Three kinds of happiness and sorrow
A. Bhuta means an element. The creation
which is made of these elements — whether creation is earthly or etherial — is
called Adhibhautika — of the elements of Nature. The happiness that is
caused by the combination of these elements, or by the disposition of mind
settling on them, is called 'Adhi-bhautika happiness' - material happiness —
whether it is subtle or gross. And the sorrow which is caused by the disposition
being removed or unsettled from them is known as Adhibhautika sorrow — material
sorrow. Sound, Touch, Form, Taste and Smell — these are subtle elements. Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth - these are gross elements. The creation which is made of these elements is all Adhibhautika or material. B. Deva is a term for causal element or Karana Tattva, which is in between the gross and the subtle. There are many meanings of this word in Sanskrit, e.g. deity, kind, brother-in-law, fool, boy, man of occupation, spear and javelin, competition, title of Brahman and Kayastha castes, organ, goddess, Durga, Queen, title of high born lady, worship, reverence etc. All these are etymological (wordy) meanings. The real meaning is play and shining (Div to play, to shine). Here the causal meaning or etymological meaning is given which means shining — that which plays and shines in all things. This is the condition of peace and rest which expresses the soul. The happiness that is experienced on settling of the soul in this causal condition, and the sorrow that is felt on its (soul's) unsettling — are described as Adhidaivika. Generally people call the sorrow caused by the sun, the moon, thunder, lightning etc. as adhidaivika which is wrong, it being really elemental or Adhibhautika. C. The soul is that in which there is movement and thinking (Ath = movement, Man = thinking). These two states occur in mind and as such it alone becomes the soul. Its characteristics are happiness, sorrow, knowledge, ignorance, attachment, hatred, desire and effort. It is related to three kinds of movement and thinking, and its movement and stability are at work in all the three states. The first is the gross body; the second the causal body or the soul; and the third its own internal condition (inverted reflection) namely, the heart region. In these alone are experienced either happiness or sorrow due to the settling or unsettling of the current of disposition. This kind of happiness and sorrow is called Adhyatmik, i.e. "partaking of movement and contemplation." Adhyat-mik is the name of the condition of the mind only. The waking state is the map of the disposition settling on, and unsettling from, the body. The dream region is the map of the disposition settling on, and unsettling from, the mind. The deep sleep (Sushupthi) region is the play of the disposition settling on, and un- settling from, the soul. It is known that no person can always remain in the state of deep sleep. He has to return to the dream and waking states. If such is the case how can permanent eternal happiness be attained? All the three states are within the cycle of time. Wherever the idea of happiness is found there will necessarily be the impressions of sorrow, because both sorrow and happiness are relative terms. But it is possible, to a certain extent, to create a wonderful state quite different from happiness and sorrow if only one practises to remain conscious in the state of Sushupti, tries to maintain his disposition there dispassionately, and produces the state of merger and negation. And such a wonderful state can be retained even after coming back to the dream and conscious states. This alone is called bliss or supreme happiness. It is not only difficult to attain but also difficult to understand it. But a deficiency remains even at this stage. If even the slightest discrimination of the experience of bliss still remains in the individual then there will be some sorrow, however small. Real life will begin to express itself only when the mind becomes pure through renunciation and practice — Vairagya and Abhyas — and merges itself in that state. This world is the world of possibilities. There is, of course, every possibility of a possible event, but the most wonderful thing is that there is also the possibility of an impossible event becoming possible. It is a known thing that after coming back from the deep-sleep state or state of Sushupti, there is freshness and vigour in the body. It comes to an end when it is spent in routine works of the conscious state, contemplation and practice. But if one gets control on oneself by means of practice and renunciation, one can retain the happiness of Sushupti throughout. Restlessness disappears. There are many creatures in this world which sleep while awake e.g., horses running on the battle field, or God-intoxicated persons. The conscious and the dream states of such persons is one and the same. Khvabo Bedariyam Shudah Yaksaan Az Inayat Sohabate Piraan My waking state and the state of deep sleep became one and the same, by the grace of the company of saints. But this happiness also is not lasting. To remove this defect one should practise to merge one's disposition of mind in the Brahman for some days. When the disposition begins to attain the form of Brahman, the first condition will be revealed. It (the disposition) can understand the form of Brahman. It then merges in that form too. Another state of bliss will be revealed in this state of merger. And when the difference between the Brahman and the individual soul is wiped off, sorrows will come to an end. Then there will be no fear of the disposition being removed. The drop and the ocean become one!
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