CHAPTER SIX

What Keeps Us

From Being Truly Happy
by Stephen Knapp

What keeps us from being truly happy is quite simple really, yet difficult to put into practice until we really understand it. The fact of the matter is that the living entity is a pure spiritual being, but encased within a material body. What this means is that the individual soul, when in the materially conditioned state, identifies itself as this temporary body, which may, for example, be male or female, black or white, young or old, American or Russian, healthy or sickly, or something else. When the spiritual identity is transferred to the temporary body, all of the desires that the living entity has are then focused on the physical form, centered around the mind and senses. So the living being then tries to seek pleasure and satisfaction by serving the mind and senses. The problem is that there is a lack of reality in material existence since its basis is on the wrong identity. Material activities have little to do with the spiritual being within the body. Therefore, at some point the living being, who is almost lying dormant in the material form, will become restless with this lack of attention for its spiritual needs and start to wake up to the fact that he is still not fulfilled or satisfied, in spite of how many material engagements have occupied him. This then carries over into material consciousness, and the person will then feel unhappy with the way things have gone.

So it is the material mind and senses that have desires for sensual pleasure, which the mind may interpret as happiness. Yet the soul is still waiting for the proper attention to fulfill its own spiritual needs. The soul is simply the observer of material activities, and does not participate in them. It is like watching a movie, or having an out of body experience when merely watching what the body is doing, or what is happening to the body. But the soul is not the material body. It is only within it.¹ The correct understanding is that the gross physical and subtle bodies (consisting of mind, intelligence and false ego) have nothing to do with the pure spirit soul within the body. They are simply a superficial covering of the pure Self.² For this reason it is considered that the most foolish part of spiritual ignorance is identifying with the temporary material body. It is this misconception that precedes the idea that my legs, my hands, or my head are actually myself. Then all that appears to be connected with the body becomes "my" wife, "my" husband, "my" family, "my" property, "my" job or duties, "my" money, and on and on. All this continues without considering that we came into this world with nothing, and when we die we take with us nothing. Then everything in between those two conditions called birth and death are but temporary activities and belongings that do not really have much of a connection with our real identity.³ This is what people forget to consider, and what gives rise to the numerous problems that follow this initial misconception.

The main foolishness of the gross materialistic lifestyle is that people work very hard for what they think will be a permanent home, family, or career. What upsets most people is when they learn or experience that nothing is permanent. Something always happens sooner or later to disrupt or take away what they have been working to accomplish or acquire.⁴ So in truth, the spirit soul only "imagines" or "pretends" (for lack of better words) that he or she is the material body. Yes, the body is real, and so is a dream, but only as long as the person does not wake up from the dream. Once he awakes, then he sees through the illusion of the experience, regardless of how real it may have seemed to be. Similarly, as a person enjoys or suffers in a dream, life on the material plane is also illusory and full of joys and sorrows of short duration that have little to do with the spiritual Self. In this way, without proper regard for our spiritual identity, one thinks he is a permanent part of this temporary world.⁵ The individual and independent soul is transcendental or above the material nature. It exists on a much higher frequency or vibrational level. Thus, the soul can never actually be affected by material happiness or distress. It is only due to the false ego that causes the bodily covering to overwhelm the spiritual being and consider itself a material form. This further creates the tendency for one to enjoy or suffer while influenced by bodily activities, although a person is actually above it all. The purpose of spiritual practices is to relieve a person from this condition, and reawaken one to his genuine spiritual identity. Therefore, once again, because there is no real or permanent connection between the living being and matter, all happiness and distress have no essential reality in material existence. They go on as regular events, with you or without you. The more we think we are these material bodies that need to be served and catered to, the more we will be absorbed in the illusory highs and lows of life, which have little to do with who and what we really are. This is the main reason why our material engagements are limited in how much happiness or pleasure they can ever give us.

ALL SUFFERING EXISTS ONLY WITHIN THE ILLUSION

This is a very important point to understand. No matter what kind of suffering we may feel, whether it is hunger, the need for sleep, our anger, jealously, anxiety, fear of something, it is all based on identifying with our physical or mental well-being. It's all connected with bodily concerns.

If we were really and fully situated in the spiritual aspect of life, we would never feel any suffering. That does not mean that we would not be concerned for those who remain in the illusion of the temporary joys and sorrows of life. Naturally, compassion is one of the feelings of the soul, wanting to do good for others who are all parts of God. But for ourselves, once we are spiritually situated, we can see that happiness and distress in material life is built around mental confusion.⁶ It is our material conditioning that makes us feel that one thing is good or pleasant, and something else is bad or unpleasant. Similarly, our creation of friends and enemies in this world is built on this same sort of mental interpretation and conditioning, like a dream wherein we create so many situations out of imagination or impressions from the subconscious.⁷

The fact is that we are all spiritual beings, sons and daughters of God. Yet, when we are all acting on the impulse that we are these material bodies which need to be satisfied according to the desires in the mind, it forces us to act in many different selfish ways which are then interpreted as being friendly to some and adverse to others. It is all on the illusory stage of material life, each of us wearing a particular costume, yet whose real identity is far different than the part that we play. The spirit soul naturally exists in a unified state of pure consciousness. However, when appearing in this world and in a variety of forms, each can be overwhelmed and mistaken to the purpose of life and our real identity. Thus begins the false conception of life.

