More seriously, the concept of Enjoyment is very simple. All types of this "enjoyment" that your inebriated colleagues mentioned, fall into the சிற்றின்பம் category.
Let us use the analogy of Sat(truth)- Chit(consciousness)-Ananda(eternal bliss) to evaluate this "enjoyment" .
For your colleagues, at that moment, that experience appeared to be the truth, they were conscious of it ( assuming that they did not pass out with too much Ethyl Alcohol down their gullets) , and derived ananda ( happiness).
Now, the acid test. That so-called truth was momentary. They were conscious as long as it lasted. Do they get the SAME feeling now, as they did, when that "enjoyment" was there? And finally, is this ever-lasting? Certainly not. All it takes is for one bad news to land, and all this " enjoyment" vanishes in no time.
Contrast that with the Sat-Chit-Ananda, in the philosophical sense. The true Ananda state, will not make any impact, even when "bad news" hits. Because you get into a state of tranquility, by then, and thereafter, nothing matters. Neither the good "enjoyment", nor a catastrophe.
So, by definition, "enjoyment", in the context of சிற்றின்பம், is subjective. You may get enjoyment by reading books, I may get enjoyment from watching porn, or someone else may get enjoyment watching cricket matches. Whatever. But, none of these will last forever.
According to Taittiriya Upanishad ( may be mentioned elsewhere too, I don't know), there are five koshas wrapping the soul, beyond which the brahman exists. These can be roughly lined up along the five elements.
Soul is wrapped inside five (or seven more precisely) layers (Pancha kosha)
Types of Bodies: Gross, Astral and Causal body
Annamaya Kosham (Food Sheath) - Outermost of the Pancha koshas
Pranamaya Kosham (Vital Air Sheath)
Manomaya Kosham (mind as distinctly different from intelligence - Sheath)
Vigyanamaya Kosham (Intellect Sheath)
Aanandamaya Kosham (Bliss Sheath - or ceaseless joy not connected with body or mind)
Chitta Kosham (spiritual wisdom)
Sat Kosham (the final state of merging with the Infinite)
Now, when I say, the pancha koshas resemble the five elements, the Anandamaya Kosham is closely linked to the Akasham ( or space).
The Taittiryam says " Tasmad va etasmad atmana akasa sambhutah, akasad vayuh, vayor agnih, agner apah, adbhyah prthivi, prthivya osadhayah, Osadhibhyo annam, annaat purushah".
"Tasmad va etasmad atmana akasa sambhutah" can be roughly translated as-
"From this Universal Atman(Brahman), space emanated" . And from Akasa, which is the sublest of the five elements, things get GROSSER, meaning, it get easier and easier to perceive, through the senses.
Purusha( humans), is the grossest . Because all 5 senses can be used to perceive "purusha".
Now, Akasa should be not taken literally to mean the sky. Akasha donetes the vast emptiness that the Universe is - in which we live in one tiny speck call the earth. Akasha is the other extreme none of the 5 senses will help, except one's consciousness, to know what it is, in Akasa.
If you dont know how it is in Akasha, let me guide you there. I have never been there, but this is what I hear astronauts and other scientists talk.
Take off your watch, spectacles, and every cloth and everything is on you. Board a spacecraft. Go billions of miles into empty space. And ... get dropped off.. 😂😂
At that point, you may probably not see anything . No stars, no sun, no moon, no light. It is darkness. There is probably no heat, no cold. No sound. No air outside. No sense of direction or time. YOU all alone... , and worse, your hard disk in your brain is all wiped out... you don't know who you are... no baggage... no history.. to memories to munch... you don't feel anything at all .... that is the state of Akasha that the rishis talk about... it is about the closest that you can still retain this body and get a glimpse of the brahman.
According to this Upanishad, the Barhmam is one step BEYOND this Akasha state, where even the consciousness does not matter.
Get the picture?? Akasha is THAT profound. And ananda is comparable to that, but not the be-all-end-all. You go beyond ananda and merge into the Brahmam.
Attempting to define the Brahmam is futile. One is trying to define the undefinable.
This concept of Akasha , reminds me of a verse from Kamba Ramayanam
‘பித்தர் சொன்னவும், பேதையர் சொன்னவும்,
பத்தர் சொன்னவும், பன்னப் பெறுபவோ?’
‘பித்தர் சொன்னவும் = பைத்தியம் பிடித்தவர்கள் சொன்னதும்
பேதையர் சொன்னவும் = பேதையர் சொன்னதும்
பத்தர் சொன்னவும் = பக்தர்கள் சொன்னதும்
பன்னப் பெறுபவோ? = ஆராயத் தக்கதோ ? (இல்லை)
பித்தர்கள், பக்தர்கள், பேதைகள் சொன்னதை பெரிய கவிஞர்கள் ஆராய்வார்களா என்று கேட்கிறான் கம்பன்.
In other words, the extreme feeling in Bhakthi ( attempt to go torwards the Brahmam) can be equated to the feeling of mentally challenged people, or even people who are intellectually challenged.
