Page 4 - Seeking happiness in a place of misery

 An illusory mirage and the prison of the material world On a hot day, desert sands exposed to the intense heat of the sun can cause the sand to be up to 10 degrees centigrade hotter than the cooler air one meter above. This creates con- ditions favorable for the formation of an inferior image of the sky that appears as if it is on the ground. A mirage of water on the hot sand appears as if real. There is no water on the hot sand, but due to an optical illusion, there seems to be the appearance of water. Foolish animals that see the mirage of water in the desert walk toward it. They eventually die of ex- haustion and thirst. Mirage of water in the desert. Foolish animal tricked by the mirage of water in the desert The experience of human beings seeking material happiness is similar to foolish animals walking toward the mirage of wa- ter in the desert. Everyone is seeking happiness in this world. Due to illusion, they believe that happiness will be found in sensual pleasures of the body and mind. The material world is sometimes compared to a prison where everyone is limited by old age, disease and death. In a prison, the criminals suffer because of the severe limitation of their freedom. The prison- ers’ attempt to be comfortable and happy in the prison is an illusion (maya). How can they be happy with severe re- strictions of freedom? Similarly, when living beings believe they can be happy in the material world, they live in a state of illusion. 4Â