Happiness is a kind of joy; it is a state of the mind. There are many kinds of happiness. A child becomes happy when he/she gets a toy. A scientist becomes happy when he discovers his desired object. Similarly a poet or a writer becomes happy when he is able to put across his feeling or his ideas to his readers.
From the above account it becomes clear that happiness is a kind of mental satisfaction. Now the question is what its constituents are.
Firstly, the basic constituent of happiness is desire or want. A passive mind that does not react or respond to life’s experience feels no happiness either. The opposite of happiness is sorrow. Even sorrow is a constituent of happiness. It may sound like a paradox. But those who experience sorrows in life also have desire. They are not colourless like the passive soul.
The second important constituent is intelligence. A dull person can never be happy in life. A dull child shall only cry for something it likes. But an intelligent one shall use his weapons or instruments of shouting, crying innocent craft to please others to obtain his object.
Intelligence is a chief constituent of the mind and happiness is doubtless a state of the mind. It is never an attribute of the senses. The senses give us pleasure. We are pleased to enjoy, but when we are happy the object becomes a thing of the mind. The sweet smell of the rose please our olfactory sense, but when we enjoy it, it becomes a thing of the mind, and then we feel happy even when we do not smell it. John Keats said, ’A thing of beauty is a joy for ever’. The joy here is that of the mind. It is a kind of happiness.
It should, however, be borne in mind that real happiness springs from noble desires and intentions. Human intelligence can work both ways. A thief or a cheat also can obtain his desired object by applying his intelligence. But that brings in its wake a kind of tension for the mind. But a noble or innocent desire being achieved, it brings to the mind quiet and healthy satisfaction. It is a kind of contentment that is true or real happiness.
Thus the third constituent of ‘real happiness’ is purity of desire or pursuit. Here the epithet ‘real’; implies lasting and durable.
Spiritual happiness is also a kind of joy of the super mind. It is concerned with something that is on a higher plane than mere intelligence.
Lastly, to conclude, the real index of happiness is order, not chaos. Its chief function is to bring order to a disturbed mind. The beauty of a ‘happy’ soul is a fine balance in which it lives. It prevents the revolt of the senses and keeps them in perfect harmony. It is noticeable in all the categories of human being, whether it is in politics, art, literature or social reforms. It shall be a vain effort to seek it in pride, love of wealth or ambition. The latter are pleasures of the senses, whereas real happiness is a virtue of the mind.