The Jewels of Happiness is a compilation of Sri Chinmoy’s prose writings, but Sri Chinmoy himself infinitely preferred writing poems and aphorisms to prose. In 1998 Sri Chinmoy began his largest collection of aphorisms and poems to date, Seventy-Seven Thousand Service Trees. He said at the time that he did not expect to live to see it completed, but that he had an inner command to start, and he was dutifully obeying that inner command.
By the time of his passing in 2007, he had completed 50,000 poems in this series – 50 volumes of 1,000 poems each. The poems have a tremendous simplicity that bypass the mind, creating a haiku-like sensation of stillness in the heart. The following aphorisms on happiness were compiled by Kakali Atkin. The poems were numbered from 1 to 50,000, and the number for selected each poem is shown here. The above artwork is from the vast collection of Sri Chinmoy’s Jharna Kala (Fountain-Art).
27,174
A heart of compassion
Is the real possessor
Of happiness.
28,149.
I must share my happiness
With the rest of the world
To make my life
Meaningful and fruitful.
28,515.
The inner happiness
Never depends on
Outer happenings.
28,669.
Happiness grows
In the fertile soil
Of love.
29,109.
When I share
My happiness,
I multiply it.
29,344.
My inner happiness
Cures
My outer suffering.
30,207.
Conquer the doubting mind.
True happiness
Will immediately be yours.
31,787.
My gratitude-heart
Can only create for me
A happiness-universe.
31,985.
Only a happiness-smile
From our heart
Can cure our outer life.
32,343.
Material happiness
Is short-lived
And very shallow.
32,406.
Service
Is the secret
Of true happiness.
32,457.
A heart of sympathy
Is a life of happiness,
Indeed.
33,071.
My soul came into the world
To radiate happiness
Here, there and everywhere.
33,096.
Each divine thought helps me
Spread happiness-sunshine
From my heart.
33,271.
I can make each minute
Beautiful, soulful, cheerful
And fruitful
If I maintain my inner happiness.
34,113.
A child’s heart
Is the most powerful
Happiness-announcer.
34,829.
Smile, smile, smile!
Happiness will endear you
To both God and man.
35,790.
If you do not forgive yourself,
Then peace and happiness
Will remain a far cry.
39,174.
A heart of tranquillity
Is a source
Of tremendous happiness.
39,175.
Happiness is within–
An absolute Truth.
41,328.
Happiness
Unconditionally follows
Humility.
41,337.
When I have a good thought,
I become happiness
And dance in my heart-room.
42,510.
Not by accusing the world
But by excusing the world
Can we have true happiness.
43,532.
Just try one day
Without finding fault
With any human being.
You will see that happiness
Will become your name.
43,664.
Selflessness takes us
To the heart
Of happiness.
43,732.
Happiness
Looms large
In forgiveness.
44,575.
Never forget
Even one happiness-dream
Of yours.
44,753.
Happiness is a passer-by
In the mind’s world.
45,022.
Happiness depends
Only on self-giving
And not on anything else.
47,007.
The age-old discovery–
Forgiveness, forgiveness, forgiveness–
Is the only way
To real happiness.
47,546.
A doubting mind
Will never know
What real happiness is.
49,800.
Do not starve your happiness
By thinking ill
Of yourself.