All of human life can be considered to be seeking our goals. From the outside we feel there are many goals in life. It is a matter of private philosophy on what someone wants. Some people would like wealth and security. Some people enjoy arts. Some people seek spiritual experiences and so on. Are there many goals in life?. Or underneath these goals is there a common factor?. On the superficial level , we see that there are lot of human goals. But all these goals are not actually different goals if we analyze them closely.
Let us take a simple example. Suppose you want a mobile phone. You read about it, and start to analyze the usefulness it provides. You see people using it and so on after some time you get a feeling that getting that would be useful. Now after a few years when the mobile phone has become slow and it is giving problems for you, you want to dispose of the same phone somehow. So it is apparent that it is not the mobile phone itself that is the pursuit. Underneath your endeavor there is a hidden goal that is being sought. What could that be?.
We all know that what we are seeking in objects, people, situations etc is nothing but Aananda or happiness. So seemingly there are many goals . But underneath these goals the only goal is actually happiness. So can we say there are actually not many many goals in life. But the only goal we have is Aananda . In order to get to it , we are seeking these things.
The vedantic system also tells us that there are two sources of Aananda or happiness. One seemingly comes from the outside world and is called Baghya-Aananda or Vishaya-Aananda .The second comes from the inner most being and is called Atma-Aananda.
The first one is always conditional. Unless you fulfill lot of conditions , it will not be obtained. While the second one is unconditional . It doesn't depend on anything at all. It is ever present , and never based on anything. Vishaya ananda is borrowed happiness as we need to borrow objects while Atmananda is always available. Any independent thing is always freeing, while borrowed objects will always leave us either today or tomorrow. Vishayananda is impermanent.
Another problem with Vishayananda is un-predicability . There are lot of unpredictable factors which decide the nature of objects in the world. At one time you find your near and dear talking well and in another instance they are angry or depressed. There seems to be no way to predict when i would get a job and so on.
Atmananda on the other hand is unconditional , permanent, intrinsic , natural and is coming from myself . This Parama Purushartha is unfortunately hidden. That is why we never experience it . That is why we seek it in the outside world. It is like a treasure buried underneath. If there is a treasure in the small land that you own, you would still be poor if you don't know that there is a treasure. Just like that , we all seek various Vishaya in life , since we are unaware of this hidden Hiranya Nidhi ( Golden Treasure).
What is the way out?. If you know about the treasure in your land , what would you do ?. You would start digging . You would want to separate the mud , rocks etc until you reach towards it. The mud rock etc are the thoughts , emotions , etc in your mind. They manifest in our minds as attachments,desires,ambitions, dreams etc. Separating the mud and dirt is the process of reaching and involves Sravana , Manana and Nidhidhyasanam to find the Nidhi.
The first understanding therefore comes from rejecting the Vishayananda and convincing oneself that i don't want anything. This only comes from a higher understanding. Somehow the seeking should stop. Truly convincing that i am what i am seeking and i don't need anything. The distance to me is zero and it is my striving that has taken me away from me. I am truly beyond the body and mind and i require nothing. Liberation is the freeing from the seeking that we have been doing.
Let us take a simple example. Suppose you want a mobile phone. You read about it, and start to analyze the usefulness it provides. You see people using it and so on after some time you get a feeling that getting that would be useful. Now after a few years when the mobile phone has become slow and it is giving problems for you, you want to dispose of the same phone somehow. So it is apparent that it is not the mobile phone itself that is the pursuit. Underneath your endeavor there is a hidden goal that is being sought. What could that be?.
We all know that what we are seeking in objects, people, situations etc is nothing but Aananda or happiness. So seemingly there are many goals . But underneath these goals the only goal is actually happiness. So can we say there are actually not many many goals in life. But the only goal we have is Aananda . In order to get to it , we are seeking these things.
The vedantic system also tells us that there are two sources of Aananda or happiness. One seemingly comes from the outside world and is called Baghya-Aananda or Vishaya-Aananda .The second comes from the inner most being and is called Atma-Aananda.
The first one is always conditional. Unless you fulfill lot of conditions , it will not be obtained. While the second one is unconditional . It doesn't depend on anything at all. It is ever present , and never based on anything. Vishaya ananda is borrowed happiness as we need to borrow objects while Atmananda is always available. Any independent thing is always freeing, while borrowed objects will always leave us either today or tomorrow. Vishayananda is impermanent.
Another problem with Vishayananda is un-predicability . There are lot of unpredictable factors which decide the nature of objects in the world. At one time you find your near and dear talking well and in another instance they are angry or depressed. There seems to be no way to predict when i would get a job and so on.
Atmananda on the other hand is unconditional , permanent, intrinsic , natural and is coming from myself . This Parama Purushartha is unfortunately hidden. That is why we never experience it . That is why we seek it in the outside world. It is like a treasure buried underneath. If there is a treasure in the small land that you own, you would still be poor if you don't know that there is a treasure. Just like that , we all seek various Vishaya in life , since we are unaware of this hidden Hiranya Nidhi ( Golden Treasure).
What is the way out?. If you know about the treasure in your land , what would you do ?. You would start digging . You would want to separate the mud , rocks etc until you reach towards it. The mud rock etc are the thoughts , emotions , etc in your mind. They manifest in our minds as attachments,desires,ambitions, dreams etc. Separating the mud and dirt is the process of reaching and involves Sravana , Manana and Nidhidhyasanam to find the Nidhi.
The first understanding therefore comes from rejecting the Vishayananda and convincing oneself that i don't want anything. This only comes from a higher understanding. Somehow the seeking should stop. Truly convincing that i am what i am seeking and i don't need anything. The distance to me is zero and it is my striving that has taken me away from me. I am truly beyond the body and mind and i require nothing. Liberation is the freeing from the seeking that we have been doing.
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