In a quiet hermitage on the banks of a river, a young disciple once approached his Guru. The forest was calm, birds were singing, and the air itself seemed filled with peace. Yet the disciple’s mind was restless.
He bowed respectfully and asked,
“Gurudev, everyone in this world runs after happiness. But what is true happiness? Is there an order to happiness, or are all pleasures the same?”
The Guru smiled gently and said,
“My child, happiness is not one-dimensional. Indian philosophy explains happiness as a journey—from the gross to the subtle, and from the subtle to the eternal. Sit beside me, and I shall tell you this truth as a story.”
The First Lesson: Pleasure of the Senses
The Guru picked up a flower, a fruit, and a small bell.
“Tell me,” he asked, “what gives you pleasure when you see this flower?”
“The beauty, Gurudev,” replied the disciple.
“And this fruit?”
“The taste,” said the disciple.
“And the bell?”
“The sound,” he answered.
The Guru nodded.
“These are sensory pleasures—pleasures born from the senses. They follow an order.”
He explained:
Pleasure of touch gives physical comfort but fades quickly.
Pleasure of taste is stronger but still temporary.
Pleasure of sight is more refined and uplifting.
Pleasure of smell is subtle and deeply affecting.
Pleasure of sound—music, mantra, noble words—is the highest among sensory pleasures.
“Among the senses,” the Guru said, “sound is the most subtle and the most powerful.”
The disciple listened carefully.
The Second Lesson: Pleasure of Action (Karmendriyas)
The Guru then pointed toward the hermitage activities—students serving, sages walking, scriptures being read.
“Now observe,” he said. “Not all happiness comes from enjoying objects. Some happiness comes from doing.”
He continued:
“There are pleasures linked to actions—called the pleasures of the organs of action.”
He explained their order:
Relief from bodily functions gives basic comfort.
Pleasure of physical enjoyment binds a person strongly.
Pleasure of working with the hands—service, creation, charity—brings satisfaction.
Pleasure of moving with purpose—walking, traveling, striving—uplifts the mind.
Pleasure of speech—truthful words, teaching, prayer, chanting—is the highest among action-based pleasures.
The Guru said softly,
“Speech has the power to uplift many minds at once. Therefore, among all actions, pure speech gives the greatest joy.”
The Third Lesson: Pleasure of the Subtle Body
The disciple then asked,
“Gurudev, are these the highest forms of happiness?”
The Guru closed his eyes for a moment and replied,
“No, my child. Beyond senses and actions lies the subtle body—the inner world of mind and intelligence.”
He explained gently:
Pleasure of the mind arises from desires, imagination, and memories, but it is unstable.
Pleasure of the chitta comes from inner calm, good impressions, and early meditation.
Pleasure of the ego arises from achievement, recognition, and the feeling ‘I am the doer’.
Pleasure of the intellect arises from knowledge, discrimination, and realization of truth.
The Guru concluded:
“Among all inner pleasures, the joy of the intellect—born of wisdom—is the highest. It is closest to eternal bliss.”
The Final Teaching: Beyond All Pleasure
The disciple sat silently. After a while, he asked,
“Gurudev, is there anything beyond this?”
The Guru opened his eyes and smiled.
“Yes. Beyond sensory pleasure, beyond action-based joy, and beyond even intellectual happiness, lies Ä€tmic Bliss—the bliss of the Self. That bliss is not temporary. It does not depend on objects, actions, or thoughts. It is eternal.”
He added:
“Worldly pleasures feel like nectar in the beginning but turn into poison in the end. Self-realization alone gives everlasting peace.”
Conclusion
The disciple bowed deeply.
“Now I understand, Gurudev,” he said. “Happiness is not to be chased outward, but realized inward.”
The Guru blessed him and said,
“Walk this path with awareness, and happiness shall no longer be a search—it will become your nature.”
Thus, Indian philosophy teaches us that true happiness is a gradual ascent—from sensory pleasure, to purposeful action, to inner wisdom, and finally to eternal bliss.
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