Blog Series: Happiness, 01

 

Vaidic Promise:

 

Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss) is our original state of being. However, our experience is just the opposite. We are anxious, stressed, and always in a hurry. We are angry and frustrated, regret our decisions, and feel miserable when things do not turn out as expected. We are in pain when our ankle gets hurt, or we come home from work with severe migraine. Why are these states more common than our original state of peacefulness and bliss? Here are some common situations we encounter:

Some Common Situations:

1. My printer is not working. The wireless connection has dropped, and we are out of paper — Frustration!
2. A driver cut me off when I was already late for my work — the road rage ensued, and I lost my control– Anger and Regret.
3. My son lost his job recently and has gone into depression. His family worries about rent payments and fears that the landlord may evict them — Anxiety and Fear.
4. This morning, I fell in the bathroom and hurt my ankle. I have an excruciating pain, and it won’t go away with painkillers — Physical Pain.
5. My clients are delaying payments, and I do not have much cash reserve. I am worried about making the next payroll — Humiliation and Guilt.

The Upanishads (Hindu Scripture) and enlightened souls tell us that this world is an illusion. It does not exist but is merely a dream drama, a movie on the screen where we are the characters, and the storyline is nothing but a projection of the mind. Yet we just acknowledged that we all have situations like those described earlier where these events disrupt our happiness. Somedays, we are happy, and other days, we are stressed out, while some days are a mixture of laughter and miseries, and life moves on until we die. So, what is the solution, and how can we avoid disruption in our natural and original state of happiness?

According to Sri Ashish, the ultimate solution to such problems is knowing who you truly are. The fundamental truth according to non-dualism is that we are not the body or the mind that we often associate or identify ourselves with. It is easy to understand this through simple logic. If you were the same as your body, you would not be using the expression “this is my body,” which implies that you and your body are separate. When you say, “This is my pen,” you refer to an object different from you. Take the time to apply this logic to various situations where the notion of “I” is in the expression and see if you can find the “I” or you can equate it to either the body, mind, or thoughts.

 

Will Self-inquiry Help Solve My Problems?

• Close your eyes and shut out the physical world. You focus your attention inward and ask the question of who it is who is experiencing this pain, anxiety, fear, or calmness. The answer will be that “I” am experiencing these emotions. However, when you dig deeper to find this “I”, it appears to not be there despite your genuine attempts. You would have reached a significant milestone when you are fully convinced that the body, mind, and you are separate entities — the first two objects to be seen or felt, and the third one is the subject or perceiver without any name or form. Furthermore, only the third entity is permanent and real, and the first two are temporary and change or disappear with time. With this self-revelation, you will realize that you are just an awareness or consciousness and separate from anything perceived or experienced by the mind. Yet, they all appear in your consciousness and are undoubtedly distinct from the consciousness. Through this process of self-inquiry, you will learn to abide in the Self and be least bothered by fleeting events and emotions such as anger, pain, and fear. Self-inquiry will lead you to deidentify yourself with externalities, objects, and creations of the mind, like stress, and pain. You will be closer to who you truly are and closer to your original state of peacefulness and happiness.
• Over time, you will naturally identify yourself with the awareness you truly are and remain unattached from the anxiety, fear, and pain that you are perceiving. Note this knowledge and realization will not diminish the frequency of good and bad events and vicissitudes of life. Furthermore, you will continue to do what you do: work hard, set goals, make plans, go to the gym, watch movies, and solve the problems you’re currently facing. The difference will be your inner peace and happiness will not be affected by any of these — good or bad! Your reaction to these events will be very different once you realize who you truly are.
• Two Self-realized masters, Ramana Maharshi and Ramakrishna Paramhansa, had cancer. Yet, they both sought medical attention and followed their doctors’ advice as you and I would. Their bodies also got old and frail. They also perceived real physical pain and suffering because of their disease. Yet, they knew who they truly were — the consciousness itself, which is the original state of being with no name and form and bliss as its true nature.
• In summary, good and bad times will continue to come in your life. With Self-inquiry and knowledge of who you truly are, your reactions to them would be not of pain, anxiety, and fear but of non-attachment and equanimity. You still need to solve those problems as they come. But you will always abide in the Self and not identify with what you do or experience.