I once was very sad for a few days in succession, it had been building-up inside for some time. It was not like the sadness and grief I had experienced on other occasions or, anything to do with physical discomfort, pain.
It was a miserable-despair and, I was incapable of enjoying anything. I think it was depression. I went to Dhammaloka and listened to the chanting of the loving-kindness Sutta.
I tried to chant along but I had real trouble connecting with the teaching. Then, I put forth effort to lift my spirits and connect with the teaching in a heartfelt way.
It was difficult, but there were a few moments where it worked. After that my mood began to improve and, I started to come out of the despair.
It took a few days to gain a chemical-balance. I think my chemistry - in my brain, and hormones - where making it difficult for me to experience a positive mood and, the Sutta recitation triggered a healing process.
I guess your right? In the thesaurus, delight and enjoyment are much of a muchness.
We might need to look beyond standard definitions to understand the teachings.
You know about the teachings on ‘pain, pleasure and, neutral feelings’. Every human being experiences all 3 - correct?
We also know how different people react to pleasure, pain and, ‘neither pleasant or unpleasant’ (neutral feeling) - yes?
When ‘delight’ is referred to in the EBT’s, it refers to a kind of ‘reaction’ to pleasant feelings, revelling in them.
I sometimes enjoy pleasant events and just let them come and go. If I exaggerate the importance of fleeting pleasures I may become preoccupied with them. Seeking to repeat those enjoyable experiences over and over again.
I ‘believe’ the word ‘delight’ - as found in the EBT’s - involves an inskilful reaction to enjoyable happenings. Transforming them into something else, a precursor to ‘attachment’ - clinging.
I believe there’s a difference between ‘enjoyment’- just feeling good - and, delight?
I don’t think the teachings are saying we shouldn’t be happy and we shouldn’t enjoy our lives but, they do caution against attachment.
I see enjoyment as just having pleasant feelings - including feeling happy. The simile of the trap, the snare* comes to mind. Delight is something we can get drawn into if, we don’t see the danger. Whereas, ‘enjoying the moment’ is not a problem - if there is good Sila.
Does that make sense?