Why Are People Unhappy: A disciple of a Guru was very unhappy. Whenever he went to the nearby village to beg for alms, he saw pain and suffering there. Seeing all this, he became restless. I pray to God to give happiness, joy and peace to everyone. One day, he had this question in his mind that why has the creator of this world given pain to all these people, why doesn’t he give happiness to everyone.
With this question, he went to his Guru. And he said, Hey! Master why are the people of this world so unhappy? Why is there unhappiness all around? The creator of this world does not set them all into happiness and Joy, so the question will be why? I am very sad and restless seeing the unhappiness of all of them. When I go to beg in the nearby villages, I see nothing but sorrow and suffering.
The Disciple’s Dilemma: Why Are We So Unhappy?
Every person is unhappy and restless due to some reason or the other. The Guru said that all of them have been given happiness, but they are unable to see their own happiness.
So what can anyone do in this, The disciple said Gurudev, if there is happiness then happiness will be visible and if there is sorrow then sorrow will be visible, people are not so stubborn that even after being happy they will try to become sad.
How can happiness become sad, it is only when there is sorrow that people are sad and troubled. Hearing this the guru gave a slight smile and said I know that you are a very good sculptor, do one thing, for the happiness of these people make such a sculpture that after seeing it all they forget their sorrows, even if it is for a short time. He said okay Gurudev.
The Guru’s Insight: Are People Blind to Their Own Happiness?
I will make such a statue that if anyone sees it, he will forget his sorrow and pain and become happy. The disciple worked on that statue for 3 months. He kept on making that statue with full dedication day and night. After 3 months, when his statue was completely ready, he came to the Guru and said, O Master, I have made that statue as per your instructions.
Any person who sees that statue will forget his sorrow and pain and become happy. You come with me and after seeing the statue tell me whether I have done the right thing. The Guru reached the statue with his disciple. The statue was really very beautiful and unique. The disciple made a statue of a beautiful girl who looked divine, looked like a goddess.
Why Are People Unhappy: A Statue of Joy Encapsulated
Her smile was such that anyone would get lost in it and forget their pain & sorrow and become happy. The guru said, “Very wonderful, you have made a very wonderful idol. It will definitely help people to come out of their sorrows, but I want you to make a mark somewhere on the face of this idol which is not visible.”
The disciple asked, “But why Master?” Then the Guru said, I will tell you later. The disciple made a small mark on the eyebrow above the eye of the idol which was not even visible. The Guru said, very good, now let us place this idol on the road outside the village. The idol was placed on the side of the road outside the village and the Guru and the disciple stood at a distance.
An Imperceptible Crumple: One in Perception
The villagers started to move out of the way and whoever saw the statue became sad. A young man stared at it. He looked at the statue very carefully and then went ahead regretfully. On the way, that person was stopped by Guru and his disciple.
The Guru asked, “You look very sad. What happened?” The man said, “There is a statue placed there. It is a very beautiful statue, such that if you see it, you keep looking at it. But alas, there is one flaw in it. The sculptor was not good.”
He has left a mark over the eye of the statue, that is why I am very sad. I wish if that mark was not there, the statue would have been so beautiful. The disciple said, but that mark is not even visible, how did you see it?
Finding the Flaw: Seeing What You Want to See
The person said, what are you saying, my first glance was on the mark, saying this the person went away from there, another person was looking at the idol, he too went ahead feeling sad, the Guru and the disciple stopped that person too and asked him what happened, why do you look so sad?
The person said that there is a very beautiful statue but the sculptor was a bad man. He has left a mark on the face of the statue which has spoiled my mood. The disciple asked and that mark is not even visible, how did you see it?
Humanity as it Is: Vices of Character
The person said, hey brother, what are you saying, I only saw that mark on the whole statue. Someone said can’t you just see the statue leaving out the mark what if there is a small mark the rest of the statue is good right?
The person said the statue is amazing and divine. If that mark was not there in it, that is why I am sad. Gradually all the villagers saw the statue and became sad. In the evening, finally the king also came there riding his chariot.
