Pursuit of (which) Happiness: A conversation between Hans and Nath

Nath: Yesterday, I had a great time.

Hans: Hmm… what did you do yesterday?

Nath: Well, I went out with friends for outdoor sport, followed by dinner, movie and a night-out :) I was really happy yesterday. Wish I could be happy always.

Hans: Oh, that’s great. So, hanging out with family/friends make you happy. That’s good. When else have you really felt happy?

[Nath thought long and hard…]

Nath: Well, there was one more occasion. Now that I think about it, it’s kind of weird. There was this time when I helped someone without any expectation, without any ulterior motive whatsoever, or, there was this another occasion when I laughed with someone over something totally silly. In both these occasions, I was happy, but, it was a different kind of happiness. I felt that I was like… I was like…

Hans: Like a child!

[And Nath almost said the same word… in unison with Hans]

Hans [with a sly smile]: Yup, like a child. Its happiness, but something more than that. For our purpose, let’s call it ‘joy’. A child’s happiness is always on ‘self-start’. But, somehow when he grows up, his happiness goes for a ‘kick-start’. He forgets to laugh on silly things… to shower his love on unknown people without any expectations.

[Nath nodding throughout…]

But, tell me Nath, have you ever felt ‘happy’ on some other occasions as well.

Nath: Well… there was this occasion when I saw Mt. Everest for the first time, or, the ocean for the first time, or, even a Taj Mahal for the first time, or, that occasion when I saw Jupiter & its moon via a telescope. Basically a natural or a man-made wonder, I guess.

Hans: Hmm… You are right. And, if I am not wrong, on those occasions, you felt humbled, were awestruck, and essentially turned silent… saying very little.

[Nath nodding throughout…]

You know what Nath. Some people call this ‘bliss’. Did you notice a pattern here Nath?

[Nath is clueless]

‘Happiness’ was dependent on external things, ‘Joy’ on internal things… ‘Bliss’ was experienced via external stimuli… now, can you find a counterpart of ‘bliss’ which is experienced internally?

Nath (after thinking for a few minutes): Actually, yes. Now that you ask it, there have been these 2 occasions. First, when I meditate. It’s something similar to ‘bliss’, yet much more than it. The second occasion is kinda weird. It has happened few times. Like the time when I achieved something which I thought I could never do… or… when I came to know a facet about myself which was hitherto unbeknownst to me. It’s almost like a secret about myself was revealed to me.

Hans (after a long pause... and.. with a mysterious smile): Nath, that which you are struggling to describe… that something…. is called ‘peace’. On those occasions, you are not only humbled, and turn completely silent… but there is something about it which, try as you might, you cannot put in words.

Nath, my child, everybody wants to be happy. But, what one should also consider is that ‘happiness’, ‘joy’, ‘bliss’, and, ‘peace’, as we defined today, are not the same. And one should consider which happiness to pursue.

[Nath was amazed by the simplicity with which Hans has, yet again, managed to convey to him the message. He was determined to pursue this apparent ‘ladder’ of happiness]

[Hans was sitting with his eyes closed and an all-too-knowing smile on his face. He knew that Nath has understood everything … has mastered his lesson for the day… and yet, he was fully aware that today, on this day, Nath has completely missed the point]