Because the material world is an illusion of flickering commodities that are "Here today, gone tomorrow," our numerous attachments tend to be the cause of our anxiety. For example, in thinking that our mortal body is our real self, we become attached to what gives any little pleasure or happiness. Thus, we become attached to our spouses, children, wealth, house, property, or our career. And by trying to hold on to them and keep life balanced so that we can protect all that we have and see that everything flows smoothly, these very attachments put us in a position which creates most of our worry and concern.⁸

In this way, we may begin to see that our position in this world, being a misidentification of what we really are, for the most part, is full of fear.⁹ Not only do we want to maintain what we have, but we must also continue to provide for ourselves and our dependents. We must work for our food, our shelter, clothes, our health, our means of transportation, our protection, and so on. Plus, the problem of finding a perfect mate seems to be an ongoing concern for most people. What if a person can't find someone? Will he or she have to live alone? What if she finds someone and he is not what she was hoping for? Then will she have to start all over again? This just goes on and on, for both men and women. When does it end? Or sometimes even if things are going well, we become afraid of what kind of problem might happen next. Have you ever noticed how some people say that things are going too well, so something bad is going to happen? Or we simply may be afraid of what changes the future might bring. We may feel fear of being homeless, or unemployed, or dumped by our spouse, and worry about the safety of our children, or about death. Therefore, in many ways, the happiness we perceive is merely the forgetfulness of the constant problems that this world presents. However, all of these problems exist only within the illusion that we are these temporary bodies. From that misconception comes all of this fear and the sources of anxiety.

Outside of this illusion, within the real understanding of who and what we are, there is no fear, no suffering, no anxiety, and no wrong choices. That is why, as it is explained in Bhagavad-gita (5.22), a wise person on the spiritual path, or one who knows his real spiritual identity, does not rely on the sources of happiness that come through contact with the material senses because they all have a beginning and an end. When you depend too much on such forms of happiness, such kinds of pleasure can also become sources of misery or disappointment when they are gone. This is another example of how all suffering exists only within the illusion.

Real Truth is not material nor temporary. It is the eternal knowledge of the soul and the one Supreme Soul. Bringing this information into one's life is the way by which we can mitigate the misconceptions we have about ourselves, and bring us out of the illusion and into that strata of never-ending happiness. Then we can really begin to help others and know what is best to do and be happy.

THE WRONG AIM OF LIFE

Because of the bodily conception of our identity, it brings us to the wrong aim of life, which is our motivation toward selfish material enjoyment. This is what keeps us in the illusion and prolongs whatever suffering and anxiety we may be experiencing. For example, when we have worked hard in our life and have struggled to attain a house, and are surrounded by wife or husband, children, community, have an education, a career, or whatever else we have wanted, sometimes we feel very happy. Sometimes we are completely jubilant, yet sometimes we are not so satisfied. At other times we may feel completely bewildered, not sure of what we want. In this way, for whatever reason, things are always changing. Again we find that what we think gives us security or happiness is an illusion because the mood of the mind is always fluctuating. Because of that alone, what once was like nectar in the beginning can become like poison in the end. When something is new it may be exciting, but after some time it can get dry and tasteless. That's the nature of the material world. So if you are looking for steady and sure happiness by being absorbed in the material energy, one must be aware of this shortcoming.

One key point here is that real happiness can be found in any condition, as long as you begin to make the connection with your higher Self. Once you realize that you are a spiritual being, you can understand that you are never connected to matter because you are a part of the superior spiritual energy of God. Always. You are a minute particle of eternity, bliss and omniscience. However, you are part of the marginal potency in the sense that you have the free will to either become absorbed in the material energy or be released from it. It's your decision. Once you make that decision, then you can engage in those practices to raise yourself, your consciousness, to higher levels of perception and attain freedom from the encroaching material problems that can, at times, seem overwhelming. Or you can remain absorbed in relishing whatever attracts your senses and the ups and downs that go with it.

