Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands

29 December 2018

Bliss

“Contented”


Bliss is desired by humans and also sought after by humans. Humans, no matter how affluent and contented they are in life, want and wish to be contented in every moment of their daily life. But they are not.

So the question is: what is bliss? Bliss is being contented in every moment of daily life, no matter how life is in any moment of the day. So the question is: how could humans be contented in every moment of their daily life? 

In daily life humans have beliefs and expectations. Beliefs and expectations are present in humans, not only when there are problems in life, but even when their life is comfortable.

A moment in life was present much before man was present in the moment. This signifies that man does not make a moment. What is within the moment also happens much before man makes it happen. This signifies that man does not make what is within the moment.

This further signifies that a moment renews itself as the next moment, because man does not make any moment. This also means that what is within the moment renews itself without man’s help. 

The wise understand, firstly, that a moment happens by itself and that what is within the moment cannot be other than what is within the moment. Secondly, they understand that what is within the moment is illusory and not actual.

The enlightened believe what is in front of them in any moment and do not believe that what is in front of them could be different from what is in front of them in their daily life.

The enlightened accept what is in front of them in any moment in life and do not expect what is in front of them to be different than what is in front of them in their daily life.

The dependence on conditions and techniques prevents humans from being in bliss, meaning contented without beliefs and expectations, in every moment of daily life.

The enlightened are in bliss every moment of daily life, meaning they are contented, no matter how life is in any moment. They are not dependent on any techniques or conditions to be in bliss.

Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2018

Editor’s Note:
The understanding gifted to us by the enlightened in these articles and elsewhere while we travel on our journey in life, as we are meant to, is simplicity itself. No one would deny the experience of bliss to themselves or to any other being. Ironically, yet unwittingly, man denies himself through his adamantine reliance on conditions and techniques. Thus, the means available to man for reaching what is present in every moment of daily life, albeit illusory, hinders access to it. The wise, realising man’s predicament, with generosity and compassion never cease to shine this light of consciousness. There is such gratitude. 
Julian Capper, UK.    

German Translator‘s Note: 
The purpose of spiritual and other techniques is to reassure people to attain bliss. Man wants to overcome his ego with all negative feelings like anger, rage, fear and sadness. The human longing for bliss, peace, love and freedom is temporarily fulfilled by spiritual techniques because they distract from negative everyday and essential thoughts and feelings for a certain time.
The clarity that is presented in this article that man is not the doer opens up unshakable peace, unconditional love and inner freedom in every moment regardless of external circumstances, that is, bliss. An important aspect of this understanding, as Dr. Shankar explains in the seventh paragraph, is that bliss does not take place in a dream world, but that what man has before his eyes is accepted and lived as an illusion by the enlightened ones. 
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany. 

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