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Thread: What is the goal of life?

  1. #21
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    Re: What is the goal of life?

    Unlimited bliss seems to be the goal of most- but unfortunately many do not get it- and even then, there are many levels of unlimited bliss, and the quality and knowledge would therefore be far steeper.

  2. #22
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    Re: What is the goal of life?

    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~~

    namastщ


    Quote Originally Posted by Atman View Post
    Unlimited bliss seems to be the goal of most- but unfortunately many do not get it- and even then, there are many levels of unlimited bliss, and the quality and knowledge would therefore be far steeper.

    I read of this unlimited bliss often. It would seem with one becoming full with brahman the initial experience would bring one to overwhelming joy, yet would it remain? I have heard that it does.

    It seems if one achieves the fullness of mokṣa and knows of this vimṛtyu ( not liable to death) there would be this aspect of joy.

    praṇām
    рдпрддрд╕реНрддреНрд╡рдВ рд╢рд┐рд╡рд╕рдореЛрд╜рд╕рд┐
    yatastvaс╣Б ┼Ыivasamo'si
    because you are identical with ┼Ыiva

    _

  3. #23
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    Re: What is the goal of life?

    namaste everyone.

    Unlimited bliss--unadulterated happiness--is eventually attained when the mind is always in happiness and at peace. A shloka in shrImad bhAgavatam says:

    sadA santuShTa-manasaH sarvAn shivamayA dishaH |
    sharkarA-kandakAdibhyO yathOpAnat-padam shivam ||7.15.17||

    "For a mind which is always (happy and) at peace, everything from wherever is auspicious; just like it is with a person who has sandals under his feet, happily walks over a path of pebbles and thorns."

    Life in this world is always full of pebbles and thorns. The feet that wear the sandals of dharma passes over them easily, and such journey brings satisfaction, happiness and peace of mind. The mind at peace looks inward to sustain its peace and happiness and finds the sat-chit-Ananda shivam of the Self.

    The terms 'tuShTa' and 'tuShTi' mean 'satisfaction', so santoSha/santuShTi is delight/happiness born out of satisfaction, which is felt in the mind. A mind which has such happiness sadA--always, begins to look inward to sustain it.
    рд░рддреНрдирд╛рдХрд░рдзреМрддрдкрджрд╛рдВ рд╣рд┐рдорд╛рд▓рдпрдХрд┐рд░реАрдЯрд┐рдиреАрдореН ред
    рдмреНрд░рд╣реНрдорд░рд╛рдЬрд░реНрд╖рд┐рд░рд░рддреНрдирд╛рдвреНрдпрд╛рдВ рд╡рдиреНрджреЗ рднрд╛рд░рддрдорд╛рддрд░рдореН рее

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

  4. #24
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    Re: What is the goal of life?

    Quote Originally Posted by saidevo View Post
    namaste everyone.

    Unlimited bliss--unadulterated happiness--is eventually attained when the mind is always in happiness and at peace. A shloka in shrImad bhAgavatam says:

    sadA santuShTa-manasaH sarvAn shivamayA dishaH |
    sharkarA-kandakAdibhyO yathOpAnat-padam shivam ||7.15.17||

    "For a mind which is always (happy and) at peace, everything from wherever is auspicious; just like it is with a person who has sandals under his feet, happily walks over a path of pebbles and thorns."

    Life in this world is always full of pebbles and thorns. The feet that wear the sandals of dharma passes over them easily, and such journey brings satisfaction, happiness and peace of mind. The mind at peace looks inward to sustain its peace and happiness and finds the sat-chit-Ananda shivam of the Self.

    The terms 'tuShTa' and 'tuShTi' mean 'satisfaction', so santoSha/santuShTi is delight/happiness born out of satisfaction, which is felt in the mind. A mind which has such happiness sadA--always, begins to look inward to sustain it.
    Yes- but this is still a prelimerary stage- compared with brahman this happiness would appear 'tasteless,' and what to speak of even higher levels like sada-shivaloka and the spiritual world.

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    Re: What is the goal of life?

    Very good thread!

    Just a small opinion to add if I may...

    Personal experience is bliss (ananda) is already here, what happens is that one looks outwards rather than inwards, as Saidevo explains beautifully above.

    I would say that there cannot be levels of bliss, in the way that there are not levels of consciousness, as to assume such levels, assumes that there is something beyond which experiences those levels. The point is that we already know that Brahman is all there is. Brahman is sat-chit-anada so the ananda is already here (in the apparent you and me), it is always the same (not a duality of levels) and can be know whilst living.

    The problems is that we change through the day, but what changes is not ananda (Brahman) itself, but that which obscures ananda and over powers our minds; making us look outwards for answers and pleasure. Obscuring factors include worries, fear and ego engaged in actions which require a sense of investment by you and me.

    Also we assume that Brahman will be a mind-blasting experience, but yet we are told that all this is Brahman already, so we are subject to overlook it in the search for the ultimate experience of bliss. We also may feel that we cannot have It now, as then the search will logically come to an end, then what do we do with all that knowledge we have acquired? So we flirt with It too afraid to submit to It; this too is maya.


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    Post Re: What is the goal of life?

    Quote Originally Posted by Snip View Post
    Very good thread!

    Just a small opinion to add if I may...


