Every sentient being existing on this mortal earth goes through a process of birth and death over which we do not have much authority to change its course. During the course of our own existence, we like every other living organism seeks happiness and contentment through our every actions. From this we can somehow conclude that the prime purpose of life is to be happy. His Holiness the Dalai Lama rightly reflects that
“I don’t know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness”.
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
The antidote of the happiness is the sufferings. Every day in our life, we indulge in so many different kinds of activities like working, studying, playing, singing and dancing all for the right reason of having happiness and avoiding sufferings. May be being happy is of utmost importance that the Lord Buddha, the word Buddha means “the enlightened one” just after attaining enlightenment preached the first sermon at the holy city of Benares which is presently now called as Varanasi on the sufferings which we widely refer to as the four noble truth: the existence of suffering, cause of suffering, that the cause of suffering can end and the path to the end of the suffering.
Selflessness
“We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them”
Lord Buddha
Every day during the course of our life, our every actions has been in trying to figure out the path to an intense happiness thereby reducing our suffering’s in between. Happiness and sufferings are like a two sides of a coin, we should learn to treat both alike. According to the Buddha dharma, our action of “Selflessness” and “Selfishness” are the root causes behind every action of happiness and sufferings.
Selflessness in Buddhism means the word “anatta”in Pali language and “anatman”in Sanskrit refers to the non-self actions. Any kind of deeds done to an individual without expecting anything in return is what we use to call as a Selflessness act.
If certain act of good deeds done to others were followed with an expected hope of reciprocating your own deeds may have the chances of inciting a negative emotion within oneself. This negative emotions within oneself may further give rise to disappointment, hatred and anger which are the not the right ingredient in making ourselves happy. It looks little strange to see that we normally manage to do certain selflessness act on other living organism rather than that of a human being.
For instance when we come across an animal’s struck in distress; we immediately use to help them without expecting anything from the animals. The joy and the warm-heartedness derived from such acts were very genuine and long-lasting. But when it comes to the point of helping the same human species, we find it very difficult to do the selflessness act without expecting anything in return. If we could develop such a sense of warm-heartedness and compassion in doing selfless acts on other peoples in the absence of relational essence, then there is a great chance of having a sense of universal brotherhood in this world of materialism.
A mother kindly devoted with all the love, compassion in nurturing her baby through the process of development is a very good example of a genuine act of selflessness. Because a mother never expects anything in return from the baby she is nurturing.
“Love the whole as a mother loves only her child”
– Buddha
Attachment
However cultivating such selflessness thoughts has become extremely difficult in the present world due to the intense growth of industrialism that the whole hierarchy of education system, work, societal system are almost based upon the materialistic growth of an individual. This materialistic growth of an individual greatly incites a strong sense of attachment; the word attachment refers to “Upadana”in Pali and Sanskrit language. Our emphasis on our desire to get attached to something we love, be it any precious item, materials or your loved ones is problematic and it will be a primary cause for the development of “Dukkha” which means suffering in an individual.
“The root of suffering is attachment
Lord Buddha
Performing a high level of selflessness act will naturally involve a total detachment or renunciation from oneself. Now we should not confuse the detachment as a form of some physical detachment. Giving up all your belongings thereby living in a cave with your mental state in total turmoil is not a good sign in terms of total renunciation. But the renunciation or the detachment of your mental state will be more pivotal which will include Ego, Greed, Lust, Love. In the absence these attachments, a selflessness act or an altruistic thoughts will arise on others with compassion and peace will truly bring about a lasting mental happiness rather than a physical happiness in this world of virtual environments.
Selfishness
A selfishness act arises due to the extreme attachment or the importance he gives for his own desires and happiness. These selfishness acts may guarantee you more material wealth and more physical happiness, but it will never promise you all the mental happiness which really constitutes the real happiness.
Milarepa , the famous Tibetan Yogi who had attained his enlightenment in one life itself had famously confided to his betrothed wife that
“I shall find my food as the mice and birds do theirs. I need not the field; I will dwell only in caves and lonely solitudes. I need no house; you may use them with my sister. I realize that even though I should possess the whole world, at my death I would have to give up everything and so it will confer happiness in this and the next life if I give up everything now. I am thus pursuing a life which is quite opposite to that followed by the people of the world. Give up thinking of me as a living person.”
Jetsun Milarepa
To get real happiness and contentment, we must not let our selfishness to pave way for the development of negative emotions which may further increase the intensity of the attachment. If we are successful in our effort to detach from the mental attachment, we will be able to have real happiness and contentment which will be the ultimate real purpose in our course of human life.