REAL HAPPINESS COMES ONLY FROM ONE'S SELF

(Insights of one of the greatest mystics of all time, the sage of Mount Arunchula - Sri Ramana)


All beings desire happiness always, happiness without a tinge of sorrow. At the same time everybody loves himself best.

The cause for love is only happiness. So, that happiness must lie in one. Further that happiness is daily experienced by everyone in sleep, when there is no mind. To attain that natural happiness one must know oneself. For that Self Enquiry "Who am I?" is the chief means.

Happiness is the nature of the Self. They are not different. The only happiness there is, is of the Self. That is the truth. There is no happiness in any object of the world. Because of our ignorance we imagine we derive happiness from them.

If, as a man generally imagines his happiness is due to external causes, it is reasonable to conclude that his happiness must increase with the increase of possessions and diminish in proportion to their decrease. Therefore, if he is devoid of possessions his happiness must be nil. What however is the real experience of man? Does it confirm this view?

In deep sleep the man is devoid of all possessions, including his own body. Instead of being unhappy he is quite happy. Everyone desires to sleep soundly. The conclusion therefore is that happiness is inherent in man and is not due to external causes. One must realize his Self in order to open the store of unalloyed happiness.


(What is the 'Self?' To be specific - one's real 'Self' is that eternal consciousness also labelled as spirit or soul - that as the substratum is the very source substance of the body and the whole Cosmos. It is the screen upon and within which the world drama is played just as a movie is played on a constant screen. Go deep into any atom you will find nothing but the Self, that infinite everlasting consciousness).