Happiness gained through meditation
"áááŹá¸áĄáŹá¸ááŻáášáťááášá¸áá˝ ááá˝ááąáᏠá
ááášááşáášá¸ááŹáá"
The third step in the management of stress is the cultivation of wholesome mental habits through meditation (bhavana). Just as we look after and nurture our body with proper food and cleanliness, the mind too needs proper nourishment and cleansing. The mind is most violent in its untrained state, but when it is tamed and made more stable it brings great happiness.
á ááášááááŽá¸ááááᯠáąáťááá˝áášá¸ááŹáá˝áŹ áąááŹáášááźáášáááášáˇ áááá áĄááášáˇááąááŹáˇ ááŹáááŹáááŹá¸ ááźáŹá¸ááşáŹá¸áĄáŹá¸ááŻáášáᏠáąááŹáášá¸ááźáášáá˛áˇ á ááášáĄáąááˇáĄááşáášáˇááᯠááşááłá¸áąááŹáášáąáá¸áťááášá¸ áťáá ášááŤááášá áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻááá˛á áááŻáášáááśáŹááᯠáááášá¸áááášá¸áąá áŹáášáˇáąáá˝áŹáášáťááŽá¸ áá˝áşááá˛áˇ áĄá áŹá¸áĄáąááŹáášá ááášáá áášáąáá¸áááá˛á áťááłá áŻááşááłá¸áąááŹááš áąáá¸ááááᯠá ááášáááŻááášá¸ áá˝áášááášáá˛áˇ á ááášáĄááŹáááŹáášá áá˝áášááášáá˛áˇ á ááášááášáá áášáąáá¸áá˛á áťááłá áŻááşááłá¸áąááŹáášáąáá¸áááŻá áááŻáĄáášááŤááášá á ááášáᏠáąááˇááşáášáˇáąáá¸áááŹá¸áá˛áˇ áĄáąáááŹá¸áĄáááŻáášá¸áááŻáááš áĄááźáášááᯠááášá ááš ážááášá¸ážááłáášááŤááášá ááášá¸ááᯠáááášá¸ááşáłáášáąáá¸áááŻá ááášáťáááášááźáŹá¸áá˛áˇ áĄááŤáá˝áŹáąááŹáˇ áĄááźááš á ááášááşáášá¸ááŹáá ááá˝ááąá ááŤááášá
Buddhism prescribes two fundamental meditative methods of mind-training called samatha and vipassana, calm and insight. The former is the method of calming the shaky mind, while the latter is the method of comprehending the true nature of bodily and mental phenomena. Both methods are extremely helpful for overcoming stress. The Buddha explains with the help of five appropriate similes how meditation reduces the psychological stress. The man who practices meditation gains a great sense of relief and it is this sense of unburdening oneselfâ that the similes illustrate. They are as follows:
ááŻááśááŹááŹá á ááášáżáááášááášáááá˝áášáˇ áááŻá¸ááźáášá¸áĄáťááášáááŻááášáˇ áááá ááááááŹáąáá á ááášáááŻáąááˇááşáášáˇáąáá¸áá˛áˇ áĄáąáťáááś áááŹá¸áĄáŹá¸ááŻáášááášá¸ áá˝á ášááášá¸ááᯠáąááŹášááŻáášááŹá¸ááŤááášá áááááášá¸ (ááá) á áááášáá˝áŹá¸áąááá˛áˇ á ááášááᯠáťáááášááášáąá áá˛áˇ ááášá¸áťáá ášááŤááášá áąááŹáášáá ášááášá¸ (ááááááŹ) ááąááŹáˇ ááŻáášáá˝áášáˇ ááŹáášáá˛á áĄá á ášáĄáá˝ááš áááŹáááᯠááŹá¸ááášááąááŹáąááŤáášáąá áá˛áˇ ááášá¸áťáá ášááŤááášá