2. I Feel Therefore I Seek

I exist—sat; I have awareness that I exist—cit; then: I exist for some purpose—ānanda—pleasure, happiness, joy, ecstasy.

A saying of Descartes: “Cogito, ergo sum.” Because I think I can understand from that that I exist. But that is sat, existence, and cit, cognizance or awareness that I exist. This is what separates us from inert matter. Sat, cit, then, a third aspect comes into awareness: I exist for some purpose. So, ānanda. Sat-cit-ānanda: pleasure, happiness, joy, ecstasy. Consciousness allows me to feel those things. But it also allows me to feel sad, unhappy, pain, su ering.