Seeing the statue he became serious and thought why such a wonderful statue is standing on the road, it should have been in his palace, but after a while he also became sad and left the statue and went ahead.
The king’s scrutiny: The things on the mind of the people
The Guru and the disciple stopped the king and the Guru asked the king, O King why are you sad, is the statue not beautiful? The king said that the statue is divine but the mark above the eye is not correct. The sculptor made a mistake and that is why I am sad. If that mark was not there then this statue would have been enhancing the beauty of my royal court.
Saying this the king also left from there. Both the Guru and the disciple reached near the idol. The Bhakt eyed the idol intently. The idol was very beautiful. There was no flaw in it and neither was that mark visible. He was very surprised by this. He said to the Guru, Master, there is no flaw in the idol.
The Guru’s Wisdom: Who Sees the Whole, Not Just Flaws
The entire idol is amazing and is a divine form, there is only a small mark and that too is such that it is not visible if seen from a distance, even if you come very close and look at it, it is visible only when you pay very close attention, then why are all these people after that small mark Why is he not able to see the rest of the beautiful statue?
The guru replied, you were asking why the creator of the world gave you sorrow. He did not give them pain, he had made all the arrangements to give them happiness and they do not see the complete idol, they see this flaw, they do not see the complete happiness, they keep on looking for a small pain in it, like they found pain instead of happiness in your idol That is, instead of being happy on seeing the intensity of the statue, she became sad on seeing a small flaw.
Solving — Why Are Some People Unhappy?
Similarly, they have happiness but they remain lost in a sadness which has no existence. Just like in your idol that small mark does not exist. The disciple enquired then why does he do so O! Master. The Guru said due to the restless mind. Everyone here is restless.
They never see the whole idol. They never see their complete happiness. They see only a small shortage. They see sorrow in the midst of happiness. This whole world, leaving the immense happiness, keeps holding on to small sorrows.
The Perception of Human and Our Unhappiness
That is their life and their world If we look at it carefully, the creator has made everything for their happiness only.. These rivers, these mountains, this green nature, delicious fruits and food, relationships, wealth, everything has been made for their happiness but they find sorrow for themselves in everything and keep on being unhappy.
Real World Peace via Whole Picture
just like everyone sees the maker of this statue In this way these people blame the creator of this world, but whose fault is it in this, the sculptor or the person looking at the statue, The disciple told Master that may he be happy, The guru said, I told you that he has already got happiness, he has to see the complete idol leaving out that small flaw, only then he will be able to see his Complete happiness, Someone asked what needs to be done for this.
Meditation The Way To Conquer Restless Mind
Master, they will have to apply their attention on the whole idol instead of this small thing and this will be possible only when he tries to get rid of his restless mind, increase his understanding, meditate, restlessness of mind decreases with meditation peace comes and Only a calm mind can see the whole picture, not a small flaw, only a restless mind looks for the faults and remains unhappy, The disciple said, Master, I have understood what you said.
- FAQs
How is it possible to have all of that and still be unhappy?
There seems to only be little annoyances in life, overshadowing the thousands of moments filled with joy and happiness. All due to the restless mind, just looking in one direction.
How does one reach to happiness escaping the unrest of mind?
Meditation, gaining more clarity and concentrating on the best not worst of things helps you to experience both peace and happiness or calmness.
What is that lesson the disciple learned from Guru about happiness.
The disciple realised that the very essence of true happiness, are focusing on what seems trivial and perfecting it and at large embracing all impeccable imperfectness.
Suddenly, the king and other villagers saw: only that single flaw in this statue.
Their restless mind would dwell more on the small, microscopic mark rather and appreciate the overall statue as a piece of art.
Can happiness be seen even in sorrow?
That is, when you relax the mind and stop concentrating on small dirt patches connected to your existence,I assure that happiness hides behind sorrow.
What are our responsible conclusions, about that story of human perception?
The story tells us that to human beings, perception is obstructed by a mind which never settles down; it holds on the errors so tight that does not let in any other view of life’s joy and beauty.