áá˝á ášááášá¸ááśáŻá¸áᏠá ááášááááŽá¸ááááᯠáąááşáŹášáááŹá¸áááŻáášáááš áĄááźáášááĄááźááš áĄááśáŻá¸ááášááŤááášá áťááášááŻááśá áááŹá¸áĄáŹá¸ááŻáášáťááášá¸áťááášáˇ á ááášááááŽá¸áá áąááşáŹáˇááşáąá ááśáŻááᯠááŽáąááşáŹášáá˛áˇ áĽáááŹááŤá¸ááşááłá¸áĄáá°áá˛á áá˝áášá¸ááášá¸áťáááŤááášá áááŹá¸áĄáŹá¸ááŻáášáá°áᏠáĄááźááš á ááášáąáĄá¸ááşáášá¸áá ááśá áŹá¸áááŤááášá áĄá˛ááŽááśá áŹá¸ááşáášáᏠáĽáááŹááşáŹá¸áá˛á áááŻáášáąááŹášááŹá¸áá˛áˇ á ááášááááŽá¸ááśááťááášá¸áá˝ ááźáášáąáťááŹáášáá°áá˛á ááśá áŹá¸ááááşááłá¸áťáá ášááŤááášá áĄá˛ááŤáąááźááąááŹáˇ áąáĄáŹáášáąááŹášáťáááŤáĄáááŻáášá¸áťáá ášááŤááášá
A man who has raised capital for a business by taking a loan, prospers in business, pays off the loanâ and manages his day-to-day affairs with financialâ ease. Such a man experiences a great sense of relief. The second simile portrays a man who has suffered a great deal with a prolonged chronic illness. He gets well at long last, food becomes palatable to him and he gains physical strength. Great is the relief such a man experiences.
áąááźáąááşá¸áá˝áŹá¸áťááŽá¸ á áŽá¸ááźáŹá¸áĄááźááš áĄááášá¸áĄáá˝áŽá¸ááŻáášáá° áá ášáąááŹáášáᏠá áŽá¸ááźáŹá¸ áťáá ášááźáášá¸ááźáŹá¸ááášá áąááşá¸áąááźáťááášááášáťááŽá¸ áá ášáąááááşáášá¸ ááŻáášáááášáˇ áĄááŻáášáąááźááᯠáąááźáąáá¸áąážáá¸áąáḠáĄááášáĄáá˛ááá˝á á áŽááśááášáááźá˛ááášá áááŻáá°áᏠáĄááźááš á ááášáąáĄá¸ááşáášá¸áá˛áˇ ááśá áŹá¸áá ááśá áŹá¸áááŤááášá ááŻááá áĽáááŹááąááŹáˇ áĄážááŽá¸á áŹá¸ ááŹááŹáá˝áášáąááŹá፠ááśá áŹá¸áąáááá°áá ášáąááŹáášáá˛á áááŻáášáąááŹášááŤááášá áááŻáá°áᏠááŹáá˝áášáąááŹááŤááśá áŹá¸áąáááŹáá˝ áťááášáąááŹáášá¸ááźáŹá¸ááášá á áŹá¸áąááŹáášááᏠáĄáááŹáá˝áááźáŹá¸áťááŽá¸ áááśáŹáááŻááš áĄáŹá¸áĄáášáťááášáˇáťáááłá¸ááźáŹá¸ááášá áááŻáá°áᏠáĄááźááš á ááášááşáášá¸ááŹááááśá áŹá¸áááŤááášá
The third simile speaks of the relief a prisoner enjoys after being released from a long term in jail. The fourth is the slave who gains freedom from slavery. The fifth simile speaks of the relief which a man enjoys on coming to a place of safety after getting lost in a fearful desert without food. When the stress caused by the five hindrances is eliminated from the mind, great joy and delight arise similar to the relief enjoyed by the men described in the âsimiles. The best and most effective way of overcoming stress is the practice of meditation. But as a prelude to that at least the Five Precepts must be observed.
