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Sadhana Panchakam

Path to Joyful Living - Part-2
[Based on Sadhana Panchakam of Adi Sankara]
By Raja Subramaniyan

Introduction
1. Introduction to Life
2. Introduction to Joyful Living
3. Introduction to the Path to Joyful Living
4. Introduction to the Role of our mind
5. Introduction to the Nature of our mind
6. Introduction to the Solution

Step 1 - Getting a matured mind - Theory
7. Understanding desires
8. Understanding the role of God
9. Understanding the cause-effect relationship
10. Understanding the purpose of doing work
11. Understanding the rights-duties relationship

Step 2 - Getting a matured mind - Practice
12. Dynamic starting point
13. Overview of the path
14. Physical fitness
15. Mental fitness
16. Minimum qualification
17. Initial enquiry
18. Initial Action
19. Earning and spending money
20. Self-restriction/ penance
21. Developing Discrimination
22. Developing Dispassion
23. Developing Deep Desire
24. Shift the focus from material to spiritual life

Step 3 - Spiritual Enquiry - Practice
25. Restraining the sense organs
26. Restraining the organs of action
27. Farewell to material pursuit

Step 4 - Spiritual Enquiry - Theory
28. Commencement of spiritual enquiry
29. Enquiry on the Holy Scripture
30. Learning from the teacher
31. Reflecting on the teaching
32. Inner transformation

Destination
33. Glimpse of Joyful Living

34. Summary
35. Summary - Stage I
36. Summary - Stage II
37. Summary - Stage III
38. Summary - Stage IV
39. Conclusion

1. Introduction to life

If we are to take a birds eye view of our life, we will get a very clear idea on where we are heading. The purpose of doing this exercise is to decide whether any course correction is required.

We have been traveling from birth. The first part of our journey was under the influence of our elders. We need to take a critical view of the second part that starts from our adulthood.

During this period, our goal and priorities in life are constantly changing. In addition, the nature of our experience varies widely. If we observe carefully, we will find that life's experiences are like the pendulum of a clock, oscillating between pairs of opposites. Some of the pairs of opposites are

Prosperity and Poverty
Pleasure and Pain
Gain and Loss
Fame and Blame
Good and Bad
Love and Hate
Victory and Defeat
Brightness and Boredom
Enthusiasm and Frustration

When we are on the positive side of the oscillation, we enjoy life and when we are on the negative side, we curse life. In either extreme position, we forget the temporary nature of the experience. Whatever we experience, will pass over and change. Change is the only permanent feature of the universe. Every atom, every thought, every situation, every object, every person, every living being and every non-living being is constantly changing.

Without realizing this fact, we enjoy life assuming that it is going to last forever. When we undergo a negative experience, we assume that we are caught and powerless. We do not realize that we are equally caught and powerless when we undergo a positive experience as well.

Example: A cow tied to a pole, thinks that it is free when it is grazing the grass within the boundary drawn by the rope and it feels restrained only when there is no more grass within the boundary. The truth is it is bound all the time.

Similarly, we are caught by our attachment when we enjoy life and we are caught by the very same attachment when we suffer. Either way we are caught. We are not in control of our life as of now. We are under the mercy of the pendulum of the pairs of the opposites that keeps oscillating all the time. We do not seem to have any influence on the oscillation.

We need to take charge. We cannot allow our environment; objects, events and persons determine our happiness. The review of our life reveals that a course correction is required if we are to live joyfully.

2. Introduction to Joyful Living

We would like to be in charge of our life. External events, objects and persons should have no influence on our happiness. This is Joyful Living

If we are to describe a happiest day from our past, it will be from our childhood. It is quite possible for us to the make rest of our life happier than the happiest day in our life. If we do that, it is Joyful Living.

More important than having a good day, we do not want any bad events, persons or objects to spoil our day. We do not want a traffic jam or hectic work demands from the boss to push us down emotionally. Imagine that we do not ever get angry, worried, irritated, frustrated or depressed. Such a Sorrowless Life is Joyful Living.

If we are fully contented with life, having achieved whatever possible to achieve, we will feel happy, peaceful and secured. This is Joyful Living.

Joyful Living is possible only for those who are willing to work for it. It will not happen by chance. It is a result of hard and dedicated work done in a systematic way. Only those who desire to reach this goal will be eligible to participate in the path to Joyful living. Mere wish is not enough. One should have deep commitment and willpower to pursue the path, since the path is not an easy one.

