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Science of Happiness

1/24/2020

Science of Happiness
Happiness is not just feel good experience but it is cognitive experience. It is state of the mind. The source of happiness differs person to person. The person derives happiness by satisfying bodily or sensory urge or by helping others. A few other people may have sadist attitude and may derive happiness by hurting others.

In fact, happiness is embedded in the person, which reflects after seeing the favourite objects. In case, body and mind is well trained and awareness goes deep to touch the original source of happiness, no object would be required for happiness. The engineering of mind requires training so that consciousness transmits happiness without the need of objects.

When antakarana is purified and made satvika, psychic energy lifts to higher levels. This brings stability in mind and consequently happiness remains even in adverse circumstances.

(An article named as “Happiness to absolute bliss” was published on 31.08.2018 on my website-www.dnaofhinduism.com wherein principles of Medical Science, Positive Psychology and Patanjali Yoga Sutra have been discussed.)

The present article on Happiness is discussing on its determinants, levels of happiness and mind management techniques as under:-

Determinants of Happiness:

Personal Factors: Health, genetics, age, income level, attitudes, self-esteem, time management, aspirations, addictions etc. Some people have optimistic nature, they seem much happier than others. Happy individuals can evaluate events (especially negative ones) in positive and productive ways. Unhappy individuals tend to dwell on the negative aspects of events.
Social Factors: Family relationship, Social pressures, employment etc.

State of Mind & Happiness:
Constitution of mind may be Rajasic, Tamasic and Sattvic based past and current impressions which create traits, tendencies and cravings. This makes base level happiness of mind (Hedonic Treadmill theory discussed later).

Satvika mind has virtuous attributes such as truthfulness, self-restraint (senses & mind), purity (in thought, actions & speech), Non-injury to others (in thoughts, actions & speech), simplicity (austerity & non accumulation of anything beyond needs), love, selfless service, compassion, freedom from enmity & let go (from thoughts, actions & speech), contentment, equality, balance & moderation in intake of anything and self-surrender to almighty.
Rajasika mind has cravings to do actions for the fruits and enjoyment.
Tamasika mind is characterised by lethargy, ignorance, madness, intoxication, addiction to women, impurity etc.

Levels of Happiness:

Happiness derived from the five senses - lowest kind of happiness. This happiness is from the objects of five sense organs. In this kind of happiness, law of diminishing marginal return applies. As one takes more, the enjoyment reduces and repulsion starts. Example – eating pizza, rasogulla, seeing films, etc. Happiness in the object is in anticipation of great happiness. Once the experience is over, mind moves on to the next object. So, it is short term happiness.

As per the Hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation theory of positive psychology, the spike in happiness or sadness due to positive or negative events in life, quickly return to base level of happiness set points. Each person has its own happiness set points. Hence, external events or objects alter our happiness level temporarily, and we quickly adjust back to a fixed emotional set point.

Happiness derived from actions which completely absorbs mind – An activity which absorbs the mind is medium kind of happiness. This happiness is derived from activities such as playing musical instrument, singing bhajans or melodious song etc. The activity or object brings mind fluctuations (vritti) and thoughts (pratyaya) in orderly manner. The flow of mind becomes very orderly and absorptive. Even the activity is continued for long period, one does not feel tiredness. After the activity is over, the person feels great happiness and sense of fulfilment. As per positive psychology, engagement, positive relationship, meaning to life and achievements give medium term happiness.
Happiness derived from Atman - As level of awareness enhances, the level of happiness increases. Despite having a large of objects of comforts, it is not necessary to be having fulfilling and long-term happiness. The level of awareness increases with the purity of mind, lowering distractions & developing calmness in mind, meditative mind etc.

According to Law of Hinduism, the primary source of happiness is Atman. Parmatama is called Sat-chit-ananda (Truth-Being-Bliss) and Atman is part of Parmatama. Whatever happiness is derived, it is from Atman. Actually, Atman is electrifying the sense organs through the mind and emotions. If mind is pure and satvika; happiness from Atman descends without the requirements of activity or objects of happiness. This is the precise reason, bliss descends in Samadhi. As the purity (in thought, speech & actions), truthfulness, satvika mind enhances, the orientation of mind turns into happy state.

