Concept of Pancasila in Indian Thaought

Author(s): Kamla Jain
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

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The Concept of Pancasila in Indian Thought
But seeking of physical or mundane happiness with egoistic viewpoint would certainly mean selfishness. The reason is simple enough, that the relationship between the means for satisfaction of material wants and the end (i, e, material happiness) is not a co-ordinated one; since the means are limited, and the wants are unlimited. Therefore, individualistic happiness as combined with materialistic happiness cannot be regarded as the aim of morality. Yet, as mentioned above, egoistic happiness in relation with spiritual happiness is quite feasible and acceptable, because that means working and striving for one's own liberation, that does not clash with others' wants and their means; whether one works for others' liberation or helps others in attaining liberation is a different question.
Socialistic happiness simply means striving for the happiness of others in and through society in general; this can be compared to Universalistic Hedonism, i. e. to seek the happiness of all. “Greatest happiness for the greatest number" is the ideal as John Stuart Mill has said. One need not go into the implications and controversies of this statement. The present purpose, however, is only to show that to some ethicians socialistic happiness is the main aim. Here socialistic happiness means both happiness for society and in society or in other words giving respect to social values in general. The main objective is to pursue social values to enhance social happiness. Apart from this, even the aim of material happiness adjoined to social happiness stands on higher footing than egoistic material happiness. The only thing is that the seeker, after such happiness, is unaware of the highest good or spiritual happiness which is everlasting and perpetual.
Basis of Morality
The classification of individualistic and socialistic happiness is relevant to drawing the distinction between the bases of morality in the two major trends of Indian thought. This