Joyful Living

[Based on Chapter 15: Vishayananda Prakaranam

of Panchadashi of Sri Vidyaranya Swami]

Course material written and dedicated to Swami Paramarthananda

by
Raja Subramaniyan (joyfulliving@gmail.com)
October 2008
 Module O

Joy of
The Objects

594
Unit 01: Objects of the world Number of Sessions: 4
(O01 – O04)
Number of Lessons: 3

On completion of this unit, the student-teacher will be able to

(a) Understand the role of objects in leading us to Joyful Living

Notes to the teacher: (Ref 15.01 and 15.35 of the original text)

Unit Test: Session O04

1. What is the relationship between knowledge and desire?

2. What are the two roles played by the objects of the world with reference to
happiness?
3. What is the role of Aura, Energy and Matter with respect to our ability to
reflect ONE?
4. How can a person move from enjoying the bliss of the objects to enjoying
eternal bliss?

595
Lesson 1: Objects and Happiness Session: O01

It is not possible for anyone to desire an unknown object. Desire presupposes

knowledge. Intensity of the desire depends on depth of the knowledge.

Example: Prior to introduction of mobile phone services in the country,

there was no one who had the desire to buy a mobile phone. When it is
introduced, those who had the knowledge of its existence, desired to buy
it. Only when more people gained knowledge the desire became
widespread. Desire for buying a mobile will become intense when
someone known to us buys one.

All human beings want to be happy. This desire for happiness is not possible if
people do not know what happiness means. Everyone has experienced complete
happiness sometime or other. Most people recall that their childhood days were
full of happiness. Since they have complete knowledge of happiness, everyone
desires to be happy all the time and no one wants to be unhappy at anytime.

This experience of happiness is possible through objects of the world. As child,

they were happy with toys, balloon and chocolates. As they grew their source of
happiness shifted to more complicated objects and which were not as easy to
obtain as before. Therefore, money became an important instrument to gain
happiness.

Thus, objects of the world serve two opposite functions.

1. They serve as a means of happiness. Without objects of the world, so
many people would not have been exposed to the experience of
happiness. Objects, by providing the experience of happiness, have
provided a goal for all human beings, which is to work for happiness.
2. They have misguided people into wrong path. While helping the people to
set the right goal of seeking the happiness, they have given the wrong
idea that the original source of happiness is within the objects. Therefore,
people are involved in material pursuit with a hope that soon they will have
enough money to make their life joyful.

Since it serves as the initial gateway to happiness to most of the people, it is

important to understand the objects of the world.

Objects of the world comprises of everything that we perceive. They include all
inert objects, living beings, events in life and intangible objects like power,
position, property etc. They promise happiness to people. This happiness is
enjoyed by people at three levels. At the physical level, the objects of the world
give happiness to a person by coming into contact with the sense organs. By
developing positive emotions on certain objects, people enjoy happiness at the
mental level. Finally by gaining knowledge on the objects, people enjoy
happiness at the intellectual level.

596
Lesson 2: ONE and the objects Session: O02

ONE is the only reality and the entire universe is illusion superimposed on it.
ONE has three natures namely existence, consciousness and bliss. However,
only human beings are capable of reflecting all these three aspects.

Example: The nature of fire is three-fold. 1. It self luminous. 2. It gives out

heat and 3. It illumines other objects. When the fire is applied to water, the
water does not reflect all the three nature of fire. Only the heat is accepted
and reflected by the water. An iron ball has the capacity to receive both
the heat and self-illumining capability from fire. A wood on the other hand
receives all the three aspects from fire and it becomes part of the fire.

Similarly, although all the objects in the world are illumined by ONE, the inert
objects reflect only one aspect of ONE, namely existence. The living beings are
capable of reflecting the consciousness in addition to existence. Only the human
beings have the capability to reflect all the three aspects of ONE.

All the objects in the creation including our body/mind complex are made up of
three elements namely Aura, Energy and Matter. The composition in which our
mind is made up determines whether all the three aspects (Existence,
Consciousness and Bliss) are reflected in it or only two aspects (Existence and
Consciousness) are reflected. The bliss aspect of ONE is not reflected in all the
human beings at all times.

Mostly during the early morning time soon after waking up the mind will be
dominated by Aura for a while. During this period the bliss aspect of ONE will be
reflected in the mind.

Example: The sun is reflected in the water. If the water is clear, the
reflection will also be clear and the reflected light will be as bright as the
original sun. However, in a gutter, where lots of dirty materials float on the
water, the reflection of the sun will not be bright.

Similarly, only when a mind is dominated by Aura, it has the clarity and purity to
reflect the bliss aspect of ONE. At other times, when Energy takes over, the mind
is polluted with action and the clarity to reflect the natural bliss is lost. Similarly,
when one fells lazy, an indication of Matter element taking over the control, it is
not possible to feel the natural happiness of ONE.

A wise person, who has completely understood the nature of ONE and stands
steady in the knowledge, has the capability to reflect the bliss aspect of ONE at
all times. Although his mind may also oscillate between the domination of the
three elements, it would have acquired adequate level of Aura domination to
reflect ONE at all times. Therefore, a wise person lives life joyfully without the
anxiety of the events of the world reflecting the natural happiness all the time.

597
Lesson 3: Happiness in the objects Session: O03

The happiness that we seem to get from the objects of the world is in reality our
own natural happiness.
Example: A lion looking into the well sees its own reflection and assumes
that it is another lion.
Similarly, we see our own natural happiness in the objects of the world and
assume that it is different. The happiness that we seem to get from the objects of
the world is divided and never complete. Our natural happiness is holistic and
complete. In addition, it is homogeneous and indivisible.

Example: The sunlight is only one and it is homogeneous and indivisible.

However, there are many small reflections of sunlight depending on the medium
in which it is reflected. Such reflections vary from one another with respect to
luminosity and intensity. However, the source for all the reflections is only one.
Similarly, the happiness that is enjoyed by all the beings belong to ONE and it is
one homogenous and indivisible mass.

An Aura dominant mind is detached from the objects of the world and therefore it
reflects the bliss of ONE efficiently.

An Energy dominant mind is attached to objects and harbinger of jealousy, greed

and such negative emotions. Such a mind is clouded and dirty and therefore it
does not reflect the bliss of ONE.

A Matter dominant mind is full of confusion and lethargy and there will be no
trace of bliss. In addition, even the consciousness aspect of ONE will be
obscured in such a mind.

The mind of everyone invariably keeps changing because the dominance of

Aura, Energy and Matter keep changing. Through appropriate food, meditation
and practice of virtues, it is possible to increase the Aura dominance to a level
where one can gain the complete knowledge of ONE. Once the knowledge of
ONE is gained, then through practice of being steady in the knowledge, one can
become a wise person.

A wise person goes beyond the influence of the mind. He is the true reflection of
ONE reflecting existence, consciousness and bliss at all times. His own mind will
be recognized as a part of the ever changing illusion. The movement of mind
between the dominance of Aura, Energy and Matter element will be understood
as the power of ONE in sustaining the illusory universe. Differences between
knower, known and knowing will merge and there will be nothing but ONE.

Thus a person can move from enjoying the bliss of objects of the world, can
move on to recognize that he is beyond mind and thereby become eternal bliss.

598