Although every living being has an inborn urge to live happily and peacefully, only human beings are qualified to pursue the path to Joyful Living. Most of them are ignorant of the possibility of reaching such a goal. Those who come to know the possibility do not either believe in it or do not have the capability to undertake the journey. Those who are willing and capable, take up the journey and invariably every one of them succeed in reaching the goal. Few of them after reaching the goal, start guiding others in the journey.

Joyful Living cannot be brought about by Science & Technology, Economic Development or Political wisdom. This is proved by the history of the past 5000 years. Religion and Spirituality is the only path that will take us to Joyful Living.

All the religions in the world hold a view that there is something beyond the material world. Enlightenment, Nirvana, attaining liberation, being identified with God, Judgment day and such concepts are beyond science. Unfortunately, these concepts paint a picture that it is not possible to reach this goal here and now. The truth is liberation is not something that is to be gained at the time of death. It is possible to get liberation here and now. Liberation means Joyful Living.

The central theme of all the religions is to help human beings to pursue the path to Joyful Living, so that they get to enjoy life all the time.

3. Introduction to the Path to Joyful Living

A path is one, which takes us to the destination. This "Path to Joyful Living" shows the roadmap of the entire path that leads to Joyful Living. Obviously, tracing the path with the finger on the map will not take us to the destination. We should understand the intricacies of the path prepare for the journey and then undertake the journey to reach the destination.

Example: Trace a path from home to Mount Kailash in a map. Depending on where we are, we might have to go by train, flight and by road to reach the destination. We might have to stay many nights en route. The climatic conditions may widely vary between the origin and the destination. We need to make preparations accordingly.

Similarly, we should understand the path to Joyful Living as described in this book, mentally prepare for the long journey, plan for the required steps (depending on the starting point, which will vary individual to individual) and then START the actual journey. Mere reading and understanding this book will not take one to the destination.

The complete requirements in terms of theory and practice are discussed here. In addition, it describes the details of each step and gives the over all summary.

Like any travel guidebook, this book is meant only for those who wish to reach the destination. A casual reader who has no intention to travel will find a travel guidebook very boring. On the other hand, if one has already decided to travel to a particular destination, then the travel guidebook will be very useful and interesting.

The complete overview and the details of each step are given here. Although the descriptions in a travel guidebook are accurate, they are not as good as visiting the actual place. Similarly, the details of each step shown are only an indication of actual experience of the journey.

The destination of the path shown in this book is called Joyful Living. Alternatively, it can be called as enlightenment or liberation. It is essential that one should reach this destination as soon as possible so that the rest of the life could be joyful.

The ultimate destination of everyone in the world is Joyful Living and there is only one path leading to this destination. However, many do not have clarity on their destination and therefore, they are traveling in the wrong path. They will not reach the destination until they gain clarity on the destination and the right path.

This book describes the entire path from the beginning to end and the reader will benefit from this book wherever he might be starting his journey to Joyful Living.

4. Introduction to the Role of our mind

It is impossible to make the world perfect. Even if we assume that, we are successful in changing the face of the world by removing all hunger, poverty, pollution, war and all such social evils, still it is a not a guarantee that our life will be joyful.

Being rich and famous does not guarantee happiness. Whatever we want to achieve, someone has already achieved it. Even after reaching the goal, the happiness or contentment do not last for long. New goals appear when achieve our current goals. We seem to enjoy chasing the goals, without passing to think why we are chasing them in the first place.

Other than these external factors, there is one more aspect involved in making up a joyful living. Our mind. Even if we correct the whole environment that includes all the people, places, events in our life, still we may feel miserable. We may feel a deep sense of insecurity. Alternatively, we could have an unknown fear, an anxiety that everything could be wiped out.

The whole world is working on changing the external environment. The time and effort spent on changing our mind is comparatively negligible. As a result, even where the economic development has reached unimaginable heights, there is no sign of lasting happiness or contentment.

Therefore, we can see that joyful living does not depend on the external environment at all. The only factor that determines our happiness is our mind.

Example: A purchase manager of a company is highly corrupt. There are two competing vendors, one is concentrating on making quality products, and the other takes care of the purchase manager. Who is the successful vendor?

