The one thing every living being
has in common with each other is that, everyone is in search of happiness. The
definition of happiness varies according to the
needs of each person. For the same person too, happiness or what they consider
to be bliss, varies with each moment in time.
Every deed we do in this world is with the intent of gaining the perfect state of perpetual happiness. Some chase money in the hopes that immense wealth will confer upon them unlimited bliss. We surround ourselves with luxurious items for the same reason. Others focus on their family and friends for, what more can a person want than being surrounded by loved ones ? And then, there are those people for whom being healthy is the mantra for attaining happiness. The fourth category of people would advocate having it all; health, love and wealth as the supreme formula to gain happiness. Thus, we spend every moment of our lives, in the pursuit of happiness. But, is there such a thing called perpetual bliss?
Every deed we do in this world is with the intent of gaining the perfect state of perpetual happiness. Some chase money in the hopes that immense wealth will confer upon them unlimited bliss. We surround ourselves with luxurious items for the same reason. Others focus on their family and friends for, what more can a person want than being surrounded by loved ones ? And then, there are those people for whom being healthy is the mantra for attaining happiness. The fourth category of people would advocate having it all; health, love and wealth as the supreme formula to gain happiness. Thus, we spend every moment of our lives, in the pursuit of happiness. But, is there such a thing called perpetual bliss?
Can a wealthy person, experience everlasting happiness? A person may be wealthy, but, wealth alone cannot confer a calm state of mind which is needed to experience happiness. Their homes may resemble paradise, but, they are bogged down by numerous worries. From taxes to investments to business meetings , there probably is not a single moment left for them to savour the things which they cherish the most. Also, what is the use of unending wealth if the person is sick or lacks the warmth offered by a loving family? The truth is , no one on Earth can ever experience such a state of perpetual bliss. We may be blessed with a good life, but, we do face at least small distress on a regular basis. The day the C-Train broke down in the tunnel, the day we couldn’t find a seat on the train, the moment when the computer crashed, causing all unsaved data to be lost, we are swamped on all sides by mosquitoes on our evening walk, the day when we were bitten by a wasp… or the constant worry we face about the economy which affects our livelihood, and so the list goes on. Above all, there is our basic fear of death. We know very well that we are mortals and our time on Earth must come to an end one day.
Our enjoyments are also limited by time. For how long can we continue to savour the taste of that perfect scoop of double chocolate ice cream? For how long can we continue to listen to our favourite music album over and over again? After a while, it is natural for us to get tired of doing the things we cherished the most. We are hence forced to return to our initial question. Is there such a thing called perpetual bliss?
The ancient Hindu texts called the Vedas do define perpetual bliss. The portion of the Upanishadic text called Anandavalli describes the perfect level of happiness which can be achieved by a person. To define everlasting happiness, the Anandavalli describes the level of joy experienced by each type of being. There are many types of beings who reside in this Universe as we will shortly see. The Upanishad starts by defining the perfect state of joy a human being can experience. This is taken as the base and the level of delight felt by other types of beings are expressed in terms of human joy.