Nonetheless, when the mind is motivated by passion, a person is forced into making many plans. Then he pursues them and voluntarily accepts so many troubles in hopes of attaining happiness and something meaningful in this world as a result of his schemes. Through this means he expects to enjoy life. He sees a beautiful house, and he wants one. He sees a fast car, and he wants one. He sees a lovely lady, and he wants her. This is because he thinks that surrounding himself with such possessions will make him happy. He thinks that once he achieves any of these, then he can relish his accomplishments.¹⁰ This is the way that achieving the results of one's hard work gives a false sense of happiness.¹¹ A person may feel that he has attained his goals, but such happiness soon gives way to the next desire or goal, or even the next problem. The fact of the matter is that one who cannot control his senses comes under the control of never-ending material desires. One with uncontrolled senses never feels satisfied with what he has for long. He always wants more or something new.¹² Thus, without realizing it, he is forced to act on those desires for more and more prizes, accomplishments, and possessions. His life often becomes more complicated, and the happiness he longs for keeps alluding him, like the donkey chasing after the carrot. The donkey does not understand that the more he chases after the carrot, the more he is merely serving a master. Thus, the materialist is forced to continue to serve his unquenchable thirst for material enjoyment at the dictates of the master, known as his mind and senses.

Yet as time goes on, he may question the course of action he has taken. He may indeed look around and wonder why he has not attained the happiness for which he had hoped. He sees that time has slipped away. In fact, he may be an old man, and if he has not kept himself so busy that he has no time to reflect on life, he may start to worry that death is drawing near. His friends may start to die off, giving a warning sign that his turn may be next. At that time, he may feel that all of his prizes, possessions, and property and wealth, have lost the meaning that they once had. They cannot protect him from death, and he has made no spiritual progress to console himself of what future lies ahead of him. Without proper spiritual knowledge, a person is left with nothing but his own ignorance for his counsel in trying to figure what to do. Thus, at death, the materialist is taken away from everything he had worked for and everything that had given him any pleasure, and another life goes by without gaining any substantial understanding of the true purpose of it.

WRONG AMBITIONS AND THEIR HIDDEN RESULTS

As we can see from the above description, and by looking around and noticing the general pattern in which most people are engrossed, those people who are trapped by the desire to enjoy material life cannot understand the real goal of earthly existence. One who is overly attached to the objects of material happiness cannot understand that he is wasting precious time by working to merely maintain house and home.

The real purpose of life is to realize the Absolute Truth, and that chance is spoiled by the pursuit of too many materialistic goals. A foolish person cannot understand that life offers the chance for real liberation, freedom from the limitations that capture a person while in this material creation, and freedom from the essential problems of life, starting with birth, disease, old age and death.¹³

Unfortunate as it may be, those interested in enjoying a so-called beautiful life, surrounded by family and friends, and searching after wealth, think that such things are life's ultimate goal. Such people never find life's true purpose. Thus, they are forced to go through many lifetimes engaged in the same pursuits.¹⁴ In this way, the conditioned soul continues to wander throughout the world in various lives searching after the same happiness as always. Sometimes he may be fortunate in a high position, and at other times he may suffer in a low circumstance. In any case, in his search for material happiness he is ever neglecting the way toward real freedom from these continuous ups and downs.¹⁵

As we all know, while living in the material world, we do need to make a living, and have money and necessities to survive. Nonetheless, a spiritually progressive person is not so interested in anything that is temporary. When he or she knows the transcendental pleasures of spiritual life, such a person will engage in the spiritual pursuits that deliver one to the unlimited happiness within the Absolute Truth, in connection with one's higher Self and the Supreme Being. After all, materialistic pleasures are available even to the hogs and dogs who also eat, sleep and have sex. What is the need for a human being to strive so hard for the same thing? Better to strive for spiritual purification which allows our consciousness to enter into the spiritual strata wherein exists unlimited transcendental bliss. In such a state, the living being can attain self-sufficient happiness and feel that wherever he may be and at all times, without being dependent on temporary material facilities for sensual pleasure.

Therefore, the key point is that, yes, work to maintain yourself, keep your body and soul fit. Work to attain basic happiness while living in this world, but keep your life simple. This allows you to be free from the many complexities that actually create more problems and less peace of mind. Raise your family peacefully, if you have one. However, we should keep in mind that we must not be overly attached or affectionate to anything without striving for spiritual consciousness. Such material attachment without the spiritual perspective is what leads us farther away from the true happiness and contentment that we seek.¹⁶ We must reflect on how we can continue to aspire for keeping all of our relations in the proper frame work of spiritual Truth. That is where we all, not only ourselves but also the people with whom we are involved, can be truly happy and peaceful.

As it is questioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.13.50): "Who, other than one who is not a human being, can exist in this world and not be interested in the ultimate goal of life? Who can refuse the nectar of narrations about the Personality of Godhead's activities, which itself can deliver one from all material pangs?" This is the highest aim of life. Thus, it is clearly understood that only those in the lower stages of consciousness, such as the annamaya, pranamaya, and manomaya, and even the lower levels of vijnanamaya, would not be concerned about this ultimate purpose of human existence wherein is found the highest levels of happiness and pleasure.

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