Science of Spirituality
Theoretical discussion on happiness and
unhappiness
according to various philosophies
Bliss
Definition
Bliss is the favourable spiritual experience beyond the realms of five senses, mind, and intellect, experienced by an individual doing spiritual practice (jivatma), or One Who has attained God-Realization (Shivadasha).Synonyms
Spiritual Bliss, spiritual happiness, and eternal happiness.Difference between happiness and Bliss
Definitions of happiness and Bliss: Happiness is a pleasant sensation experienced by an individual through the five senses, mind, and/or intellect, while Bliss is a spiritual experience beyond the five senses, mind, and intellect.
Each one of us has experienced happiness at sometime or the other. Since the experience is obtained through the media of the five senses, mind, and intellect, one can comprehend its definition. Contrary to this, since most of us have not experienced Bliss, and many are not even aware that there may be something to experience beyond the five senses, mind, and intellect. Thus, most people find it difficult to understand the definition of Bliss. Just as one who is blind since birth will find it difficult to understand the concept of colours or sight, it is similarly difficult to explain the meaning of Bliss to someone who has never experienced it.
Bliss cannot be expressed in words but has to be experienced. However, for the purpose of comparison of the meanings of happiness and Bliss, let us use a gold bracelet as an example. The pleasant sensation that one gets from a formless object is called Bliss, while that obtained from the object with a form is called happiness. Bliss and happiness would thus be analogous to the gold used in making the bracelet and the bracelet itself, respectively.
[Reference taken from Vol. 1B – Spirituality, compiled by Dr. Jayant Athavale and Dr. Mrs. Kunda Athavale.]
*If one is not currently doing any spiritual practice, or to complement one's current spiritual practice, one can begin with the simple, but powerful spiritual practice of chanting or constantly remembering God's Name according to one's religion. Chanting also acts as a useful complement to any spiritual path one may be already following. It is a practice recommended for the current times by Holy texts and Saints of all religions.
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To begin with, one can repeat God's Name according to their religion (refer to Issue 3 Clarification of Doubts section for a list of God's Names as per various religions), or the Name that they feel most comfortable chanting.
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Interested readers can determine the exact chant for them from the experiment given inIssue 124, Message to Seekers section.