Similarly, our mind is corrupt. We need to spend most of our time and effort in taking care of our mind rather than spending time on correcting the external world. Changing the environment is necessary but incidental. We will see that we need to work on the environment for the sake changing our mind.

We need to maintain good relationship with others if we need companionship, which may not be the source of happiness all the time.

To live comfortably, is another purpose of our attempt to change the environment. The most comfortable man could still be unhappy. A man who has no comforts could still be happy. That is not to say that we do not need comforts in life. We need to be happy and comfortable.

To achieve such a scenario, our mind plays the major role. It is responsible for all the happiness, peace and security in our life. The role of external factors is limited to provide comforts/companionships to us.

5. Introduction to the Nature of our mind

Without our awareness, slowly we progress towards hunger. If we do not eat, our hunger grows. When we eat, the hunger goes and we are satisfied for the moment. It is not an eternal satisfaction. Soon we will feel hungry again.

Mind in a way is very similar to our stomach.

Mind functions exactly the same way. Like a hungry stomach, it yearns for fulfillment of a desire. Longer the desire is not fulfilled, more agitated our mind becomes. It drives us crazy and makes us run after the fulfillment of the desire at any cost. Once the desire is fulfilled, the mind becomes happy and peaceful. It is not an eternal satisfaction. Just like the stomach which feels hunger again in the lunchtime although it had breakfast, the mind is ready for the fulfillment of yet another desire. This happens without our awareness.

The hunger is caused by the need of our physical body. Since the physical body is gross, any food, which is also gross, can satisfy the hunger. However, the mind is not gross. It is subtle. Therefore, a gross object cannot fulfill the need of the subtle mind.

Example: A man is hungry. Food will satisfy his hunger. When he sleeps, he dreams that he is hungry. This suffering cannot be solved by real food. Only the knowledge that it is a dream can remove such suffering.
Similarly, the need of the mind can be fulfilled only by thoughts. Since knowledge (made up of thoughts) is also subtle, it will satisfy the mind and make it eternally contended. We are aware of this fact partly. We assume happy family, loving relationships, universal love, and such emotions can lead us to be fully contended.

Therefore, some of us will abandon our search for material progress and look for love/ companionship. Others will continue to earn money with the hope that companionship/ love can be bought. Both the groups will find that their search is futile. Mind will not be satisfied with love that depends on objects, persons, people or events of the world.

Without knowing this, we try to feed the mind by fulfilling desires of various kinds. The cycle of desire - fulfillment continuous eternally. This is due to a specific nature of mind. It is a bottomless pot. No amount of objects can fill it. We need to understand this very basic nature of mind that it cannot be fulfilled ever by worldly objects or worldly thoughts.

This understanding will be just a piece of irrelevant information if one does not have his own experience to validate this information. Only those who have spent much energy and efforts for a sufficiently long time chasing and gaining material objects and relationships, will be able to convert this information as knowledge.

6. Introduction to the Solution

Joyful Living means making our mind fully (and eternally) content by filling it with the right knowledge.

We have already seen that this cannot be achieved by worldly possessions (including money and love). We have also seen that the mind can be fulfilled only with the knowledge (thoughts) since both the mind and thoughts are subtle in nature.

Our hunger can be fulfilled only by food and not by any objects. Similarly, our mind can be fulfilled only by a right set of thoughts (knowledge).

The right knowledge is the answer to the questions "Who is God?" or "Who am I?" Both these questions are inter-related and one cannot be known without knowing the other. Therefore, if we get this answer, our mind will be filled up and we can live joyfully forever.

Thus, our final destination of Joyful Living can be reached only if we gain the knowledge on self/ God. Therefore, our immediate destination is to gain this right knowledge.

Any knowledge can come only when there is an enquiry. It is not possible to pass on any knowledge. One can pass on only a piece of information. It will be converted as knowledge only when the listener is in the enquiry mode.

Example: When a professor gives a lecture in a classroom, lots of information is given. Only when a student listen and has specific doubts on the information given, it will be converted as knowledge in the mind of that student. That is the reason why few gain knowledge and rest say the class was boring.

Similarly, one has to have the spirit of enquiry to gain Self-Knowledge.

Thus, enquiry is the next destination to gain Self-Knowledge

Not everyone will have an enquiring mind. If one is busy earning money to feed his family with the next meal, he will have no interest or inquisitiveness to initiate an enquiry. Matured mind is a pre-requisite for seeking Self-Knowledge.

