(adapted from the lecture of Swmi Paramarthananda)
All human beings without
exception seek as their primary goal, happiness.
“Sukam me Sarvadha
Bhooyaath (May I enjoy happiness all the time)” is
their constant wish and prayer. But they
have a problem. The problem is that they do not know what exactly gives
them lasting happiness. They assume that
certain things will give them lasting happiness but when they analyze their
experiences they find that it is not so.
When one turns to scriptures for guidance, one learns Vedas
divide happiness into three categories, based on the means by which the
happiness is acquired by a person. Those
three types of happiness, are kama ananda, dharma ananda and mokṣa
ananda. Let us see them one by one.
Kama ananda / Kamananda - The
word kama in this context means, all the sense objects in the world which are
capable of giving one sense pleasures when one contacts them through one’s
sense organs. So here, the word kama means,
not desire; but, the desired or desirable objects i.e. kamyate iti kamaḥ. And the sense objects can give us ananda through
sabda, sparsa, rupa, rasa, and gandha i.e. sound, touch, form,
taste and smell.. That happiness is called kamananda. In simple English,
all forms of sense pleasures will come under kamananda. This kamananda, sense pleasures, are
not entirely condemned by the Vedas; but, are advised in moderation. All
legitimate, dharmic, sensory enjoyments are accepted by Vedas. Vedas
even prescribes pujas to get those pleasures. There is a homa, called avahanti
homa that is mentioned in anuvaka 4. sikshavalli of Taittriya upanishad
which is performed for prosperity that brings clothes, cattle, food and drink
forever and also for good Brahmacharis as disciples. Kamananda is
the most popular ananda, all over the world. In fact, when one talks about happiness, the
world understands it only as kamananda!
Dharma ananda / Dharmananda - This ananda
and
moksha ananda are introduced by Vedas only. Dharmanandaḥ means
the happiness that a person can enjoy by following a dharmic way of life. And, dharmic life means, a life style
governed by dharma, a life style that is prescribed by Vedas. Dharma means, Vedic instructions or
Vedic teachings. Swami Paramarthananda presents the vaidika dharma in 3
categories; sadbhavana, sadguṇa, satkarmaṇi i.e. healthy
attitudes, healthy values and noble actions or activities. These three
put-together is called dharma. All the three limbs are equally important
and complimentary.
Sadbhavana - Healthy
attitudes. While talking about healthy attitudes Vedas repeatedly mention, that
we should have a healthy attitude towards the very world in which we are living
i.e. appreciate the universe; admire the universe; revere the universe. The
entire universe should be seen as Visvarupa Iswara. And Visvarupa bhakti is a part
of dharmic life. And therefore,
our attitude towards the universe must be one of love and reverence. So, the
first component of dharma is a healthy attitude of reverence to the entire
universe of things and beings, as an expression of Iswara, as a
manifestation of Iswara, and as a gift from Iswara.
Sadguṇa -
Healthy values. We can see that all the
healthy values are derived from one fundamental principle, ahimsa. All the living beings, including human
beings, have got two instinctive desires. Being instinctive, they are
universal.. They are: 1) Sukam me Sarvadha Bhooyaath i.e. Let me be
happy,always; 2) Dhukkam Maa Bhooth Kadhachana i.e. I should never have
sorrow. And therefore Vedas say, dharmic
life is a life which is led by taking into account these two universal desires.
So, when one’s life is based on these two basic desires of every living being,
and does not violate or contradict that,
one’s life is in harmony with the universal craving i.e.Sukha bhava and Duḥkha
abhava i.e. prescence of happiness and absence of unhappiness. Vedas say; since nobody wants unhappiness,
let your aim be not to give duḥkhaṃ or pain to others; even by thoughts
or words or deeds never give sorrow. In
this context Swamii Dayananda
Saraswati’s words are relevant. Swamiji
says, 'all other values are nothing but an extension or derivative of ahimsa
only' . When it is said, "satyaṃ vada", what is the message?
By telling lies, by giving wrong information, one is hurting others; therefore,
'don’t tell lies'. So "satyaṃ
vada" means, ahimsa. In
the same way 'Don’t cheat others' means, ahiṃsa. Thus, all values are
based on one fundamental seed value, which is ahimsa. Therefore dharma
consists of ahimsa as the fundamental value.
Satkarmani
– Noble actions.
Noble actions are that which fulfills the basic desires of all living
beings. Nobody wants sorrow. Therefore, what one does to alleviate or remove the
pain of others is a noble karma. Even though one cannot
spend money, a few nice words or whatever help one can give to alleviate the
pain of others, duhkha abhavarthaṃ, will do Everybody wants happiness. So whatever help
one can do to give or improve the comfort and joy of others comes under noble karma. So whatever one does
for para duhkha nivrtti or para sukha prapti, directly or
indirectly, they are all satkarmani.
Thus, dharma consist of
three principles: sadbhavana = visvarupa bhakti; satguṇaḥ = ahiṃsa; satkarmani
= para upakara. If these three one
follows to the extent possible, that life is called a dharmic way of
life. Vedas say, this dhārmic way of life itself will give immense joy;
a joy derived by giving joy ! Because, in paropakara, one gives joy and through
giving joy increases one’s joy. A
win-win situation in which both benefit.
This ananda is called dharmananda. And Vedas say, dharmananda is
quantitatively and qualitatively much superior to kamananda. Materialistic society promotes kamananda and
Vedic society promotes dharmananda.
Moksha ananda/
Mokshananda. - Just as In kamananda, kama
is the means of ananda; in dharmananda, dharma is the
means of ananda; in mokṣhananda, mokṣha is the means of ananda. Mokṣha means, liberation or freedom or
release. This liberation is from
self-ignorance and self-misconception that makes one think that one is a
limited mortal, which gives rise to the thought that, to be happy one has to
get happiness from the external world. Moksha
is attained through knowledge of one’s Self, Athma Jnanam. With Athma
Jnanam one realizes one’s identity with Brahman, which is described as
Sat,Chit Ananda, pure existence, pure knowledge and pure happiness. The
ignorance and misconception about one’s Self makes one believe that for one’s
happiness one has to depend on the external sources Really speaking the external things are not
giving one happiness; they are only bringing out the happiness which is already
in one, as Athma. So, Vedas say
those happiness-giving-objects are nothing but a mirror to reveal one’s own
happiness. They are only reflecting one’s inner happiness! With mokshananda all the struggle for ananda
will cease. Lord Krishna speaks of such
a person who has attained mokshananda thus:
Yastwaatmaratir eva syaad aatmatriptashcha
maanavah;
Aatmanyeva cha santushtas
tasya kaaryam na vidyate (Gita 3-17)
For that man who rejoices
only in the Self, who is satisfied in the Self, who is content in the Self
alone, verily there is nothing to do.
That is Liberation; freedom
from struggles to get happiness. So we
can take Vedic formula for happiness as “Enjoy kamananda but always with
dharmananda, keeping mokshananda as the goal”
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Super!!!
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