ááŹááá˝ááš áĄááşáĽášá¸ááşáąáááŹáá˝ ááźáášáąáťááŹáášááŹáá° áĄááşáĽášá¸ááŹá¸áá ášáąááŹááš ááśá áŹá¸ááá˛áˇ á ááášááşáášá¸ááŹáááá˛á áááá áĽáááŹááᯠáťááááŻááŤááášá á ááŻááłá áá˝áźáášáĄáťáá ášáá˝ ááźáášáąáťááŹáášááźáášáˇááá˛áˇ áá˝áźáášáá ášáąááŹááš áĽáááŹáťáá ášááŤááášá ááŞáĽá áĽáááŹááąááŹáˇ áĄá áŹáąáá áŹáťááášááášáťááŽá¸ áąážááŹáášá áᏠááá˛áŹááĄááźáášá¸ ááášá¸áąááşáŹáášáąáááŹáá˝ áĄáá˛ááŹáášááášá¸ááášáˇ áąáááŹáááŻá áąááŹáášááŹáá°áá ášáĽáŽá¸ ááśá áŹá¸ááá˛áˇ á ááášááşáášá¸ááŹáááá˛á áťááááŻááŤááášá ááŽáááááŤá¸ááŤá¸áąážááŹáášáˇ áťáá ášáąáááá˛áˇ ááááŽá¸ááááᯠá ááášáá˛ááąá áá˝áášá¸ááŻáášáááŻáášáá˛áˇáĄá፠áĽáááŹááşáŹá¸áá˝áášáˇ áąááŹášáťáááŹá¸áá°áąááź ááśá áŹá¸ááá˛áˇ á ááášááşáášá¸ááŹáááá˛á áĄááŹá¸áá°ááášáˇ áĄááźááš áąááşááášáááá˛á ááášá¸áąáťááŹáášáá áąáááąááŤáášááŹááŤááášá á ááášááááŽá¸ááááᯠáĄáąááŹáášá¸ááśáŻá¸áá˛á áĄáááąááŹáášááśáŻá¸ áąááşáŹášáááŹá¸ááášá¸ááąááŹáˇ áááŹá¸áĄáŹá¸ááŻáášáá˛áˇ áĄáąááˇááşáášáˇáťáá ášááŤááášá ááŤáąáááášáˇ áááŹá¸áĄáŹá¸áááŻáášáááš áąáá˝á¸áĽáŽá¸á áźáŹ ááŤá¸ááŤá¸ááŽá ááśáá°áąááŹáášááášáááŤááášá
Happiness through cultivation of positive emotions
áĄáťááłááąáᏠá
ááášááśá
áŹá¸ááşáášááşáŹá¸ááᯠááşááłá¸áąááŹáášáąáá¸ááŹáá˝ ááá˝ááąáᏠá
ááášááşáášá¸ááŹáá
The cultivation of positive emotions such as loving- kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita), and equanimity (upekkha) is another means of conquering stress. Strained interpersonal relations is one of the common causes of stress in household life and in the workplace. Loving kindness is the positive wholesome attitude one can cultivate with benefit for oneself and others in all interpersonal relationships. Compassion is the positive emotion which one should cultivate to help those in distress.
