The nature of happiness

[The Persnickety Platypus]

Come, sit with me under the Bodhi tree. Let us be enlightened.



There are a number of attributes of this topic that I wish to delve into, so I will start with the basic question:



What is the secret to happiness?

[bernee51]

What is the secret to happiness?

Happiness (fullness) is a default position. It is choiceless. No one chooses to be unhappy. Happiness, it should be noted, is the promise of religion (heaven, nirvana, enlightenment.). Follow this or that proscribed path and happiness will be found.

Think of the bliss experience – religious fervour, deep meditation, a beautiful sunset or natural vista, the eyes of a lover. What is common amongst these?

When examined it is noticed that the entire focus is on the bliss experience. For a (usually) brief moment nothing else matters. All the attachments to the phenomenal world have dropped away. We want for nothing. All that exists is the object of focus and consciousness itself. Perhaps even this duality disappears and our consciousness (subject) and the object become one. Why does it cease? We again associate who we are with the objects we desire and do not have. The discrepancy between what we seek (fullness) and what we have re-emerges. The result is unhappiness or a lack of fullness.

It is not the objects we seek that cause our unhappiness it is our attachment to seeing them as the path to our happiness.

[QED]

Happiness, it should be noted, is the promise of religion (heaven, nirvana, enlightenment.). Follow this or that proscribed path and happiness will be found ...

... The discrepancy between what we seek (fullness) and what we have re-emerges. The result is unhappiness or a lack of fullness.

It is not the objects we seek that cause our unhappiness it is our attachment to seeing them as the path to our happiness.

are you saying that seeking happiness in itself could lead to unhappiness?

[bernee51]

Happiness, it should be noted, is the promise of religion (heaven, nirvana, enlightenment.). Follow this or that proscribed path and happiness will be found ...

... The discrepancy between what we seek (fullness) and what we have re-emerges. The result is unhappiness or a lack of fullness.

It is not the objects we seek that cause our unhappiness it is our attachment to seeing them as the path to our happiness.

are you saying that seeking happiness in itself could lead to unhappiness?

To a point. The 'bliss response' seems to suggest that we appear that we are seeking something we already possess. The trouble is we have not realized (actualized) this and see happiness as sopmething that comes from without, not within.

As I suggested - look at the bliss response and what interferes with it in order to find the source of happiness.

[The Persnickety Platypus]

You're a regular Buddhist, bernee.


Lately I have seen this idea (among others) reflected in the unlikeliest of places. It seems that my dog has beaten me to enlightenment.

The Daily agenda:

(1) Take a nap.
(2) Get up.
(3) Eat.
(4) Take a nap.
(5) Get up.
(6) Go outside, sniff around, take a crap.
(7) Get me to play fetch.
(8) Come back inside.
(9) Get a belly rub.
(10) Take a nap.

This process will repeat indefinitely till the day he dies. What's more is, he will never get tired of it, and never desire anything more.

Is a complete lack of ambition the secret to happiness? Quite possibly, despite common thought. However, the root reason may be even simpler. A dog lacks the intellectual capacity to ruminate upon his existence. He does not struggle to find life's meaning, or why he is here. He does not burden himself with trivial worries or desires, other than that which is needed to keep him alive.

The human's ability to expand his knowledge and insight may not be as blissful a quality as it is made out to be. By utilizing and indulging in things that do not benefit our immediate survival, we have managed to flourish as a species, yet failed our intended goal- a greater mental well being. Contentment is not bought or created, it is realized. I believe that we all have within ourselves to power to be content, only we waste this ability by chasing meaningless eccentricitys. These red herrings draw us away from the central goal of all life on earth- simply to survive.

A squirrel is driven into melancholy only when inable to aquire an essential amount of nuts to sustain himself. Putting one's life situation into such simple terms can really put his/her inessential desires into perspective.

It is sad that a dog can achieve nirvana without even realizing it, yet Earth's dominant life force cannot despite centuries of trying.

[QED]

Persnickety P's dog reminds me of a good reason why being immortal would be untenable. With an infinite number of tomorrows to put things off until, why do anything. All ambition would be lost. Without the capacity (is it only Humans that possess it?) to appreciate the prospect of ones eventual demise we might have an explanation for the apparent content and lack of ambition seen in other animals.

[Cathar1950]

The dog sounds like my life.
Wake up, read,
take a nap,
wake up and take a shower,
go to cafe, read, eat, drink coffee,
go to Library,
go to the cafe read and eat,
take a nap,
read,
check email, read,
watch tv, eat, read watch tv,
and go to bed.
I need some one to rub my tummy.
I am to old to play catch with ball.

[McCulloch]

The dog sounds like my life.
Wake up, read,
take a nap,
wake up and take a shower,
go to cafe, read, eat, drink coffee,
go to Library,
go to the cafe read and eat,
take a nap,
read,
check email, read,
watch tv, eat, read watch tv,
and go to bed.
I need some one to rub my tummy.
I am to old to play catch with ball.

You really need to get a social life. We are a social species. I know some girls in Sarnia...

[Cathar1950]

I think when I was young I remember Sarnia. Nice place..just across the lake across the state.
I talk to people all day. People at the Cafe the people at the Library.
Sometimes I go to the bar on dollar day. My son plays there so I have been going thursday nights from 7-10. See I have a life. Now I have to go water my plants.

[bernee51]

You're a regular Buddhist, bernee.

As GK Chesterton said: All religions are the same, especially buddhism.

I don't consider myself a buddhist though admit to stong influences. My particular translative belief is along the lines of yogic vedanta. The buddhist elemetn to that is the idea of 'living joyfully whilst actively participating in the sorrows of the world"

Is a complete lack of ambition the secret to happiness?

I don't believe so. Ambition is fine - attachement to success or failure is what brings about dissatisfaction and unhappiness.

The human's ability to expand his knowledge and insight may not be as blissful a quality as it is made out to be. By utilizing and indulging in things that do not benefit our immediate survival, we have managed to flourish as a species,

Survival as a species relies on egoism. Survival of a community is dependent on self-denial

Contentment is not bought or created, it is realized. I believe that we all have within ourselves to power to be content, only we waste this ability by chasing meaningless eccentricitys.

I couldn't agree more

These red herrings draw us away from the central goal of all life on earth- simply to survive.

I would suggest happily survive is the central goal.

It is sad that a dog can achieve nirvana without even realizing it, yet Earth's dominant life force cannot despite centuries of trying.

As I stated - any search for something you already possess is going to be fruitless.

[Bro Dave]

Persnickety P's dog reminds me of a good reason why being immortal would be untenable. With an infinite number of tomorrows to put things off until, why do anything. All ambition would be lost.

Except that we who are inspired to be perfect, even as God is perfect, will never run out of challenges achieving that goal.

Without the capacity (is it only Humans that possess it?) to appreciate the prospect of ones eventual demise we might have an explanation for the apparent content and lack of ambition seen in other animals.

Gee, maybe we are more than "just animals"...

Bro Dave