Albert Einstein’s philosophical views on life are
equally well-known as his scientific theories, but not much is known about what
he thought constitutes happiness. A hint at this came to be known recently from
a brief note he had written on a paper and handed over to a courier in Japan in
1922, as a token of his appreciation of the service rendered by the courier.
The message he has written is as follows:
“.. a quiet and modest life brings more
joy than a pursuit of success bound with constant unrest”.
He has written in another blank paper “where there is a will, there
is a way”, and handed over these two papers to the courier saying that
these notes might become valuable to him than any tip he could offer him.
Apparently he had referred to the ideas conveyed in these notes to be of
guiding lights, but it turns out that the possessor of these notes is going to
see a windfall as these papers are getting auctioned today (Tuesday, the 24th
Oct) in Jerusalem.
Click the image to read
The first message is of interest to us as it
reflects what Einstein thought about happiness. Like his scientific theories
that were tested with cross-referential tools of science and Cosmos over a
period of time, his theory of Happiness also can be tested with the highly
logical and cosmic theology of Vedanta, a facet of which known as Pantheism, was followed by Einstein
himself.
Happiness (sukha – सुख) is
the central theme of Vedic religion as any Yajna or prayer is aimed at Sukha.
Even today the daily prayer of many Hindus including me is ‘lokah samastha
sukhino bhavanthu’ (Let all the beings in all the worlds become happy). So I
thought of putting his version into scrutiny of the Vedic thought of Happiness!
Let us first understand what Einstein says in that
message.
He says, ““.. a quiet and modest life brings more
joy than a pursuit of success bound with constant unrest”.
We can see two components in this message. One is
that, leading a quiet and modest life brings more joy.
Perhaps he refers to a modest life style with less wants and aspirations. This
pertains to materialism. When one has less wants and is content with basic
needs and has no cravings beyond means, life is happy!
The second part of the message talks about the
strain that is caused by going after a pursuit of success. In this part, I
think he could have been more explicit. Does he mean going after a goal or
going after success? All of us have a goal, even Einstein had goals. Going
after the goal for reaching it or achieving it does cause some stress. The same
process (of going after a goal) also can be termed as going after success. So
this part of the message seems to show that he is unclear about what he is
coming to say. For, one can go after a goal with all its attendant stress, and
still lead a modest and quiet life! And going after the goal need not make one
unhappy, for, as long as one is steeped into the goal, there is no need to feel
unhappy about the troubles on the way.
If success is your goal, which is interchangeable
with the goal itself, then also one can remain immune to unhappiness that comes
along the way as one must understand that nothing comes easy without
tribulations. Even birth into this world comes with struggles and pains. It is
so with all living beings (Cetana – चेतन). Even in the case of non-living beings,
say in the formation and existence of cosmic entities like planets, existence
became possible only with struggle to reach equilibrium (equated with success)
and the struggle continues to retain that equilibrium in relation to each
other. Thus we can see that there is no disharmony between the two parts in his
message - of leading a modest life and pursuing a goal.
His 2nd note on will- way relationship
(where there is a will there is a way), aligns with pursuing a goal (or
success). This note written immediately after the first one seems to reflect a
rethink on his part after writing the 1st note. Einstein seems to
recognise the human tendency to pursue a goal (and therefore success of it),
though laden with lot of unrest and stress, he seems to think that one must not
give up. If one pursues it with a will, somehow one would find a way to achieve
it.
Thus these two notes reflect an inner struggle at
that moment (of writing) in Einstein’s mind – of craving for a less stressful
life (which he thinks gives happiness) and a simultaneous urge to pursue a goal
with its attendant problems. And what remains in his mind at the end is that
one can achieve the goal (success) by a determined will. If he were to write
another note after the 2nd one, perhaps he would have written that
accomplishment after a great struggle gives happiness!
So his recipe for happiness is (1) quiet and modest
life style, (2) pursuance of a goal beset with less struggle and (3) accomplishment
of a goal (implied from his 2nd note).
Now let us do the cross-checking:
Quiet and modest living is possible, but not
practical or possible for everyone. In a society with inter-dependence on each
other for many goods and services, we need people who produce more, who work
for others and who create wealth for oneself that go to the benefit others too.
