We all wander in search of happiness all our lives, but nothing can be achieved during entire life. So the question arise where is the true happiness, because everywhere there is only illusion of happiness. It is very important to distinguish true happiness and virtual happiness because without it how can we understand what is to gain and what to give up? There are two characteristics of true happiness.
1) It should be painless – we know that all the material pleasures of the world are mixed with sorrow. Illusionary happiness comes with multiple pains and due to ignorance the soul suffers too much in anticipation of the happiness. The process of worldly happiness will continue only if there is sorrow. Such as the happiness of energy in youth i.e. domination of power produces many dementias and creates unwanted pains. In old age there is knowledge and experience but the body does not support. In fact, worldly happiness is a temporary solution to sorrow and how can temporary relief give real happiness? In short, the material world is a life of struggle. Even the auspicious results of the world or success are full of pain which constantly produces apathy and dementia.
2) It should not be any boredom after attainment – the happiness that has been attained, despite multiple enjoying, should not have boredom after achievement, the real happiness is that the person does not get tired of it. The happiness of the subjects of the senses is illusionary so that one seeks constant innovation, wants change as one gets bored of it quickly. All the pleasures of the senses fade away very quickly. Relationships in the society also deteriorate very quickly. That is why pleasure ends from it and desire occur for change.
Thus no happiness in the world is true happiness because it is neither painless nor boring free. Real happiness is always painless and not boring. These two characteristics are not found in worldly happiness so it is not true happiness. It is also true that we are not in a position to determine what is real happiness and what is illusionary happiness because since time immemorial the mental illusion has been applied to the soul that happiness is in the all material things, in the subjects of the senses, and also the intellect of worldly life is such that it does not allow us to retire from the desires of the victims. There is some illusionary understanding in the mind that how can it be possible to get happiness without enjoying or consuming materials? How is happiness possible without entertainment instruments? True happiness is attained only when all these illusions are shattered. But there are two main reasons responsible for our delusion that do not allow life to be free from such delusion 1) The great illusion of falsehood (ignorance) and 2) The general illusion related to infatuation. Unless one understands the self, that is, the power of the soul, falsehood or false vision will remains as obvious (false vision, that is, the perception of true to false and false to true) and creates many pains for a human. If the item is lost in the drawing room and searched for a lifetime in the bedroom, how can it be found? That’s the thing with we all. Such falsehood means ignorance is harmful to the soul which extends worldly life and worldly life is nothing but life of struggle. How can we get relief from suffering or conflict free life without leaving worldly life and desires? Is it possible to get light without leaving darkness? We all actually want light but not ready to leave darkness. This is called ignorance, which is the biggest delusion or mental illness which does not allow true happiness to be identified. And another common delusion is infatuation, that is, the area of me and my means attachment. Thus infatuation means confusion, destruction of understanding, absence of discernment. We know that all karma is bound by the result of fascination.
In short the root of worldly disease is the mind. Worldly ailments have applied to the mind. So many illusions have been created and the soul suffers. Person chases after happiness but how can he get it because it is illusionary. We are actually running after virtual happiness and when we do not get it feels pain again and again. In this way the worldly cycle of suffering goes on. The lovers of worldly beings are always ready to recreate their material if it reduce or disappear and remain crazy for material possessions. They are trying to revive the lust of the senses but are not willing to eradicate lust from the roots.
I remember a story here. A family lived in the desert. In it a child was born. He has not seen the outside world and unfortunately had lots of pains from birth such as illnesses, skin irritation and the nails are also worn out due to itching, even if it is to be itch, the nails hurt so that the child was in a searching of a tool to itch so his pain relieve and he can get pleasure. One day a man was passing by with a bundle of hay and grass on his head. Two or three of the sparks fell down, and the boy, who had just picked them up and itched with it, was amused so that the pursuit of such a tool which is useful for itching began to collect more. One day a Mahatma asked him why are you collecting all these, In reply the child stated his difficulty the Mahatma said this is not a solution of your problem. I will get rid of your itching disease forever, you just take my prescribed TRIFALA medicine, you will not need to itch and you will not even need to collect this itching tool, you will get complete relief from itching and get good health in seven days. But the boy had impression or illusion that itching problem can be solved by this grass stick only he was not able to understand why this man is giving him strange solution. And maybe even if the medicine cures the disease, what happens to the pleasure of itching? What to do with this life without itching fun? And that boy said I don’t want your medicine. You please tell me from where can get grass stick through which I can itch without nail pain.
We might think what a stupid boy he is but frankly speaking the situation of all of us is nothing more than this boy. We too are wasting our lives on such falsehoods and illusory virtual happiness. The intellect of worldly beings does not want to retire from the desires of the victims and then cries in pain all their lives. The TRIFALA medicine mentioned in the story is nothing but a medicine of knowledge, devotion and karma. By that it is possible to get rid of infatuation and falsehood. Breaking mental illusions like infatuation and falsehood eliminates the mental ailment of life, person understands the difference between true and virtual happiness. Moreover, if you want to become rich, you have to get rid of poverty, if you want to get true happiness, then you have to get the right knowledge and strive for the right direction, this is only the true form of salvation.
Shilpa shah, director in-charge HKBBA College