by Smt. Mandira Lahiri
In this world, we all
wish to be happy. Everyone strives for happiness, peace and contentment. Now, how do we achieve these? Initially we think that amassing wealth will
give us happiness…. making friends…. acquiring prominence in the society….
husband…. children…. comfortable life…. good health etc., etc. But this feeling
of well-being is very short-lived, it vanishes after a while. So, what is that
which will give me long lasting happiness?
Few days ago, I came across a story which goes this way…. A teacher brought balloons to school and asked the children to blow them all up and then each write their name on the balloons. They tossed all the balloons into the hall while the teacher mixed them from one end to the other. The teacher then gave them five minutes to find the balloon with their name on it. The children ran around frantically, but as time ran out, nobody had found their own balloon. Then the teacher told them to take the balloon closest to them and give it to the person whose name was on it. In less than two minutes everyone had their own balloon. Finally, the teacher said, “Balloons are like happiness. No one will find it if they look for theirs only. Instead; if everyone cares about each other, they will find theirs quickly.”
Such a simple story, yet with a meaning that’s so deep. Happiness is not difficult to find. Most of us complicate our lives by our unending desires and thus loose sight of happiness. Our wants and greed make it inaccessible. So, happiness can not be attained through materialistic pursuits. It is a state of mind that can be attained at any time, provided we develop the right attitude towards all things in life.
Love is the basic nature in every human being. Before we existed, love already existed. Look at a child. It lives in self-acceptance, trust and love. There is no voice of doubt in him. A baby is surrounded by pure love¾ love of the mother, love of the family and love all around. It has no concept of past and future. The baby enjoys a life of inner love.
However, as the baby grows, it gradually detaches itself from that source. It moves from the timeless world to the world of hours and days and years, from the love of the inner world to the activity of the outer world¾ the astonishing new world draws its attention. From its state of innocence, it comes into a harsh world. As the baby grows, its original state of love and innocence is not lost forever. It remains hidden deep within, and in due course, is simply forgotten.
Our divine Master, Prajnanpurush Sri Sri Babathakur, in His book ‘The Science of Oneness’ has taken bliss to the supreme level. He explains, ‘Human life wants lasting peace and infinite bliss or joy or happiness, but he does not know how to get that. The joy he gets from objective enjoyment or in contact of objects through senses is not lasting or permanent. To make it permanent, he is striving everyday by his self-effort, but he is not successful. He then needs the help of a knowledge/power which is greater than his own. And that greater power or knowledge is none but Divine Himself, since Divine is the embodiment of all Power, all Knowledge, all Bliss, all Love and Peace Absolute. He is the essence of all. He is all Jnana, all Joy or Ananda and Shanti Himself.’
‘The Infinite is happiness and bliss, and in the finite, there is no happiness and bliss. Infinite is immortal and finite is mortal. Reality Itself is infinite, eternal, unchangeable and immortal, but the relativity is limited, transitory, changeable and mortal. If you consider yourself as man, then you are limited. But if you think that you are Pure Consciousness, which illumines both the gross and the subtle nature of the universe, then you are not limited and conditioned. For the realization of the same, you have to be aware of It. Only think of That at your convenience. Even at the working time you can think of It. When you have a problem or are in trouble, you just take some rest, relax yourself and think: No, I am Pure Consciousness which is the only substratum and background of all. See how the problems get solved by itself, leaving no trace of it at all. When mind itself is unreal, all its problems are unreal forever. As Self you are the Master of the Nature, not its slave.’
His golden and magical words make it sound so simple, but alas we human beings do not pay heed to it. We instead remain preoccupied in our mundane world and imaginary thoughts, which is the real cause of all our worries and sorrows.
Few days ago, I came across a story which goes this way…. A teacher brought balloons to school and asked the children to blow them all up and then each write their name on the balloons. They tossed all the balloons into the hall while the teacher mixed them from one end to the other. The teacher then gave them five minutes to find the balloon with their name on it. The children ran around frantically, but as time ran out, nobody had found their own balloon. Then the teacher told them to take the balloon closest to them and give it to the person whose name was on it. In less than two minutes everyone had their own balloon. Finally, the teacher said, “Balloons are like happiness. No one will find it if they look for theirs only. Instead; if everyone cares about each other, they will find theirs quickly.”
Such a simple story, yet with a meaning that’s so deep. Happiness is not difficult to find. Most of us complicate our lives by our unending desires and thus loose sight of happiness. Our wants and greed make it inaccessible. So, happiness can not be attained through materialistic pursuits. It is a state of mind that can be attained at any time, provided we develop the right attitude towards all things in life.
Love is the basic nature in every human being. Before we existed, love already existed. Look at a child. It lives in self-acceptance, trust and love. There is no voice of doubt in him. A baby is surrounded by pure love¾ love of the mother, love of the family and love all around. It has no concept of past and future. The baby enjoys a life of inner love.
However, as the baby grows, it gradually detaches itself from that source. It moves from the timeless world to the world of hours and days and years, from the love of the inner world to the activity of the outer world¾ the astonishing new world draws its attention. From its state of innocence, it comes into a harsh world. As the baby grows, its original state of love and innocence is not lost forever. It remains hidden deep within, and in due course, is simply forgotten.
Our divine Master, Prajnanpurush Sri Sri Babathakur, in His book ‘The Science of Oneness’ has taken bliss to the supreme level. He explains, ‘Human life wants lasting peace and infinite bliss or joy or happiness, but he does not know how to get that. The joy he gets from objective enjoyment or in contact of objects through senses is not lasting or permanent. To make it permanent, he is striving everyday by his self-effort, but he is not successful. He then needs the help of a knowledge/power which is greater than his own. And that greater power or knowledge is none but Divine Himself, since Divine is the embodiment of all Power, all Knowledge, all Bliss, all Love and Peace Absolute. He is the essence of all. He is all Jnana, all Joy or Ananda and Shanti Himself.’
‘The Infinite is happiness and bliss, and in the finite, there is no happiness and bliss. Infinite is immortal and finite is mortal. Reality Itself is infinite, eternal, unchangeable and immortal, but the relativity is limited, transitory, changeable and mortal. If you consider yourself as man, then you are limited. But if you think that you are Pure Consciousness, which illumines both the gross and the subtle nature of the universe, then you are not limited and conditioned. For the realization of the same, you have to be aware of It. Only think of That at your convenience. Even at the working time you can think of It. When you have a problem or are in trouble, you just take some rest, relax yourself and think: No, I am Pure Consciousness which is the only substratum and background of all. See how the problems get solved by itself, leaving no trace of it at all. When mind itself is unreal, all its problems are unreal forever. As Self you are the Master of the Nature, not its slave.’
His golden and magical words make it sound so simple, but alas we human beings do not pay heed to it. We instead remain preoccupied in our mundane world and imaginary thoughts, which is the real cause of all our worries and sorrows.
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