Horizon

Horizon

© Sabari Ganesh; “All Rights Reserved” 
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Ever wondered which single factor propels the activities of every person? Education, Employment, Earnings, Yearning for name, fame, authority, popularity – anything for that matter is propelled by one’s earnest search of happiness. Every person runs around with the sole ultimate objective of remaining happy. All our activity becomes complete only when we are able to remain happy.

This entire world is so dynamic with professionals from all walks of life. They are well educated, disciplined, intellectually strong; but emotionally weak! Such a combination in professionals – intellectually strong and emotionally weak are like an active mine; so very dangerous that they may explode any moment causing unimaginable and irreparable damage that effectively nullifies all their preceding good efforts and positive results.

A careful analysis of the elemental substratum that underlies the emotional weakness of every successful person displays a very interesting and striking similarity – non-receipt of the much chased after happiness or emotional contentment. It is quite surprising to witness these professionals who are very successful in their chosen area of specialization, actually in the top of the knowledge pyramid; desperately yearn for happiness and contentment.

It is actually surprising to think, what could be so difficult for these professionals, who are intellectually very strong, exponents in their field of activity, opinion leaders actually, that make happiness so elusive! A close scrutiny of this issue throws light on a very crucial aspect – Focus. Though exponents in their chosen area of activity, these professionals have miserably failed in studying and understanding “Life”. Influenced by the ‘mass approval phenomenon’ and compelled by collective opinion, we as professionals were running after so many things blindly without knowing the intrinsic value and ultimate benefit that could be derived from such pursuits.

“A cynic is a person, who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing!”

-       Oscar wilde.

A mention of those factors that influence our behaviour and activities reminds me that we are actually cynical in our approach towards ‘Life’. Also our folly lies in our expecting happiness from external sources that are actually not controlled by us. To understand this, we must analyse ‘happiness’ in its intrinsic nature.

Happiness is a derivative of the materialization of our desires. In the event of non-materialization of our desires, and upon identification of the cause; the reaction would be either anger – if we are more powerful than the cause; or sorrow – if the cause is more powerful than us. In other words, desire is the substratum of our emotions. As long as we desire, we fluctuate between happiness, and sorrow or anger. However, any of these emotions are not consistent or sustainable; because the object of desire is external to us and we may be deprived of it any moment; because change is certain. Even otherwise, we may not continue to like the object of our desire, due to changes in our temperament and/ or outlook.

The reason being, we are actually so self-centered in the materialistic sense that anything that opposes us or our ideology would be hated by us. The only solution to this so seemingly never ending game is to be self-centered again, but in the spiritual sense. Spiritual wisdom was and is never elusive! It has always been so simple. When we wear a shirt, knowing well that it is either already torn or would get torn, then its wisdom; because, in the event of the shirt getting torn, we would remain in peace. Also, we are very clear that we are not the ‘shirt’ we wear.

Similarly, indulging in worldly duties, realizing well the inherent impermanency is wisdom. Also, trying to understand the real self is the ultimate level of wisdom! For anything to keep changing, and also to appear real, it should rest on a relatively unchanging substratum. Only if the slate is stable, can the letters be written and rewritten repeatedly; and would also look real. Similarly, the body, mind and intellect that we possess have always been changing; which makes the existence of an unchanging substratum a necessity?! Being ‘that’ is wisdom. It cannot be known for the simple reason that, if it is known, then the knower is different from it; hence we need to start again!

This reminds me of a story of a beautiful girl. Her parents decided that she would marry a guy, one of their very close relative. The girl in her aspiration to marry the best of all, decided to marry the King, whom she thought was ranked the highest. When she followed the king, she saw him bowing down to a saint! Naturally, our heroine started to follow the saint; who saluted a Ganesha idol beneath a tree, in the river bank. Our girl just sat beside Ganesha to propose him, waiting for him to wake up! It was when a dog came by and graciously decorated our Ganesha with its pee.

The girl was so very astonished to see Ganesha sitting unmoved; and hence she started following the dog! The dog that entered the village was chased by a small kid. Now, our girl started following the kid, wondering if she would be able to marry him! The mischievous kid was intimidated by a guy, whom the girl decided to marry finally. Alas, to her surprise, it was the same person to whom she was engaged.

She had been running around expecting the best everywhere, when the best was actually so close to her! Similarly, we are running around seeking happiness in our external pursuits, when the eternal happiness is within us. When we are able to focus our mind on that which is eternal, we would succeed in securing eternal happiness. To achieve this, the only way is to minimize our indulgence in all other activities to the barest essential. The belief that desires can be extinguished by satisfying them is a mirage. It is similar to pouring fuel on fire to extinguish it.

In a sentence, the path is to be simple and keep it simple; because simplicity arises out of profound thought. For us to understand the essence of profound thought, one would need to read this article again. This search would continue till we understand that where we stand is what we are in search of – Horizon! Tat-Twam-Asi.