Thursday, 16 April 2026
(Vaisakha Krishna Chaturdashi)
(Further from the previous blog)
CHAPTER 9: EQUALLY UTILISING HAPPINESS & MISERY
The beliefs mentioned above can help individuals progress spiritually. Conversely, those who attribute their happiness or sadness to external beings or material possessions often experience various downfalls. This is because such individuals become attached to the material things or people they think bring them happiness. On the other hand, they may develop resentment toward those they believe are responsible for their misery or sadness. This attachment and resentment lead to constant preoccupation with these people and things, resulting in an impure and troubled mind. Consequently, these individuals are unable to find peace at any moment.
When seekers hold no enmity or grudge against anyone or anything, they develop an equal love for everyone. Affection that arises from attachment or selfishness cannot be defined as true love; it is moha (infatuation or attachment). This type of affection is limited to specific people or objects and is not all-pervading. Such individuals often harbour feelings of hatred or enmity. In contrast, someone who can overcome feelings of hatred or enmity towards others is capable of loving everyone equally. This represents love in its purest form. In this type of love, there are no expectations or obligations towards anyone. Although it may seem directed towards living beings, it ultimately reflects the love for God. The scriptures teach that both happiness and misery should be treated equally. The purpose of this instruction is to ensure that the ultimate outcome of both experiences is the same; there should be no variation in their results. As mentioned earlier, when seekers do not attribute their happiness or misery to external sources and consider one of the following reasons instead:
- The effects of past karma
- Ignoring one’s viveka
- The grace or will of God
They will perceive no difference between happiness and misery. For such a person, adverse circumstances may also appear as favourable, leading to happiness and personal growth. The seeker is inspired to move towards:
- Transitioning from material indulgence to yoga
- Transforming from the experience of death to the pursuit of eternal life
- Shifting from feelings of attachment and hatred to a state of love
- (Rest in the next blog) From the book “The Grace of a Great Sage”
(Page No. 22-23)