    I would say that there cannot be levels of bliss, in the way that there are not levels of consciousness
    I must respectfully disagree, I thought years ago as a child Indra's heaven was the only place, but as I matured and deepened my reading, I realised that there are many lokas above Indra, furthermore, life is not eternal there, still- that happiness cannot be compared with the King who is the ruler of the whole world!

  7. #27
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    Re: What is the goal of life?

    Quote Originally Posted by Snip View Post
    Very good thread!

    Just a small opinion to add if I may...

    Personal experience is bliss (ananda) is already here, what happens is that one looks outwards rather than inwards, as Saidevo explains beautifully above.

    I would say that there cannot be levels of bliss, in the way that there are not levels of consciousness, as to assume such levels, assumes that there is something beyond which experiences those levels. The point is that we already know that Brahman is all there is. Brahman is sat-chit-anada so the ananda is already here (in the apparent you and me), it is always the same (not a duality of levels) and can be know whilst living.

    Namaste Snip

    Scripture supports you. Shankara in his commentary on the following verses of Brihadaraynaka states that the bliss of liberation is not simply measurable. Yet, uptill attainment of Brahmaloka, the joy is said to be of different grades.


    Brihadaraynaka

    IV-iii-33: He who is perfect of physique and prosperous among men, the ruler of others, and most lavishly supplied with all human enjoyments, represents greatest joy among men. This human joy multiplied a hundred times makes one unit of joy for the manes who have won that world of theirs. The joy of these manes who have won that world multiplied a hundred times makes one unit joy in the world of the celestial minstrels. This joy in the world of the celestial minstrels multiplied a hundred times makes one unit of joy for the gods by action – those who have attained their godhead by their actions. This joy of the gods by action multiplied a hundred times makes one unit of joy for the gods by birth, as also of one who is versed in the Vedas, sinless and free from desire. This joy of the gods by birth multiplied a hundred times makes one unit of joy in the world of Prajapati (Viraj), as well as one who is versed in the Vedas, sinless and free from desire. This joy in the world of Prajapati multiplied a hundred times makes one unit of joy in the world of Brahman (Hiranyagarbha), as well as of one who is versed in the Vedas, sinless and free from desire. This indeed is the supreme bliss. This is the state of Brahman, O Emperor, said Yajnavalkya. ‘I give you a thousand (cows), sir. Please instruct me further about liberation itself’. At this Yajnavalkya was afraid that the intelligent Emperor was constraining him to finish with all his conclusions.
    Note that the description of grades of happiness stops at Brahmaloka, just before attainment of liberation, which by logic and by definition and by teachings of gurus cannot have any grade whatsoever. It is not measurable either, because its nature itself is bliss.


    Regards

    Om Namah Shivaya
    Last edited by atanu; 20 July 2010 at 09:26 AM.
    That which is without letters (parts) is the Fourth, beyond apprehension through ordinary means, the cessation of the phenomenal world, the auspicious and the non-dual. Thus Om is certainly the Self. He who knows thus enters the Self by the Self.

  8. #28
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    Re: What is the goal of life?

    Dear Atanu ji
    Thank you to you and Atman for the feedback on the post. I am not very familiar with the lokas and Brihadaraynaka, so I have learnt from your posts!

    Mandukya III-47. “That highest Bliss exists in one’s own Self. It is calm, identical with liberation, indescribable, and unborn. Since It is one with the unborn knowable (Brahman), the knowers of Brahman speak of It as the Omniscient (Brahman).”

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    Re: What is the goal of life?

    Quote Originally Posted by Snip View Post
    Dear Atanu ji
    Thank you to you and Atman for the feedback on the post. I am not very familiar with the lokas and Brihadaraynaka, so I have learnt from your posts!

    Mandukya III-47. УThat highest Bliss exists in oneТs own Self. It is calm, identical with liberation, indescribable, and unborn. Since It is one with the unborn knowable (Brahman), the knowers of Brahman speak of It as the Omniscient (Brahman).Ф
    Namaste Snip

    Yes, all scripture speak so. Loka is a dualistic existential plane yet. Brahmaloka is equated with the world of Hiranyagarbha, which is equivalent of taijjassa state of Mandukya U.. From reading of Brihadaraynaka passage cited above, along with Shankara's explanation, we see that Liberation is a step or more ahead of abidance in the world of Hiranyagarbha, where the gradation of bliss stops.

    Om Namah Shivaya
    That which is without letters (parts) is the Fourth, beyond apprehension through ordinary means, the cessation of the phenomenal world, the auspicious and the non-dual. Thus Om is certainly the Self. He who knows thus enters the Self by the Self.

  10. #30
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    Post Re: What is the goal of life?

    Quote Originally Posted by atanu View Post
    Namaste Snip

    Yes, all scripture speak so. Loka is a dualistic existential plane yet. Brahmaloka is equated with the world of Hiranyagarbha, which is equivalent of taijjassa state of Mandukya U.. From reading of Brihadaraynaka passage cited above, along with Shankara's explanation, we see that Liberation is a step or more ahead of abidance in the world of Hiranyagarbha, where the gradation of bliss stops.

    Om Namah Shivaya
    Actually, there is even more- above the brahman is sada-shivaloka- and this bliss is far greater than the infinite brahman- devotees there spit at impersonal liberation is disgust- still, even grander than this is the spiritual planets in Vishnu-loka, which is infinitely greater than brahmic bliss in terms of quality and quantity!

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