Mind Management Techniques:

Neuroplasticity is the ability of brain cell & its structure to change continuously throughout to the life of individual. Now modern scientists believe that intelligence and emotional quotients can be changed by the right training or input. Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin experimented on the effects of meditation on brain, in cooperation with the Dalai Lama. His results suggest that long-term or short-term practice of meditation results in different levels of activity in brain regions associated with such qualities as attention, anxiety, depression, fear, anger, and the ability of the body to heal itself. These functional changes may be caused by changes in the physical structure of the brain. As per the researches, regular physical exercise, healthy eating, listening music, intermittent fasting, learning musical instrument, creative artwork, dancing, sleeping, meditation, visiting places, developing new skills, etc. could bring changes in brain cells and structure.
Neuroplasticity confirms the ancient Hindu Darshan fo “Patanjali Yoga Sutra”. As per Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama and Pratyhara are external limbs and Dharna, Dhyana & Samadhi are internal limb. External limbs bring positive changes in body and mind to increase discipline; balance of body-mind; purity, steadiness & calmness in mind etc. Internal limbs elevate psychic energy to higher levels to touch source of happiness.
Positive thoughts, compassion, engagement, meaningful activities and meditation reorient mind to improve emotional state of mind and brings calmness and concentration.

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Science of Sufferings

1/3/2020

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With the advancement of technological comforts, we are gradually becoming slaves of the modern gadgets. Our wish to be happy is easily replaced by a wish for possessions, sense gratification, status, wealth and other substitutes. We develop undue desires, false pride, false ego and false hopes which lead to sufferings. IQ (Intelligence quotient) centric modern society is diminishing the EQ (Emotional quotient) and SQ (Spiritual quotient) leading to isolation, despair and depression. Relationships tend to be temporary and superficial.

Sufferings manifest in the form of unpleasant feelings (hopelessness, grief, loneliness, anguish, disgust etc.), physical pain, physiological pain (hunger, thirst, sleeplessness, itching etc.) mental suffering (irritation, anger, jealousy, envy, craving, guilt, fear, anxiety, humiliation, etc.) seasonal or chronic diseases, stress, physical & mental infirmity, etc.
The root causes of sufferings, means to remove it and evil and good tendencies have been thoroughly researched by ancient rishis which are discussed hereunder.

Root causes of Sufferings:
Rishi Patanjali researched the root causes of sufferings extensively and founded Yoga Darshan and postulated practical steps to remove the sufferings.

Experience of sensual pleasures creates impressions, impressions create memory of pleasures, memory of pleasures creates attachments to it, and attachments develop tendencies to do good or bad karmas/actions which accumulate karmas.
The accumulated karmas (संचित कर्म) are enjoyed / suffered. There is continuous flow of pleasure and pain till the karmas are extinguished.
The reservoir of karmas (actions, deeds) which is called Karmashya (कर्माशय) has root of sufferings.
The sufferings are five types’ viz. ignorance, I-am-ness or egoism, desires, hatred & clinging to life. These sufferings manifest in four forms i.e. intense, strong, subtle and dormant.
Ignorance is the lack of correct awareness about permanent (Parmatama)-transient (Prakriti, body), Dharma-Adharma, expecting pleasure (satisfaction etc.) from evils (anger, jealous, attachments etc.) and eternal (Jivatma) into non-eternal (Prakriti). Ignorance brings five defects viz. attachment to the body, attachment to sense organs, attachment to the life, attachment to the thoughts & feelings and forgetting the self.
Egoism is not to differentiate among cognizer (Brahman) and power of cognition (Buddhi).
Desire is the attraction which continues even after enjoyment. Attractions towards objects of senses lead to attachment; attachments grow into strong desires & passions; these passions & desires develop animal instinct / evil tendencies (anger, lust & greed etc.); animal instinct causes delusion; delusion brings loss of memory and loss of memory reduces rationality & discriminative intelligence which ruins the person.
Hatred is the impression which remains even after experiencing suffering.
Clinging to life is the strong desire of life and fear of death. Fear is due to impurities. Primary causes of fear are fear of separation, fear of earnings, fear of insult and fear of death.

