Seminar By H.H.Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj Happiness Simplified Session-1 (University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia) Date: 22nd December, 2012

What follows are the excerpts from the 1st session by Guru Maharaj at University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia on 22nd December 2012. I have rephrased in my own words wherever I missed out on Guru Maharaj's exact wordings. Please note that some of the answers, the questions to which I couldn't recollect have been merged into the notes especially at the end.

• Happiness is a transient consideration. It is a cycle of alternating happiness and pain.
• Pariprasna means sincere and relevant questions.
• Questions with proper answers make the exchange so fruitful, exciting and relevant.
• What is happiness?

1. fulfillment of desires.
2. negation/cessation of pain.
3. gratification of our senses. Matrasparsastu Kaunteya shitoshna sukha dukhada. Matra: degree of, Sparsastu: sense perception.

• Real happiness is uninterrupted, atyantika sukha.
• Extreme point of suffering is death.
• When objects of senses become pleasing to the senses then that is a source of happiness.
• Knowledge can be acquired in two ways.

1. Ascending process
2. Descending process

• We are being subjected to different suffering conditions due to this material body. eg,  finger and pain inflicted on it, material world as a prison house.
• This body has been designed to receive pain.
• When painful state of existence is reduced to some extent then that is known as happiness in this material world. 
• This body is receiving different experiences through different senses. 
• Consciousness is flowing through nerves. Brain is the seat of the mind. Nerves are functioning through nerve currents. When nerve currents uninterrupted: happiness, when interrupted: pain.
• Therefore experience of pain/pleasure is a matter of sense perception.
• The more subtle the pain, the more acute it is.
• Our endeavor to enjoy in this body is futile.
• The mirage is real, but as a reflection.

Q: How do we become quickly materially exhausted to not search for happiness through this material body.

A: It is a matter of intelligence. There are three ways of learning.

1. By hearing.
2. By seeing.
3. By experiencing.

A fourth category never learns even after having experienced it. eg, seeing the food in the mirror and in an attempt to enjoy it the person goes and bangs into the mirror again and again each time with a greater force but a vain attempt.

Q: What is the best way to stabilize our consciousness?

A: Best way to stabilize and improve our consciousness is to accept Srila Prabhupada's instructions and follow them.

Q: What should be done first sadhana or service?

A: First consideration should be your own sadhana, at the same time if possible help others too. Therefore Srila Prabhupada wanted us to preach. So we must,

1. strive for our own perfection,
2. help others to achieve the platform of Krsna consciousness, 
3. preach to others.

Q: What to do if close relatives are not favorable to Krsna consciousness? 

A: If relatives are not receptive, then we should not be held down by them, if they don't come alongwith us then, we should move ahead.