The joy of the spirit ever abides,
But not what seems pleasant to the senses.
Both these, differing in their purpose, prompt
Us to action. All is well for those who choose
The joy of the spirit, but they miss
The goal of life, who prefer the pleasant.
Perennial joy or passing pleasure?
This is the choice one is to make always.
Those who are wise recognize this, but not
The ignorant. This first welcomes what leads
To abiding joy, though painful at the time.
The latter run, goaded by their senses,
After what seems immediate pleasure.
Well have you renounced these passing pleasures
So dear to your senses, Nachiketa,
And turned your back on the way of the world
That makes mankind forget the goal of life.
(Katha I. 2. 1-3)
In his quest to find truth and the purpose of life, Nachiketa passes through the earthly realm to limbo in order to speak with Yama, the Hindu god of the dead. This Upanishad, (Hindu Scripture), is considered to be one of Ghandi’s favorites, so much so that it is what drove him to in the idea of Non-violence. It influenced Ralph Waldo Emerson, read Self-Reliance and you’ll see what I mean. Henry David Thoreau secluded himself for over a year and wrote about it ina collection of memoirs or tangents known as Walden; did I mention Thoreau was reading this selection of scriptures prior to his seclusion?
Such a question to ask a person, “perennial joy or passing pleasure?” If you think that this 10,000+ year old question is not existent, ask any teenager about fashion and technology or how about desiring everyone to “like” them. How about the moniker, “keeping up with the Joneses?” It pervades our culture, our country, our generation. In short, we battle this question on a daily basis.
Yet, there has to be more to life than than just continuous happiness with nothing or pleasure and enjoyment that never lasts. I only ask because I feel that neither will ever lead to fulfillment, and more poignantly, “fill the earth with His Glory.” If I am so deliberate with how much emphasis I put on “self,” myself, how will I consider the needs of others, the direction and dreams that God has given me? Just a thought…