Thus, gaining the matured mind is our next immediate destination. This book shows the path that is starting from method to make the mind matured.

Therefore, the solution is to get the mind matured, conduct an enquiry and gain Self-Knowledge. Once this is done, one will reach the destination: Joyful Living.

Step 1: Getting a matured mind (Theory)

7. Understanding desires

It is generally perceived that desires are evil. Nothing can be far from truth. Desire is a very much essential factor. The power to desire is the distinct power, which makes the human beings superior to all other living beings. Animals live based on their instincts. When they feel hungry, they look for food. They have enough knowledge to survive and they have enough capabilities to convert the knowledge into action to fulfill the need of survival and reproduction.

In case of the human beings, both the power to know and the power to act are driven by the power to desire. Desire is the motive power to know and act which makes human beings superior to animals.

However, this power to desire varies from individual to individual and from time to time. When we are young, we have enough power to desire toys. As we grow, our power to desire also grows. We start desiring to buy a car, house etc.

This power to desire determines the capabilities of the person. If one has the power to desire to reach the heights in the society, he or she will be willing to put the required efforts to reach such heights.

The ultimate power is to desire to reach God. Not everyone will have such desire.

Example: A child will have enough power to desire a chocolate and will not have desire to receive a high value currency note. This is due to the ignorance of the child. The child does not know the value of the currency note and desires the chocolate instead.

Similarly, most of us are ignorant of the power of knowledge to give us Joyful Living. Therefore, the desire to gain this knowledge is generally absent. As a result, we are contended with the desire for the worldly possessions.

Example: A grown up child chooses a currency since it knows many chocolates could be bought with that currency.

Similarly, when we get mental maturity we will grow out of the desire for worldly objects and start desiring to know God. This maturity comes only when one observes the limitations of the worldly objects. As and when a desire for worldly object is fulfilled the satisfaction lasts only for a while. Soon another desire comes up and makes us chase it. If one observes this carefully, he or she will be free of desires for worldly objects and shift the attention towards desiring the self-knowledge.

Like the currency, which can buy many chocolates, once the desire to know the God is fulfilled, one can enjoy the worldly possessions all the time without any risk/ fear of losing them.

8. Understanding the role of God

The key differentiating factor between human beings and animals is the thinking capacity. Joyful Living is not a dream goal for any animal. Only human beings can hope to achieve it using their power to think. One of the steps in the path to Joyful Living involves God.

It is necessary to have clarity on God. Among the thinkers, there are believers and non-believers. Essentially both mean the same. Both the types of people do not apply their power to think sufficiently to know God. They replace the need to think with blind belief. Even non-believers believe that there is no god. Neither group could prove either existence or non-existence of God.

God is an essential stepping-stone to reach Joyful Living. God is not the ultimate truth which 'grants' our wish. It is a truth, which needs to be understood. Once God is understood there will not be any more questions whether God exists or not. One will know God for sure without resorting to any belief.

Example: We know milk is white. We do not say 'I believe milk is white', we know it is white.

Similarly, we should know God and it is not enough just to believe or not believe in God. However knowing God is an integral part of the final step in the path and one is not yet ready for such an understanding. Therefore, it is necessary to 'believe' in god to complete the initial steps. For believers in God this is easier because they already believe in God. They should continue to believe and pray to God. For the rest it is necessary to modify their belief appropriately. They may have to assume God is nameless, formless power that is superior to man.

Why should we believe in God?

God can either be a truth or false. It does not matter to us either way if it is not connected to Joyful Living. By believing in God if we can live happily here and now, there is no harm in believing. Infact we will be fools if we do not, since the only other option is to sway between the pairs of opposites helplessly.

Fortunately, we do not know for sure whether God exists or not. In such a scenario, it is better to join the winning side. After all our goal is Joyful living and it is very difficult to reach our goal if we choose not to believe in God.

Example: Warm clothing is a necessary option if we are planning a trip to Mount Kailash. Without it, we can reach but the journey will be painful.

Therefore, we will believe God exists as a formless and nameless entity. If we want name and form, we have an option to choose from an array of gods ranging from Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Vishnu to Jesus and Allah. It does not matter which one we choose so long we believe in one sincerely.

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Rama

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