Heavy demands are made on our intellect, but 'it' does not find satisfaction. Why does the exercise of our most valued faculty not do more for us? Are we using it in the way that is best for us? Or are others 'pulling the strings'?
I hope to solve this puzzle with the help of other like-minded seekers.
I hope to solve this puzzle with the help of other like-minded seekers.
Let us therefore apply our intellect to this odd conjunction:
ReplyDeleteexcessive use of the intellect
and yet
no deep satisfaction
A point may be noted easily:
Satisfaction as an experience is a category unrelated to the intellect.
Therefore it should be possible to apply the intellect to the matter of satisfaction - or its absence.
I guess that is worth trying!
Suppose I love good chocolates. I can arrange to have sufficient quantity and variety aound at all times -- and indulge to my heart's content.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in reality, we love several things, and arranging as above is usually not possible for all our objects of desire - full availability at all time and all places!
So we must also be ready for occasional or frequent non-fulfilment of desire. We must cope with life as it is, right?
[A lot of what is - and will be - written by me here has been inspired by the Buddha's teachings. But the aim is to work everything out using my own reasoning.]
ReplyDeleteThe words 'satisfaction' and 'fulfilment' usually refer to a specific desire, wish or need. In other words, most often, we experience 'the satisfaction of a desire', and not just 'plain vanila satisfaction'.
ReplyDeleteSo now the question arises:
ReplyDeleteDo we in life look forward to serial and ongoing satisfaction of desires -- or satisfaction which is not pegged on any specific desire, wish or need?
What is our goal in life?
It seems to me that what we look for in life is a state of "happiniess". I'm not sure if this is a positive concept or if it is the "absence of suffering" - which is the sense in which the Buddha taught it, I think.
DeleteI think, in the first instance, we should assume that "happiness" is the experience of a positive state of "well-being". It arises, for instances, when my basic needs of food, shelter, good health, security, etc. are taken care of. It comes when my loved ones are safe and secure. And then it comes about if my identified community is safe and secure.
More later ....
It seems problems occur because in the country and in the world today there must be literally millions (?) of separate communities, each with distinct concerns of safety and security. So there is contention, friction, and conflict -- adversely affecting all.
ReplyDeleteOne way or the other, we go through seemingly unending cycles of our wellbeing facing a challenge, and our taking steps to restore it. So we either accept this eternal principle, until our ability to restore the wellbeing inevitably declines; or we dig deeper into the meaning of wellbeing itself, in the hope of a just -- even if as yet unclear -- reward for our efforts!
ReplyDeleteMy view regarding humanity as a whole is that we go through 4 stages in life where the meaning of "success" keeps changing - (i) stage 1: getting top grades and securing good college admission, (ii) stage 2: securing a top class job and maintaining a fat salary, (iii) stage 3: growing in the profession to secure fame, & (iv) stage 4: securing power to control within profession/society.
DeleteThese four definition of success are related with four types of "happiness". This is perhaps because happiness is popularly defined (and understood) as some kind of pleasant sensation (if not ecstatic all the time!). And, all these four kinds of success are capable to generate that sensation. However, this understanding makes happiness very temporal since all kinds of sensations (pleasant or unpleasant) are conditioned to several external factors - not all of which can be controlled by any particular individual for eternity. Loss of a sensation creates a void that generates more clinging to that sensation. This in turn creates striving to regain the source of the sensation - which is one of the 4 types of success. This in turn fixates an individual's life to a goal failing which creates frustration (even more despair) ... and acquiring which re-creates the sensation and, more interestingly, pride (an effort to affirm the individual success over others). Pride is a form of fear - a constant insecurity of losing the value of the regained success to someone better. Thus, comes conflict and competition.