áąáááąáŹá áááŻááŹá ááŻááááŹá áĽáąáááĄáŹáá˛áˇáááŻááąáᏠáĄáťááłááąáᏠá ááášááśá áŹá¸ááşáášááşáŹá¸ááᯠááşááłá¸áąááŹáášáąáá¸áťááášá¸áᏠá ááášááááŽá¸ááááᯠáąááşáŹášáááŹá¸áááŻáášáá˛áˇ áĄáťááŹá¸ááášá¸ááášá¸áťáá ášááŤááášá áĄááášáąááŹáášá áŻáĄááźáášá¸á ááŻáášááášá¸ááźáášáĄááźáášá¸ ááąáťááťáá ášáąáᏠáá°ááááášááśáąáá¸ááşáŹá¸ááŹááášá¸ á ááášááááŽá¸ááááᯠáťáá ášáąáááąá áá˛áˇ áąáááŻááş áĄáąážááŹáášá¸áąááźáá˛áá˝áŹ áá ášááŻáĄááŤááášáťáá ášááŤááášá áąáááąáŹáᏠáá°ááááášááśáąáá¸ááášááášáĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸ááźááš áááááąáᏠáĄáťááŹá¸áá°ááşáŹá¸á፠áĄááşááłá¸ááá˝ááááš ááźáŹá¸ááşáŹá¸áááŻáášááášáˇ áĄáťááłááąááŹáąááŹáášáťááŽá¸ áąááşáŹášááášááášáˇáťááášáá˛áˇ á ááášááąááŹááŹá¸ áťáá ášááŤááášá áááŻááŹááąááŹáˇ á ááášáąááŹááąááŹáášáąááá°áąááźááᯠáá°ááŽáááš ááźáŹá¸ááşáŹá¸ááášáˇáá˛áˇ áĄáťááłááąáᏠá ááášááśá áŹá¸áááťáá ášááŤááášá
Sympathetic joy is the ability to rejoice in the joy of another. It is difficult for a man of mean character to entertain this attitude as the joy of another brings jealousy to the mind of such a person. Where there is jealousy there is no unity, and where there is no unity there is no progress. The cultivation of these positive emotions stands for both material and spiritual progress. Equanimity is the attitude to be adopted in the face of the vicissitudes of life.
ááŻááááŹá áá°áá ášááŤá¸áąáĄáŹáášáťááášááááᯠááášá¸áąáťááŹáášááášá¸ááŹáťáá ášáá˛áˇ áĄááášáĄááşáášá¸áťáá ášááŤááášá ááŤáᏠááźáášááááŻáá˛áˇ áĄááşáášáˇá áááŻááš áá˝ááá°áĄááźááš ááášááśáááŻáášáááŻá ááášáá˛áąáᏠá ááášááąááŹááŹá¸ áťáá ášááŤááášá áá°áá ášááŤá¸áąáĄáŹáášáťááášáááᏠááźáášááááŻááášáá°áá˛á á ááášáá˛áááŻá áááŹáááŻáá áťáá ášáąáááąá ááŹáąážááŹáášáˇááŤá áááŹáááŻá áááš áá˝ááááš á áášá¸ááśáŻá¸ááŽááźáášáá ááá˝ááá°á¸á á áášá¸ááśáŻá¸ááŽáŤáźáášáá ááá˝ááááš ááááŻá¸ááášááŤáá°á¸á áᎠáĄáťááłááąáᏠá ááášááśá áŹá¸ááááşáŹá¸ááᯠáťááłá áŻááşááłá¸áąááŹáášáťááášá¸áᏠááŻáášáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášáᏠáááŻá¸ááášááá á ááášáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášáᏠáááŻá¸ááášáá áá˝á ášááŻááśáŻá¸áĄááźááš áťáá ášááŤááášá áĽáąáááĄáŹááąááŹáˇ áĄáąááŹáášá¸áĄáááŻá¸ áąááŹáááśáááŹá¸áąááźááᯠááášáááŻáášááŹáá˝áŹ áąááźá¸áťáá´ááášáˇáá˛áˇ á ááášááąááŹááŹá¸áťáá ášááŤááášá
There are eight the vicissitudes that we have to face in life. They are gain (Labha) and loss (Alabha), fame (Yasa) and lack of fame (Ayasa), praise (Ninna) and blame (Pasamsa), happiness (Sukha) and sorrow (Dukkha). If one trains oneself to maintain an equanimous temperament without being either elated or dejected in the face of these vicissitudes, one can avoid much stress and lead a simple life with peace and contentment.
