
+ A human being can outgrow their limitations and exercise full
control over situations.
+ One has to discover the freedom within and exercise it in the
given circumstance.
+ Freedom is one of the greatest joys one can experience.
+ Spiritual freedom, nurtured by non-materialistic societies, for one
to grow towards completeness and perfection also assumes
great significance.
8. Happiness is not absence of unhappiness.
+ Instead of being perceived as opposites of each other,
happiness and unhappiness are complimentary to each
other.
+ The purpose of the life experience is to enable a person to
grow and to evolve into a complete being. The experience
of sorrow and joy is seen as contributing to that end.
+ In the absence of unhappiness, one would not be able to
truly comprehend and appreciate happiness.
Thank you…

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VAC

Yajura Veda Atharva Veda

+ The Vedic Literature comprises of 4 literary productions:

The Aranyakas The Upanishads

Sthula Sharira Sukshma Sharira Karana Sharira

Annamaya Pranamaya Manomaya

Breath and Speech and Tongue and Eye and

Ear and Skin and Mind and Arms and

Prajna Priyam (love and Satyam (reverence

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