STOIC VIRTUE, EUDAIMŌNIA, AND MAHĀBHĀRATA

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In this post, we will familiarize ourselves with the art of Stoic virtue, arête, the Greek conception
of Eudaimō nia which states that happiness depends upon being virtuous. We will also consider
the concluding verses of the Great Indian Epic, Mahābhārata, which also underscore the value of
living a righteous life.

Building on the Greek philosophy, Stoicism states that the entire goal and purpose of human life
(summum bonum or ‘supreme ideal’) is to achieve eudaimō nia, which roughly translates to
‘happiness’ or ‘flourishing’ through living a life of virtue (arête in Greek and in Latin, virtus--for
which the English word ‘virtue’ is an unsatisfactory translation).

According to Christopher Gill, the key message of Stoicism is that all human beings are capable
of achieving happiness by their own efforts. And this is because happiness or flourishing
(Eudaimō nia in Greek) depends ultimately not on acquiring external things such as money or
status etc….but on developing virtue or virtues. The virtues are the set of qualities that are
essential for human life, qualities such as wisdom, justice, courage and temperance. Stoics
believe that all human being are fundamentally capable of developing these virtues. In that sense,
we all have basis of creating our own happiness. It is up to us or within our power. They also
believe that virtue alone is good in a complete sense and virtue alone is sufficient for happiness.
Since developing virtuously is in our own hands, according to Stoicism, our happiness depends
upon us, and not on others.[1]

The eudaimonic happiness is not a mood or feeling of elation (which will be fleeting at best) but
rather an abiding state of felicity emanating from living a life that is worth living—which for
Stoics would be a life of virtue.

This was the Greek model of an ideal life—integration of soul along the lines of reason—
passions and desires following. Greeks accordingly define happiness as the 'exercise of human
faculties along the lines of excellence. Reason must be the charioteer and it is precisely the
reason alone marks us off as different from the animal world.

Stoicism maintains that human beings are rational and the best use of rationality is to develop
ethically. In other words, the best possible state of the rational mind is moral virtue (arête =
moral excellence). And virtue is regarded as it’s own reward and vice, its own punishment
(having missed the opportunity to be virtuous). Ancient Stoics count four cardinal virtues—
wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance. Wisdom is the primary virtue, from which all other
virtues follow. In Indian wisdom, as we know, this wisdom is referred to by the word viveka, the
ability to differentiate between the real and the unreal, kernel from the husk.

Please note the similarity here with the Bhagavad Gītā’s conception of yoga: Śrī Kṛṣṇa tells
Arjuna that, Yoga is excellence in action (यययय यययययय यययययय यययय yogaḥ
karmasu kauśalam 2.50)
On this point of virtue, we see marvelous convergence of all teachings of the world’s great
spiritual traditions. Summing up the Greek thought, Cicero concludes his Stoic Paradox 1
stating, ‘surely to live well and happily, is nothing else than to live virtuously and rightly.’

Ved Vyāsa concludes the great Epic, Mahābhārata, signaling its most important teachings in the
following three verses:

ययययययययय यययययययय ययययययय ययययय य

ययययय ययययय यययय यययययययय य ययययययय
harṣasthānasahasrāṇi bhayasthānaśatāni ca /
divase divase mūḍham āviśanti na paṇḍitam //

There are thousands of occasions for joy and hundreds of occasions for fear;
These affect only ignorant but never the one who that is wise;

ययययययययययय ययययययय यय य य यय ययय यययययय यय

यययययय ययययय य यययय य य ययययययय य ययययययय
ūrdhvabāhur viraumy eṣa na ca kaś cic chṛṇoti me /
dharmād arthaś ca kāmaś ca sa kimarthaṃ na sevyate //

Raising my arms I say aloud but no one listens to me:

From a life of Righteousness comes Wealth, also Pleasure;
So why not live a righteous life?

य यययय ययययय य यययय य ययययय; ययययय ययययय ययययययययययय

ययययय
यययययय ययययय यययययययय यय ययययययय; यययय यययययय ययययय यययय
यय ययययययय
na jātu kāmān na bhayān na lobhād; dharmaṃ tyajej jīvitasyāpi hetoḥ /
nityo dharmaḥ sukhaduḥkhe tv anitye; jīvo nityo hetur asya tv anityaḥ //

For the sake neither of pleasure, nor of fear, nor of greed should any one cast off Righteousness.
Indeed, for the sake of even life one should not cast off Righteousness;Righteousness is eternal.
Pleasure and Pain are not eternal;
Jiva is eternal. A body is not so.
— Svargarohana Parva, Mahābhārata Book XVIII.5.48-50

Thus ends what is probably the greatest epic of humanity, Mahābhārata. A. R. Orage, the great
English critic (whom G B Shaw called the greatest literary critic of the last 100 years!) who
spend 15 years studying this great Epic, used to say that Mahābhārata is a book that contains
objective truths.

He had the following half-verse from the Bhagavad Gītā (2.16) inscribed on his gravestone:

The unreal has no existence;

the Real never ceases to be.
nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ

ययययय ययययययय यययय यययययय ययययययय ययय

[1] See: Stoicism Today 2014: How to relate wisely to others by Chris Gill. YouTube Video,
Retrieved July 4, 2019:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W90Gki_WCjI&t=922s