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Sukha and Ananda (सुखानन्दश्च) (view source)
Revision as of 15:18, 28 March 2023
, 15:18, 28 March 2023Added content
According to Ayurveda, sukha (happiness) is a state without physical and psychical ailments, where a person has energy and strength to perform his duties, and knowledge to know what is right and wrong, is able to use his senses and enjoy from them, and is virtuous (Caraka Saṁhitā, 1.30.23). Useful life (hitāyu) is one where the person attends to well-being of others, controls his passions, shares his knowledge and wealth with others and is virtuous (Caraka Saṁhitā, 1.30.26).<ref>Paranjpe, Anand. C. and Ramakrishna Rao, K. (2016) ''Psychology in the Indian Tradition.'' London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 212</ref>
According to Ayurveda, sukha (happiness) is a state without physical and psychical ailments, where a person has energy and strength to perform his duties, and knowledge to know what is right and wrong, is able to use his senses and enjoy from them, and is virtuous (Caraka Saṁhitā, 1.30.23). Useful life (hitāyu) is one where the person attends to well-being of others, controls his passions, shares his knowledge and wealth with others and is virtuous (Caraka Saṁhitā, 1.30.26).<ref>Paranjpe, Anand. C. and Ramakrishna Rao, K. (2016) ''Psychology in the Indian Tradition.'' London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 212</ref>
On the other hand, AdvaitaVedānta conceives [[Jiva (जीवः)|jiva]] (person) as a multi-layered entity composed of five nested sheaths, with ananda (blissfulness) at the core (ānandamaya). The Taittiriya Upanishad (2.8) estimates the Bliss of [[Brahman (ब्रह्मन्)|Brahman]]/Ātman to be 100 quintillion times higher than what a young, well-endowed human being can enjoy.<ref>Paranjpe, Anand. C. and Ramakrishna Rao, K. (2016) ''Psychology in the Indian Tradition.'' London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 64-65</ref>
On the other hand, AdvaitaVedānta conceives [[Jiva (जीवः)|jiva]] (person) as a multi-layered entity composed of five nested sheaths, the [[Panchakosha (पञ्चकोषाः)|Panchakoshas]], with ananda (blissfulness) at the core (ānandamaya). The Taittiriya Upanishad (2.8) estimates the Bliss of [[Brahman (ब्रह्मन्)|Brahman]]/Ātman to be 100 quintillion times higher than what a young, well-endowed human being can enjoy.<ref>Paranjpe, Anand. C. and Ramakrishna Rao, K. (2016) ''Psychology in the Indian Tradition.'' London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 64-65</ref>
A cursory glance of the two terms that have been used to denote the concept of happiness, is as follows<ref name=":0" />
A cursory glance of the two terms that have been used to denote the concept of happiness, is as follows<ref name=":0" />
* '''राजसिकम्॥Rājasika (dynamic)''': Rājasika sukha is the resultant of the contact of the sense organs and the objects which appears to be pleasurable initially but unpleasant at the end, i.e. after the experience as it leaves a person with a sense of wanting. (Bhag. Gita. 18.38)
* '''राजसिकम्॥Rājasika (dynamic)''': Rājasika sukha is the resultant of the contact of the sense organs and the objects which appears to be pleasurable initially but unpleasant at the end, i.e. after the experience as it leaves a person with a sense of wanting. (Bhag. Gita. 18.38)
* '''तामसिकम्॥Tāmasika (lethargic)''': Tāmasika sukha, is the happiness that is delusionary in nature from beginning to the end that may arise from sleep, laziness, ignorance, illusion etc. (Bhag. Gita. 18.39)
* '''तामसिकम्॥Tāmasika (lethargic)''': Tāmasika sukha, is the happiness that is delusionary in nature from beginning to the end that may arise from sleep, laziness, ignorance, illusion etc. (Bhag. Gita. 18.39)
=== Biological Implications of Pleasure and Happiness ===
Research<ref name=":8">Røysamb, Espen & Tambs, Kristian & Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted & Neale, Michael & Harris, Jennifer. (2004). Happiness and Health: Environmental and Genetic Contributions to the Relationship Between Subjective Well-Being, Perceived Health, and Somatic Illness.. ''Journal of personality and social psychology.'' 85. 1136-46. 10.1037/0022-3514.85.6.1136. </ref> has suggested that happiness has genetic factors that account for substantial amounts of individual variation in well-being and health conditions. Despite the mounting evidence that genes play an important role in the etiology of well-being, personality, mental health, and physical illness, genetic and environmental influences on the covariance between SWB and physical health have been largely unexplored.<ref name=":8" /> In order to help understand happiness and alleviate the suffering, neuroscientists and psychologists have started to investigate the brain states associated with happiness components and to consider the relation to well-being. While happiness is in principle difficult to define and study, psychologists have made substantial progress in mapping its empirical features, and neuroscientists have made comparable progress in investigating the functional neuroanatomy of pleasure, which contributes importantly to happiness and is central to our sense of well-being.<ref>Kringelbach, M. L., & Berridge, K. C. (2010). The Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure. ''Social research'', ''77''(2), 659–678.</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Comparison between Pleasure and Happiness
!Happiness
!Pleasure
|-
|Is not addictive
|Is addictive
|-
|Long-term in nature
|Short-term
|-
|Generally shared, inspires giving
|Typically experienced alone
|-
|Makes the brain say "its enough"
|Makes the brain say "I want more"
|}
An evolutionary perspective of happiness is that survival in early days was binary - a loss or gain. Humans are not designed to be happy or content. Instead, they are designed primarily to survive and reproduce, just like other creatures in the nature. A state of contentment is discouraged by nature because it would lower the guard against possible threats to survival. Happiness is a proximate goal (success) while anxiety is a distant goal (failure) to achieve adaptation. And, not all forms of happiness can be explained by evolution; culture, and societies play a major role. The link between pleasure and happiness, however, has a long history in psychology. While some cultures define happiness as a function of good fortune and prosperity, others define it as personal well-being and satisfaction. Unhappiness, on the other hand, has its share of evolutionary significance. It is considered evolutionarily helpful since it gives rise to emotions like jealousy, distress, and horror which, in turn, give rise to the tendency to return to happiness. Unhappiness, misery, pain etc., prevent starvation and helps in the survival process of a human being. Hence people cannot stay happy all the time.<ref name=":6" />
=== Sukha/Ananda (Happiness) Vs Svasthya (Well-being) ===
=== Sukha/Ananda (Happiness) Vs Svasthya (Well-being) ===
== Means of happiness ==
== Means of happiness ==
Social sciences in general, but Neurosciences, Behavioural sciences, and Computational science take advantage of the theory of happiness.
Social sciences in general, but Neurosciences, Behavioural sciences, and Computational science take advantage of the theory of happiness. Fundamental We share the findings of methodologies of different disciplines.
What makes us happy?
What makes us happy?