WE HAVE HEARD YOU SAY MANY TIMES THAT EGO IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF OUR JOY AND SORROW. KINDLY EXPLAIN THIS IN DETAIL AND OBLIGE.

On the level of ego, on the level of mind, there is duality. Joy and sorrow are at the mind level.

There is an interesting story that when Gautama the Buddha attained Enlightenment, all gods gathered and urged him to express something.

They requested him to express the bliss, which he had experienced. After much persuasion, Gautama the Buddha agreed and he remembered four of his fellow seekers who had fled away because of his arduous sadhana. They had thought that not only Buddha would kill himself with his tough Sadhana but would also lead them towards death. Hence, out of sheer compassion, Gautama the Buddha thought of them first. With his inner foresight, he saw that they are at Sarnath.

He walked from Bodhgaya to Sarnath. Upon reaching Sarnath his friends recognized him from a distance and were enthralled. They lay down at his feet to pay respect and said, “Gautama, your bliss, your eyes convey everything. The bliss that we all had intended to find, you have attained. Please also guide us and take us on the journey of bliss. From where should we start this journey? These words of Gautama the Buddha are very beautiful. They are like the first drops of monsoon falling after scorching heat of summer or like the initial budding on trees after autumn.

Gautama said:

MIND IS THE SOURCE OF PLEASURES AND PAINS.

The experience of pleasure and pain is due to the mind. Why? Because, such is the nature of mind.

 WHAT IT HAS IT VALUES NOT,

AND CRAVES WHAT IT DOES NOT HAVE.

IF MIND IS DISTURED WHATEVER YOU DO,

THAT SURELY BRINGS MISERIES AND SORROWS.

Therefore, it is only the mind that experiences plain and pleasure.

AS WHEELS FOLLOW THE BULLOCKS IN THE CART,

THE JOYS AND SORROWS FOLLOW THE MIND.

THE ENTIRE WORLD IS YOUR MIRROR IMAGE,

YOU GET THE WAY YOU THINK.

HENCE BOTHER NOT FOR THE WORLD, BUT FOR THE SELF,

AND GO TO THE FEET OF AWAKENED ONE.

 Therefore, remember! You experience joy through the mind and you experience sorrow through the mind. When is the mind happy? It is when things happen according to you that the mind becomes happy. And when is the mind miserable? It becomes unhappy when things are happening not according to you. One, who experiences happiness, and unhappiness, is the Mind. Therefore, certainly ego experiences happiness and unhappiness.

There is wonderful description in our Scriptures:

 1. SUKHASYA DUKHASYA NA KOPI DATA.

The other is not the giver of joys and sorrows.

 2. PARO DADATI ITI VIMUDH CHETA.

Only a fool believes that someone else gives us joys and sorrows.

 3. AHAM KAROMI ITI MITHYA BHIMANAH.

 Why does mind experience joys and sorrows? It is because of the ego.

We feel that we are doers and we can change the events. We can change the people. We forget that duality is the nature of life. The river of life flows through the two banks of joys and sorrows.

Hence, between the banks of joys and sorrows, this stream of life goes on flowing. Therefore, certainly it is the ego that makes us experience joys and sorrows. When someone praises you that you are very nice and you become happy. The inner flame sways with happiness. And if someone tells you that you are wicked, then you are just shaken up from within.

Therefore, that which sways with happiness within you upon hearing favorable opinion is ego. And that which gets shaken up upon hearing unfavorable criticism, that which becomes traumatized, even that is ego. Hence, whenever you experience joys and sorrows, bear in mind that this duality is emerging from the level of ego. Let ego go, if you want to remain unaffected by joys and sorrows of life.

– Ma Amrit Priya