In all these, stress is an attendant component that cannot be avoided. A quiet
and frugal living is viable only in the ‘vaanaprastha’ (वानप्रस्थ) stage
in a person’s life when a person has completed his familial and material
responsibilities. In the previous stages of life (as a family man or a societal
man having some responsibilities towards society and in money- earning), there
is struggle, but one can remain happy following a simple rule. That simple rule
is adherence to Dharma (righteousness) in any work one does.
When one adheres to Dharma in his pursuit of regular
activities, in acquisition of wealth and in matters of passion and emotions,
one does not invite any adverse karma which in effect would not cause
unhappiness! At all times we are doing some karma. When it is done within the
parameters of Dharma, the resultant karma bestows happiness. This is best
explained by Veda Vyasa at
the end of Mahabharata.
Vyasa makes 4 specific statements as follows:
1. Thousands
of mothers and fathers, and hundreds of sons and wives arise in the world and
depart from it. Others will (arise and) similarly depart.
2. There are
thousands of occasions for joy and hundreds of occasions for fear. These affect
only him that is ignorant but never him that is wise.
3. With
uplifted arms I am crying aloud but nobody hears me. From Righteousness is
Wealth as also Pleasure. Why should not Righteousness, therefore, be courted?
4. For
the sake neither of pleasure, nor of fear, nor of cupidity should any one cast
off Righteousness. Indeed, for the sake of even life one should not cast off
Righteousness. Righteousness is eternal. Pleasure and Pain are not eternal.
Jiva is eternal. The cause, however, of Jiva’s being invested with a body is
not so.
Vyasa begins the statement about the continuing life
cycles of all people. There is not just one life but many lives that one goes
through. This concept is valid on the logic that whatever one experiences in
the current birth could not have come without a prior karma (cause) in a
previous birth. The law of cause and effect is very much the basis for cyclical
births and rebirths.
The second point is that since we have taken
countless births, we have experienced pleasure and pain, and fear and happiness
for countless number of times. So by now we must have understood why we are
experiencing them. If we have understood we would not be feeling the pain and
unhappiness. The one who has understood is a wise man. So what is that one has
to understand?
This is explained in the 3rd point. It is
Dharma that protects one from all ills and gives happiness. Dharma in any and every
action, Dharma in acquisition of wealth and Dharma in matters of desire and
craving (kaama) would insulate one from pain and unhappiness. Vyasa says this
in a dramatic way by raising his hands and crying aloud. But alas, no one
listened to him even at that time (about 5000 years ago when he lived). He shouted that one gets wealth and happiness from Dharma,
but why then nobody adheres to it?
This statement can be understood on the basis of
views expressed in Bhagavad Gita. A man cannot
remain inactive at all times. One cannot avoid doing some work or action. There
are regular chores, and works aimed at making money or earning a living and
actions and activities connected with emotions, feelings and desires. If one
adorns the kind of attitude that does not harm others and that is right in the
given situation, one would have the satisfaction and happiness at the end of
it. Even if one has failed to achieve success at the end, one would have the satisfaction
that one was right in his ways.
An important feature in all these is that one must
adopt an attitude of equanimity – being equal in all situations – that is,
being equi-distance from success and failure, happiness
and sadness, and gains and losses. All these – success, failure,
happiness, sadness, gains and losses - are the result of one’s past karma. One
does not have a hold on them, despite how well one might have planned and executed
an action. Beyond all his actions, there is an element of an unseen karma of
the past that comes into play. The one who realises this is not caught up with
sorrow when things do not happen in the way he expected. Such a person is wise
and is least perturbed with feelings of sorts at success or failure but
continues to discharge his actions / karma with an unperturbed mind. Such a
person is known as a “Karma yogi”. Such a Karma
yogi crosses the boundary of cycle of rebirths, as re-birth is not needed to
experience anything, as he is unperturbed by any feelings that could give rise
to a fresh karma.