áááá˝áŹ áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá ááášáááŻáášážááśáłáąááźááááášáˇ áąááŹáááśáááŹá¸ áá˝á ášááŤá¸áá˝áááŤááášá áĄá˛ááŤáąááźááąááŹáˇ ááťááášá¸ (ááŹá)á áááťááášá¸ (áĄááŹá)á áąááşáŹášáąá áŹáťááášá¸ (áá)á ááąááşáŹášáąá áŹáťááášá¸ (áĄáá)á áá˛áˇáá˛áťááášá¸ (ááááˇáŹ)á ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸áťááášá¸ (áááśááŹ) áááŻá áťáá ášááŤááášá áááášáááŻá áá°áá ášáąááŹáášáᏠáąááŹáááśáááŹá¸áąááźáá˛á ááášáááŻáášááá˛áˇáĄá፠áááášáááŻáášáťááášá¸ ááťáá ášáᲠááŤáá˝áááŻááš á ááášáááşáášá¸ááᏠááťáá ášáᲠááášáťáááášáá˛áˇ á ááášááášá¸ááᯠáááášá¸áááŻáášáąáĄáŹááš áąááˇááşáášáˇáąáá¸áááš á ááášááááŽá¸ááááᯠáąáá˝áŹáášáá˝áŹá¸áááŻáášáťááŽá¸ áąáĄá¸áąáĄá¸ááşáášá¸ááşáášá¸áá˝áášáˇ áĄáŹá¸ááąááşááášá ááŹáąááŹáášá¸áá˛áˇ áááŻá¸áááŻá¸áá˝áášá¸áá˝áášá¸ áááá˛á áąááááŻáášáá˝áŹáťáá ášááŤááášá
We cannot change the world in order to get happiness. But we can change our attitude towards the world so as to remain unaffected by the stresses exerted by events around us. Buddhism teaches the way to bring about this wholesome change of attitude. Poor and helpless animals are being tortured or killed by the so-called civilised men in their pursuit of sport and adventure. The innocent animals are exploited to gratify and satisfy the cravings of modern society. So many have to suffer and die for the entertainment and pleasure of a few.
áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻááᏠá ááášááşáášá¸ááŹáá ááá˝ááááš áąááŹááááŽá¸ááᯠááąáťááŹáášá¸áá˛áááŻáášááŤáá°á¸á ááŤáąáááášáˇ áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá ááášááášá¸ááşáášáá˝ áĄáťáá ášáĄááşáášááşáŹá¸á ááášáąááŹáášáąá áá˛áˇ á ááášááááŽá¸áááąááź ááá°á¸á áášáąá áááš áąááŹááĄáąáá ááŹá¸áá˝ááá˛áˇ áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻááá˛á ááąááŹááŹá¸áááŻáąááŹáˇ áąáťááŹáášá¸áá˛áááŻáášááŤááášá ááŻááśááŤáá áąááŹáášá¸ááźáášáá˛áˇ á ááášááąááŹááŹá¸ áĄáąáťááŹáášá¸áᲠáąáááąááŤáášáąá ááášáˇ ááášá¸ááᯠááášá¸áŤááášáąáá¸ááŤááášá áááŹá¸á ááŹáąááŹáášá¸áťááŽá¸ áĄáá°ááŽáá˛áˇáąááá˛áˇ áááá á§áŹáášááşáŹá¸áᏠááĽášáąááşá¸ááŤááášáááŻáá˛áˇ áá°ááŹá¸áąááźáá˛á áĄáąááşáŹášáĄááŤá¸áá˛á á áźáášáá áŹá¸áá áá˝áŹáąááźááŹáá˝áŹ ááášáťááášááśáąááááŤááášá áĄáťáá ášáá˛áˇáá˛áˇ áááá á§áŹáášááşáŹá¸áᏠááşáášáąáá˝áŹáášáąáááš áá°ááĄááźá˛ááĄá áášá¸áá˛á áĄáŹááŹáťááášá¸áťááá áĄáááŻáááľáąááźáťááášáˇáąáĄáŹááš áťááášáˇááášá¸áąáá¸ááŹáá˝áŹ áĄááśáŻá¸ááşááśáąááááŤááášá áĄááášá¸ááášáąáᏠáąááşáŹášáąáťááááá˛á áąááşáŹášáááášáááĄááźááš áááá á§áŹááš áĄááşáŹá¸áĄáťááŹá¸ ááášá¸áá˛ááŻááĄááśá áŹá¸áťááŽá¸ áąáááźá˛ááášááá˝áŹááŤááášá
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