So, then, what is happiness? Or, rather, do we need to standardize a definition for happiness and be unhappy when we see people not conforming to our self-made definition? ... This used to be a point of extreme conflict .. sometimes at a fanatical level .. during my teenage. However, my current view is perhaps more balanced. The Buddha said that the Dharma is for the one whose head is burning. I guess this is a remarkable statement - if you are burning (with dissatisfaction) then you will automatically come towards the right understanding. Since my head started to smoke (I guess not yet at a burning stage) some fifteen years back I came to understanding the happiness (for me) must be accompanied by peace and vice-versa. Is there a difference between peace and happiness? I leave this as a topic of contemplation and personal experience!
DeletePersonally, I cannot see any difference between 'a durable state of happiness' and 'a durable state of (inner) peace'. Durability does seem to require a kind of relative detachment from ever-changing external phenomena.
ReplyDeleteYour view reminds me of a "so-assumed" paradox within the Buddhist philosophy - how can we have a durable (did you intend permanent?) state of happiness when everything is impermanent? It might be a point to ponder.
DeleteAlso I would want to understand more about what you mean by "relative" detachment?
Nothing can be permanent in this ever-changing universe, but there are truly enormous differences between the rates of change seen in different phenomena. By a 'durable state' of inner peace, I think I mean 'durable with reference to the kind of changes we are dealing with', e.g. a spell of illness.
DeleteAs for detachment, I am not sure of having ever experienced the 'absolute' kind; but certainly, as compared to a few years ago, I feel some change has occurred in the direction of 'relative detachment' -- which I suppose is what I meant while writing the particular comment.
The words 'absolute', 'permanent' -- and 'infinity' -- are like mathematical abstractions. I suppose what I was trying to do back there in both cases was to use words which I are vouchsafed by experience.
Deleteoops ... which I think are vouchsafed by experience.
DeleteMy understanding is that a thorough insight of the impermanent nature of the world (not just understanding intellectually) helps us to develop a new perspective about human existence. First and foremost, the four kinds of happiness seems to be vain. Secondly, since there is nothing to desire hence there is nothing to lose. A deeper appreciation and acceptance of the true nature of phenomenon dwells within. This brings the inner turmoil to rest.
DeleteThe interesting question at this juncture of discussion is, do we now need a fifth kind of happiness? Also, the age-old polemic against Buddhist view-point: Do we now become inert and/or indifferent to the world?
Agree fully with the first part.
DeleteRef the second para:
The same word 'happiness' should not be used for such vastly different experiences as the first four and the 'very special' fifth. The first four should be more properly called 'high'.
I hope that as Gautam Buddha's teaching is brought to bear on real-life problems, what will emerge is 'action without volition'. Then there will be no grounds for accusations of inertness.
Contributors so far: Thank you!
ReplyDeletePlease feel free to invite those who you feel will be interested in this discussion.
Happiness comes from the ability to stay unaffected by the highs and lows of life, and to be able to be in a constant state of meditation.
ReplyDeleteThis state of meditation involves control of the mind and senses, and to be in harmony with the forces of nature.
This is of course not easy, because we live in a world where we are supposed to carry out various activities, where our ability to stay unaffected is constantly challenged.
What people usually see as "happiness" is a more outward display of momentary highs.
I'm not claiming that primitive man was any different. It seems to be human tendency to have uncontrolled desires and lust.
Therefore, for a true seeker, the first step is an unbiased analysis of his/her own self, and to slowly reduce his/her dependence on external objects for happiness, and thus to feel happiness and contentment from within.
Forgot to add:
ReplyDelete‘‘happiness’’ has been derived from the noun ‘‘hap’’, meaning “what just happens, chance, i.e., luck, both good and bad”
However, over the years, it narrowed down to having a “good hap”, suggesting happiness
Thank you! Amazed to learn that the words 'happen' and 'happiness' have the same root! Apparently 'hap' is from Middle English.
DeleteContributors: Does everyone get notified by email when a comment or reply gets added? Just curious. I do get notified, but that may be because I created the blog.
ReplyDeleteNo, we don't, though there may be a way
ReplyDeleteedit: check "notify me" when you publish the comment
ReplyDelete