Let us use the analogy of Sat(truth)- Chit(consciousness)-Ananda(eternal bliss) to evaluate this "enjoyment" .
For your colleagues, at that moment, that experience appeared to be the truth, they were conscious of it ( assuming that they did not pass out with too much Ethyl Alcohol down their gullets) , and derived ananda ( happiness).
Now, the acid test. That so-called truth was momentary. They were conscious as long as it lasted. Do they get the SAME feeling now, as they did, when that "enjoyment" was there? And finally, is this ever-lasting? Certainly not. All it takes is for one bad news to land, and all this " enjoyment" vanishes in no time.
Contrast that with the Sat-Chit-Ananda, in the philosophical sense. The true Ananda state, will not make any impact, even when "bad news" hits. Because you get into a state of tranquility, by then, and thereafter, nothing matters. Neither the good "enjoyment", nor a catastrophe.
So, by definition, "enjoyment", in the context of சிற்றின்பம், is subjective. You may get enjoyment by reading books, I may get enjoyment from watching porn, or someone else may get enjoyment watching cricket matches. Whatever. But, none of these will last forever.
According to Taittiriya Upanishad ( may be mentioned elsewhere too, I don't know), there are five koshas wrapping the soul, beyond which the brahman exists. These can be roughly lined up along the five elements.
Soul is wrapped inside five (or seven more precisely) layers (Pancha kosha)
Types of Bodies: Gross, Astral and Causal body
Annamaya Kosham (Food Sheath) - Outermost of the Pancha koshas
Pranamaya Kosham (Vital Air Sheath)
Manomaya Kosham (mind as distinctly different from intelligence - Sheath)
Vigyanamaya Kosham (Intellect Sheath)
Aanandamaya Kosham (Bliss Sheath - or ceaseless joy not connected with body or mind)
Chitta Kosham (spiritual wisdom)
Sat Kosham (the final state of merging with the Infinite)
Now, when I say, the pancha koshas resemble the five elements, the Anandamaya Kosham is closely linked to the Akasham ( or space).
The Taittiryam says " Tasmad va etasmad atmana akasa sambhutah, akasad vayuh, vayor agnih, agner apah, adbhyah prthivi, prthivya osadhayah, Osadhibhyo annam, annaat purushah".
"Tasmad va etasmad atmana akasa sambhutah" can be roughly translated as-
"From this Universal Atman(Brahman), space emanated" . And from Akasa, which is the sublest of the five elements, things get GROSSER, meaning, it get easier and easier to perceive, through the senses.
Purusha( humans), is the grossest . Because all 5 senses can be used to perceive "purusha".
Now, Akasa should be not taken literally to mean the sky. Akasha donetes the vast emptiness that the Universe is - in which we live in one tiny speck call the earth. Akasha is the other extreme none of the 5 senses will help, except one's consciousness, to know what it is, in Akasa.
If you dont know how it is in Akasha, let me guide you there. I have never been there, but this is what I hear astronauts and other scientists talk.
Take off your watch, spectacles, and every cloth and everything is on you. Board a spacecraft. Go billions of miles into empty space. And ... get dropped off.. 😂😂
At that point, you may probably not see anything . No stars, no sun, no moon, no light. It is darkness. There is probably no heat, no cold. No sound. No air outside. No sense of direction or time. YOU all alone... , and worse, your hard disk in your brain is all wiped out... you don't know who you are... no baggage... no history.. to memories to munch... you don't feel anything at all .... that is the state of Akasha that the rishis talk about... it is about the closest that you can still retain this body and get a glimpse of the brahman.
According to this Upanishad, the Barhmam is one step BEYOND this Akasha state, where even the consciousness does not matter.
Get the picture?? Akasha is THAT profound. And ananda is comparable to that, but not the be-all-end-all. You go beyond ananda and merge into the Brahmam.
Attempting to define the Brahmam is futile. One is trying to define the undefinable.
This concept of Akasha , reminds me of a verse from Kamba Ramayanam
‘பித்தர் சொன்னவும், பேதையர் சொன்னவும்,
பத்தர் சொன்னவும், பன்னப் பெறுபவோ?’
‘பித்தர் சொன்னவும் = பைத்தியம் பிடித்தவர்கள் சொன்னதும்
பேதையர் சொன்னவும் = பேதையர் சொன்னதும்
பத்தர் சொன்னவும் = பக்தர்கள் சொன்னதும்
பன்னப் பெறுபவோ? = ஆராயத் தக்கதோ ? (இல்லை)
பித்தர்கள், பக்தர்கள், பேதைகள் சொன்னதை பெரிய கவிஞர்கள் ஆராய்வார்களா என்று கேட்கிறான் கம்பன்.
In other words, the extreme feeling in Bhakthi ( attempt to go torwards the Brahmam) can be equated to the feeling of mentally challenged people, or even people who are intellectually challenged.
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