(A detailed article - Patanjali Yoga Darshan –The Practical steps to Bliss & Powers, is already published 08.09.2018 on my website)

Evil tendencies:
When the person feels deficiencies in comforts, he or she develops evil tendencies viz. Kama (Desires including sexual desire), Krodha (Anger), Lobha (Greed), Moh (Attachment), Mada (Over Pride), Matsara (malice, Jealousy), Swartha (Selfishness), Ahankara (Ego), Amanavta (Cruelty) and Anyaaya (Injustice).

Various incarnations of Narayana were to destroy the above knots viz. Shri Rama to destroy Kama (Ravana), Shri Narsingh Swamy to destroy krodha (Hiranyakasipu), Shri Krishna to destroy malice (Shishupal), Shri Varaha to destroy lobha (Hiranyaksha), etc.

Primary attachment is for Artha (wealth) and Kama (sexual desire). It is easy to leave Krodha, lobha etc. but very difficult to leave kama. Kama has instigated even wise persons. Two examples are as under:

Once, Jamini rishi had been offering water after having completed the Sandhya. He saw a beautiful woman under the tree being wet by rain. Jamini rishi was distracted to see her beauty. He asked the woman to take shelter in his cottage. She said, she cannot believe men as they might be guileful. Jamini rishi said to her that he is Acharya Jamini of Poorva mimansa and she should trust him. The woman entered the cottage. Jamini was fascinated by her beauty. She was unmarried. Jamini offered her to marry him. She said, her father has pledged that the person who take his daughter to Amba mata ji temple on his back, would be her husband. Further, she has decided to blacken his face while going to Amba ji. Jamini rishi thought to do everything for marring her and he did the same.
Prashar rishi did tapas for sixty thousand years. Once, he was crossing Yamuna in a boat. He was attracted towards voyager’s daughter named as Matsyagandha. Prashar rishi caught her hand. Matsyagandha said, she is low caste voyager’s girl whereas he is pure Brahmin. Sexual appetite is like a storm and blinds everybody. The rishi expressed his sexual desire. Matsyagandha said, this is day time and such act is prohibited during day. Prashar rishi created clouds to cover the sun with the powers acquired by religious austerities. Darkness was spread over there. Even for Prashar rishi, withholding of the sexual appetite was not possible. Instead, he could cover the sun.

Means to remove Sufferings:
Body of the human Being is Kurushetra where fight between Pravritti (प्रवृत्ति, tendency to do prescribe actions) and Nirvritti (निवृत्ति, cessation of prohibited actions) continues. Shri Krishna in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita elaborated means to remove sufferings and paths to achieve liberation (path of wisdom, path of Raja Yoga, Path of Bhakti and Path of Karma Yoga).

Ignorance & Egoism are removed by the recognition of the truth that soul is only uninvolved witness in whose presence prakriti functions.
By intellectual reasoning and volition, one can conquer the desires. Pondering again and again on the pain and evils inherent in birth, death, old age and disease bring renunciation of desires. Further, desires are destroyed by mastering the senses (detaching sense organs from sensual pleasures & mind from sense organs), performance of sacrifices, charities & austerities (of mind & sense organs) without selfish motives, observing celibacy, truthfulness, yama, niyama etc. Past sins are destroyed by bearing the pains.
Truthfulness and selfless actions bring purification of heart which in turn leads to fearlessness. Removal of ignorance & egoism lead to fearlessness.
Good tendencies viz. Tranquillity (शम), Forbearance (Patience, Self-Restraint over mind & senses, दम), Austerity (तप), Purity (शौच), Forgiveness (क्षमा), Simplicity (Straight forwardness, सरलता), Wisdom (ज्ञान), Faith in god (आस्तिकता), Truthfulness (सत्यवादिता), Compassion (generosity, दयाभाव), Equality, Contentment etc., are the divine attributes which eliminate evil tendencies and bring long term happiness.
It is easier to replace evil tendencies by the virtuous than to eliminate them such as ahankara (Ego, excessive pride) by humility; amanavta (Cruelty) by compassion; anyaaya (Injustice) by equality; kama vasana (Lust) by love; krodha (Anger) by forgiveness; lobha (Greed) by contentment; mada (Over Pride) by humility; matsara (Jealousy) by tranquility; moha (Attachment) by renunciation and swartha (Selfishness) by generosity.

(A number of articles on Shrimad Bhagavad Gita have been published on my website which elaborate means to remove sufferings and paths to achieve liberation)

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