In the next and last statement Vyasa says that one should
never deviate from the path of Dharma at any time, even if one’s life is at
risk. For, Dharma is eternal but not the pleasure and pain. We, the Atman are eternal
but not the karma that binds us in this body. The realisation of this enables
one to keep his cool in any situation so as not to create a fresh karma. Such a
person will experience an immense calm in his mind which is nothing but eternal
Bliss.
Reaching this state must be the aim of any person,
according to Hindu Thought.
One might have been born with a silver spoon in his
mouth and flooded with immense riches around him. That was the result of his
past karma. But he has to keep up his equanimity of mind intact to get lasting
happiness, for, his riches may vanish one day. Some other person may be born
poor, but even in that state if he is unperturbed by pleasure and pain, he is
certainly happy. At every moment of our life, we have to keep our mind not
swayed by wants, desires, pleasure, pain, happiness, sorrow and fear. If we do
so, we are inching towards cutting off karma. The state when Karma is no longer
affecting us, we experience bliss.
Einstein did experience this state of mind when he
wrote “I do not need any promise of eternity to be
happy. My eternity is now. I have only one interest: to fulfill my purpose here
where I am.” This is the dialogue of a Karma Yogi – one who is dedicated
to his goal and works relentlessly unperturbed by failure or success.
Einstein goes on to say, “This
purpose is not given (to) me by my parents or my surroundings. It is induced by
some unknown factors. These factors make me a part of eternity.” (For
full text read here)
The unknown factors that he mentions is his karmic
path laid by past karma and he being a part of the grand design of the cosmos
that keeps on going with its work relentlessly.
All of us are a part of this cosmos and its design
which implies that a grand component of this cosmos of which we are a part is
also a part of us! That grand component pervading this cosmos is known by
various names, but it has one name given in Rig Veda – that is, Sat! In common
parlance it is known as GOD. The realisation that we are part of that eternity is
Knowledge which gives eternal Happiness.
Einstein was close to that realisation but fell
short of expressing it coherently.
********************
UPDATE on 27th October 2017.
From
From
Einstein’s ‘Hidden formula’ for Happiness sells for
$ 1.5 million
By Laura Geggel, Senior Writer | October
25, 2017 01:31pm ET
Gal Wiener, owner and manager of the Winner's
auction house in Jerusalem, holds two notes, including one on happiness,
written by Albert Einstein in November 1922. Both notes were written in German
on stationary from the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.
Credit: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty
Two advice-filled notes Albert Einstein wrote to a
bellboy in Japan 95 years ago, including one that advocated for "a calm
and modest life," fetched more than $1.5 million at an auction on Tuesday
(Oct. 24).
In October 1922, Einstein was traveling to Japan to
deliver a series of lectures when he received a telegraph announcing that he
had won the 1921 Nobel
Prize in physics. The physicist was hardly ever short on groundbreaking
theories, but found himself short on cash when he wanted to tip a bellboy who
had delivered an item to his room at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.
In lieu of a monetary tip, Einstein gave the bellboy
two thoughtful notes he had just written on hotel stationary. Einstein told the
bellboy to keep the letters, "as their future value may be much higher
than a standard tip," according to Winner's Auctions and Exhibitions, in
Jerusalem, which auctioned the letters. [8
Ways You Can See Einstein's Theory of Relativity in Real Life]
The longer note, popularly called the
"happiness letter," reads: "A calm and modest life brings more
happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant
restlessness." (The original German reads, "Stilles bescheidenes Leben
gibt mehr Glueck als erfolgreiches Streben, verbunden mit bestaendiger
Unruhe.")
A bidding war for the letter lasted 25 minutes, and
ended with an anonymous buyer purchasing it for $1,560,000, a price that
includes an additional charge known as the buyer's premium.
The other note Einstein gave the bellboy says,
"Where there's a will there's a way." (The original German says,
"Wo ein Wille ist, da ist auch ein Weg.") Another anonymous buyer
purchased that note for $240,000, an amount that also includes the buyer's
premium, according to
the auction house.
Despite an invitation to the Nobel Prize ceremony,
Einstein opted to continue his journey in Japan, which is why he didn't travel
to Stockholm that December to receive his award in person, auction officials
said.
Original article on Live
Science.
