Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD. Published on www.acadun.com The Netherlands 30th September 2013
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What is happiness?
Every human being on earth longs for happiness, because man knows that he is not always happy. Man believes that happiness is to be happy always and, therefore, wishes to be happy always in life. In every generation man strives to find a clue to happiness. He tries every avenue available to him to be happy always, but nevertheless fails to find happiness. Man’s search for happiness eludes him in every generation.
A new-born child, however, does not long for happiness, and to everybody it is evident that the child is in ‘happiness’. To the new-born child light and sound are inherently appealing and satisfying, and apparently this is happiness to it. This has to be the case, as the new-born child does not know the meaning of any word. Everyone is attracted to a new-born child, as it apparently has that which man obviously has not, which is happiness. Later, however, the same child longs for happiness as the mind begins to function to know words, meanings and duality.
Man believes happiness comes by achieving impeccable goals such as education, career, wealth, social status and power. He strives to achieve these goals because he is convinced that they provide a good home, family, children and every comfort he or she wishes, including happiness. Man is happy when his goals are achieved and everything he wishes to have is possessed, because they appeal to and satisfy him. But nevertheless happiness is longed for, even by such a man. This means that goals and possessions do not guarantee happiness to man, but only make him happy temporarily. It is understandable that happiness is longed for when man is not happy. But such a man is no different than he who is happy, as both long for happiness.
Man is excited when anything that is known by words and meanings appeals to and satisfies him. This excitement is interpreted as happiness by the mind. A new-born child, however, is excited by light and sound and not by words and meanings as it knows none. This excitement nevertheless is happiness to it. This means that if man were excited by light and sound and not by words and meanings, he too would find happiness.
Man needs to understand that goals and possessions co-exist with situations. Situations, however, exist as duality and are periodically either appealing and satisfying or disinteresting and displeasing. Man also needs to understand that he can neither control duality nor life, but only expects to. Duality, however, exists as an auditory and optical illusion of light and sound, and everything in life, including possessions, is energy, which simply means light, and science proves that it is. Just as a mother gives her new-born child whatever it needs, life too gives everyone what they are meant to receive. The clue to happiness is to trust life, just as a new-born child trusts its mother and lives in happiness.
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2013
Editor’s Note:
German Translator’s Note:
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