What the scriptures say about contentment

1. Peace
2. Discernment
3. Contentment
4. good company

Calm, inquiry, contentment and good company are the four gatekeepers at the door of freedom. Befriend one with full effort and the others follow.

• Vasishtha

  नित्यं सज्जनसंपर्काद्विवेक उपजायते । विवेकपादपस्यैव भोगमोक्षौ फले स्मृतौ ॥

  nityaṃ sajjanasaṃparkādviveka upajāyate | vivekapādapasyaiva bhogamokṣau phale smṛtau ||

  From constant contact with good people, discernment is born; and the fruits of the tree of discernment are both enjoyment and freedom.

  Yoga Vasishtha

• Vasishtha

  सुसंनद्धसमस्ताङ्गं प्रशमामृतवर्मणा । वेधयन्ति न दुःखानि शरा वज्रशिलामिव ॥

  susaṃnaddhasamastāṅgaṃ praśamāmṛtavarmaṇā | vedhayanti na duḥkhāni śarā vajraśilāmiva ||

  One whose whole being is armoured in the nectar of calm is not pierced by sorrows, as arrows cannot pierce a diamond rock.

  Yoga Vasishtha

• Vasishtha

  विचारात्तीक्ष्णतामेत्य धीः पश्यति परं पदम् । दीर्घसंसाररोगस्य विचारो हि महौषधम् ॥

  vicārāttīkṣṇatāmetya dhīḥ paśyati paraṃ padam | dīrghasaṃsārarogasya vicāro hi mahauṣadham ||

  Sharpened by inquiry, the mind sees the highest. Inquiry is the great medicine for the long illness of worldly life.

  Yoga Vasishtha

1. Expectations
2. Feeling unworthy
3. Contentment

A person is poor when his craving is large. When the mind is content, there is no distinction between rich and poor.

• Bhartrihari

  वयमिह परितुष्टा वल्कलैस्त्वं दुकूलैः सम इव परितोषो निर्विशेषो विशेषः । स तु भवतु दरिद्रो यस्य तृष्णा विशाला मनसि च परितुष्टे कोऽर्थवान्को दरिद्रः ॥

  vayamiha parituṣṭā valkalaistvaṃ dukūlaiḥ sama iva paritoṣo nirviśeṣo viśeṣaḥ | sa tu bhavatu daridro yasya tṛṣṇā viśālā manasi ca parituṣṭe ko’rthavānko daridraḥ ||

  We are content here with bark garments, you with silk; the contentment is equal, and the difference makes no difference. He is poor whose craving is vast. When the mind is content, who is rich and who is poor?

  Bhartrihari · Vairagya Shatakam

• Bhartrihari

  ये सन्तोषनिरन्तरप्रमुदितास्तेषां न भिन्ना मुदो ये त्वन्ये धनलुब्धसंकुलधियस्तेषां न तृष्णा हता । इत्थं कस्य कृते कृतः स विधिना कीदृक्पदं सम्पदां स्वात्मन्येव समाप्तहेममहिमा मेरुर्न मे रोचते ॥

  ye santoṣanirantarapramuditāsteṣāṃ na bhinnā mudo ye tvanye dhanalubdhasaṃkuladhiyasteṣāṃ na tṛṣṇā hatā | itthaṃ kasya kṛte kṛtaḥ sa vidhinā kīdṛkpadaṃ sampadāṃ svātmanyeva samāptahemamahimā merurna me rocate ||

  Those always delighted by contentment have joy that is undivided; the others, minds crowded with greed for money, never kill their craving. So for whom did fate make wealth, and what kind of place is it? Mount Meru, whose golden glory ends in itself, does not appeal to me.

  Bhartrihari · Vairagya Shatakam

1. Contentment
2. Joy

A person with a simple nature, a mind without crookedness, and contentment with what comes has no enmity, no quarrel, no hanging hope, and no dread. For such a person, every direction is full of joy.

• Ram

  कहहु भगति पथ कवन प्रयासा। जोग न मख जप तप उपवासा। सरल सुभाव न मन कुटिलाई। जथा लाभ संतोष सदाई ॥

  kahahu bhagati path kavan prayāsā| jog na makh jap tap upavāsā| saral subhāv na man kuṭilāī| jathā lābh saṃtoṣ sadāī ||

  "Tell me, what effort does this path take? No yoga, no sacrifices, no chanting, austerities or fasts. Only a simple nature, a mind without crookedness, and contentment with whatever comes."

  Ramcharitmanas · Uttar Kand

• Ram

  बैर न बिग्रह आस न त्रासा। सुखमय ताहि सदा सब आसा॥ अनारंभ अनिकेत अमानी। अनघ अरोष दच्छ बिग्यानी ॥

  bair na bigrah ās na trāsā| sukhamay tāhi sadā sab āsā|| anāraṃbh aniket amānī| anagh aroṣ daccha bigyānī ||

  "Holding no grudge and picking no quarrel, with neither craving nor fear, every direction is joyful to him. He starts nothing out of craving for results, clings to no house, wants no honour, is free of wrongdoing and anger, skilled and wise."

  Ramcharitmanas · Uttar Kand

1. knowledge
2. Faith
3. love
4. Surrender
5. Contentment
6. Peace

Without knowing there is no trust. Without trust there is no love. Without love devotion does not hold. No one finds rest without contentment. A boat does not move without water.

• Kakbhushundi

  जानें बिनु न होइ परतीती। बिनु परतीति होइ नहिं प्रीती॥ प्रीति बिना नहिं भगति दिढ़ाई। जिमि खगपति जल कै चिकनाई ॥

  jāneṃ binu na hoi paratītī| binu paratīti hoi nahiṃ prītī|| prīti binā nahiṃ bhagati diṛhāī| jimi khagapati jal kai cikanāī ||

  Without knowing his greatness, no trust forms; without trust, no love; and without love, devotion is not firm, just as, king of birds, oil does not stay on water.

  Ramcharitmanas · Uttar Kand

• Kakbhushundi

  कोउ बिश्राम कि पाव तात सहज संतोष बिनु। चलै कि जल बिनु नाव कोटि जतन पचि पचि मरिअ ॥

  kou biśrām ki pāv tāt sahaj saṃtoṣ binu| calai ki jal binu nāv koṭi jatan paci paci maria ||

  Can anyone find rest without natural contentment, friend? Can a boat move without water, though you strain and wear yourself out with a million efforts?

  Ramcharitmanas · Uttar Kand