Mind has tremendous power over the body. If a certain idea gets possession of the mind it affects the body and produces corresponding changes in the whole system. The same mind which found pleasure in a certain thing at one time, dislikes the very sight of that thing if new ideas happen to get a hold upon it. For example, animal flesh gives pleasure to a meateater as long as he thinks it is the right kind of food, but when the nobler principles of vegetarian diet dawn upon his mind and convert him into a vegetarion, the very odour of meat will be offensive, and may make him feel ill; his stomach will refuse to digest animal flesh, and it may even become a cause of pain and suffering to him. Therefore, it can be said that there is nothing in the universe from which all individuals can derive absolute pleasure or absolute pain, or that can even please the same individual at all times. Those who seek pleasure from the objects of senses cannot stick to one particular enjoyment at the time. If they try to enjoy the same thing day after day, they will soon tire of it; satiety is the inevitable result, and with that comes loss of interest
Suppose someone who is passionately fond of the opera should constantly hear the same opera day and night, without hearing or doing anything else, he or she would surely tire of it in a few days. Constant change of the objects of pleasure is absolutely necessary for those people who seek pleasure from the external world. It is for this reason that many people who are too poor to afford much variety in their pleasure delude themselves by thinking that wealth would give them all they desire, and envy those who possess large fortunes, foolishly believing that the rich must be always happy. In this way, they often fail to enjoy the pleasures within their reach, thus making their life a burden. They fail to understand that wealth has its own trials, that are often only little more bearable than the ills of poverty. The truth is that true happiness can only belong to him who can control his mind. The practice of self-control would be a great blessing to all these unhappy people; it would make their lives happier and better worth living
Before we can control the natural tendency of the mind to seek pleasure in external objects, we must know that the feeling of pleasure depends upon the feeling of pain. If we do not have any feeling of pain whatever, we cannot enjoy a pleasant feeling. Pleasure is pleasure only when it stands in relation to the feeling of pain. Whenever we compare one sensation or feeling with another, we find one more pleasing than the other; the less pleasing one is ordinarily called painful. The tendency of our mind is to seek objects that are more pleasing than those which we already possess, or happen to enjoy, and the moment we find a thing which we think would produce a more agreeable sensation than the things we now have, we crave to possess it. Having satisfied the craving, if after comparison we discover that the latter is not better than the former, we remain as unsatisfied as before, and may even wish to go back to the former condition. Thus we can understand that although pleasures and pain may arise in different individuals from their contact with the same objects of senses, the natural tendency of mind is to seek pleasure and avoid pain. We are attached to those objects from relation with which we derive pleasure, but the moment these cease to yield us gratification, we become indifferent to the very things we so eagerly desired; sometimes we grow to hate them and wish to get away from them
Our minds are constantly seeking new objects of pleasure through the gates of the senses, and attach themselves to every fresh object that promises to give us a pleasant feeling or sensation. While this attachment lasts, the mind becomes a slave to it. If anything happens to come in the way and prevent the mind from enjoying a particular pleasure, the mind tries to overcome the obstacle. The stronger the opposing power, the greater is the mental struggle to subdue it. If the desire be very strong and we cannot succeed in gratifying it by ordinary means, we often get enraged and adopt more violent measures, thus losing all possibility of a peaceful state of mind
That simple desire for enjoyment takes the form of a ruling passion, agitates the whole mind, and manifests in the form of anger and unrest. In that agitated state of the mind, we lose the sense of right and wrong, memory grows dull, understanding gets confused, we lose foresight and act like brutes. Passion is the stronger form of desire; the same strong desire, when acting under opposition, takes the form of anger. Desire is the first stage, passion is the second stage, and the third stage is anger
Be now and Be here
Be yourself and Be happiness
To be continue in next
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