my take on Mudita.. affected, or symapthetic happiness
when a cricketer scored a century and got a man of the match award.. I am not benefited in any way.. but I am supremely happy about it..
If the young hero and heroine in a movie go through a lot of opposition, trials and tribulations and ultimately are united in marital bliss-- it is only in a film--the only beneficiary is the theatre owner and the producer of the film-- still I am supremely happy--It is easy for us to have happiness over the happenings of distant persons--and the stars.
But I will receive the news that my neighbour won a lottery, not with happiness but with a tinge of jealousy.. Why? Because his future course of happiness will be visible to me and he will be celebrating within my eyesight and I will have an occasion to compare my poverty with the affluence of my neighbour. If we take away the element of jealousy, it is not very difficult to enjoy the happiness of another fellow being.. But it looks bright and nice on paper but not so easy in real life.
How to fill our minds with positive thoughts.?
From where will we get those thoughts? I think our minds usually veer towards negativity from objectivity. We have to persuade the mind to be first reasonable and balanced. It is just a make believe idea that the inherent state of mind is happiness. It all depends on the circumstances. If your granary is full, house is comfortable and the family members and all you love are all in good health, you may feel happy to a reasonably good extent.. Each parameter, when upset even slightly, brings misery and anxiety.. Of course there are drugs, pills and potions which cloud our minds and provide illusory and temporary freedom from anxiety. But we are sure to face reactions to such drugs too In the shape of hangovers and depression . Of course for us Hindus Prayer may bring some equanimity as per our beliefs.. But Buddhism does not advocate relief through prayers. It is only Karma there.
The world suffers through cliches. Thoughts and its source, the mind, has been declared as the most uncontrollable thing by every sage and master..All texts from Bagavat Gita, onwards testify to that fact.
The absolute control over mind can come by adhering to very strict regimen of self-control.. Showing the teeth or exercising the jaw will not invite happiness and positiveness..And drugged positiveness, spirited positiveness bhang, marijuana, alcohol, ganja.. etc.. are they real solutions? I feel they bring in great danger instead...It is another matter that even the so called neo yogis and gurus often take recourse to such things anyway..Tantrics found pleasure in maithunam madhyam and mamsam and so on..
Let us be practical..
यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः । इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मनः ॥२- ६०॥Oh Son of Kunthi, is it not true that even in a man who is wise, trying to control his senses, the sense organs, which are tumultuous, pull his mind with force into some other way.