Nature of Happiness and Perception

nature of happiness | If a man thinks that his happiness is due to external causes and his possessions, it is reasonable to conclude that his happiness must increase with the increase of possessions and diminish in proportion to their diminution. Therefore if he is devoid of possessions, his happiness should be nil.

What is the real experience of man? Does it conform to this view? In deep sleep the man is devoid of possessions, including his own body. Instead of being unhappy he is quite happy. Everyone desires to sleep soundly. The conclusion is that happiness is inherent in man and is not due to external causes. One must realise his Self in order to open the store of unalloyed happiness.

nature of perception | Whatever state one is in, the perceptions partake of that state. The explanation is that in the waking state (jagrat) the gross body perceives gross names and forms; in swapna (the dream state) the mental body perceives the mental creations in their manifold forms and names; in the sushupti (deep dreamless sleep), the identification with the body being lost, there are no perceptions; similarly in the Transcendental state identity with Brahman (God) places the man in harmony with everything, and there is nothing apart from his (Divine) Self.

- Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950), probably the most famous Indian sage of the twentieth century. Selection from Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, Volume I, 15th May, 1935

. free PDF books download: Talk with Ramana Maharshi and more
. Sri Ramana Maharshi website
. Realization.org
. book extracts: Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
. Ramana Maharshi - Sage of Arunachala Hill

thanks to Gautham Rao for presenting this beautiful resource.