Split Thread - "Happiness" in Buddhism and Zen

[Mitka]

JUNDO NOTE - SPLIT FROM "Special reading - eight types of enlightenment" (LINK)

I would add to what I wrote above that it appears to me a ninth conceptualization of Enlightenment is emerging in the West... and that is Enlightenment as happiness. We hear it all the time in spiritual writing, "To find true happiness we must must stop searching and discover what we had all along." Eckhart Tolle's example in his book The Power of Now of the homeless man sitting on a chest of gold who asks a passerby for some loose change and instead is told to look into what he is sitting on is a prime example. It also shows up in Alan Watts, and Gangaji and Mooji (disciples of Papaji, himself a disciple of Ramana Maharshi), and Deepak Chopra, and Ram Dass.

I believe it probably comes from our cultural's unique focus on "fulfillment." Given the absence of otherworldy types of fulfillment, we must use the time we have on earth to realize our true potential and live life fully and contently. Our economic system caters to this... each product is conceptualized and advertised to fulfill us in some way, to make us feel more alive and satisfied with life. Of course it never works, and so sensitive people turn to religion to find true satisfaction. This is why we hear a lot of talk about "God-shaped holes" in Christianity, which seems to be shifting the satisfaction-qotient of faith from heaven to earth, and "sat-chit-ananda (existence, consciousness, bliss, with emphasis on the bliss)" in Western Hinduism, transmuting negativity into laughter and freedom in Buddhism (thinking here of Alan Watts and Pema Chodron), not to mention the nonsectarian teachers who talk about finding satisfaction in the present moment, and even secular movements such as "idgaf (I don't give a fart)", and of course the billion-dollar self-help industry.

Whatever enlightenment may truly be, I think a lot of people in West are pursuing it for one reason: to be happy.

[Jundo]

Hi Matthew,

I agree so much with this. It can become just part of the consumer culture of "religion should please me" and bring instant gratification and perpetual jollies.

A couple of "howevers" however.

Buddhism and especially Zen have always, especially in the North Asian formulations, had more emphasis on finding peace in this life, not only in some future life or realm.

Second, some of the modern Teachers, if you look closely, are actually doing a bit of "bate and switch" on their use of "happiness," which turns out to be much as the "joyous and content to be joyful, joyous and content to be sad, joyous and content to be healthy, joyous and content to be sick sometimes" aspect that you hear around here quite often. I have spoken about this and all the Dalai Lama's books on "happiness":

=============

The Tibetans tend to speak of "Happiness" quite a bit in their books and talks ... but when looked at closely, it is much the same as the subtle Joy and Peace that we speak of in the Zen corner of the woods ... a Joy that holds comfortably the happy times and sad times, a Peace that is wholly all life's many pieces.

Frankly, if somebody just wanted to be "happy happy happy", I think there are pharmaceuticals that will do the job faster and deeper than any meditation ... at least for a short time.

I sometimes think that the Tibetans writers chose the word "Happiness" in their literature to impress Westerners. The problem is that some folks may hear that and think that they are going to find the key to 24/7 "laughing gas" happiness ... and are a bit disappointed when in fact what is delivered is something much more subtle (though fathomlessly richer). I once wrote ...

Even in Tibetan Buddhism's emphasis on "happiness" ... such words might disguise the real teaching of the Dalai Lama and most Tibetan Teachers I know (same message as here at Treeleaf, in fact) that the point of this Practice is not the attaining of a happy happy ha ha happy happiness all the time (I have never met such a constantly giddy Tibetan teacher, and who would want such a state ... like only watching the comedy movies and never the drama!), but of a certain subtle Happiness (big "H") that transcends AND yet fully contains both the happy times and the sad, smiles and tears, the rainy days and sunny days, as judged by small human eyes in this life of Samsara. I do not think they are teaching people to feel happy that their mother died or tickled that there is a war somewhere in the world ... but a Boundless Joy and Buddha's Smile that shines through all that life can dish out.

A Buddha's Happiness transcends and holds small human "happy and sad".



Gassho, J

Sat TodayLAH

[Jundo]

I would like to say too ...

I think it is more common these days for people to come to Zen seeking some peace and contentment (happiness), which is fine. I enjoy that too, and it is a main thrust of what we are about. This Way is good medicine in that regard.

However, I still go with the "old school" Zen folks who offered that our Way provided some real answers to "Big Questions" like the following. Even though it seems like fewer people come to Buddhism these days seeking such answers (I wonder what a survey would reveal), I do feel that Zen Practice really does provide answers to such questions, and that such is still a (the?) central point of Practice. In fact, it is much of what I look at in Talks by me on Master Dogen, Koans and the like.

These answers, by the way, are not always complete answers that our small human thoughts can grasp, and sometimes the "answer" is more like a sense (like a child trying to grasp the adult world). But they are solid answers nonetheless. I also feel that they are "reasonable" (although not always according to our "common sense" ordinary reason that only experiences a world of separate, individual things), and that most of the answers offered seem to be perfectly in keeping (i.e., free of apparent conflicts, and with much similarity in perspectives) with modern perspectives of physics, brain science and the rest of modern science about how the universe and mind are structured:


- Who are we in the universe?

- Where do we come from when born, and where do we go when we seem to die?

- What is the purpose and best way to live in between that birth and death?


SPOILER ALERT: All that talk about Zen making us "One with the universe" is not a misnomer, that although we are born and die we also don't really "come" or "go" too (see 'wave on sea, rising and falling but the sea all along' analogy), and that since we find ourselves alive the best thing to do is live and live gently. Our Zazen and all our Practice has much to do with letting us realize so and live so.


Call me naive, but most folks around here know me as a pretty pragmatic, skeptical fellow who discounts much of the seemingly superstitious and overly idealistic beliefs of traditional Buddhism. Nonetheless, I believe that this Path provides some solid perspectives on questions like the above that even a skeptic can entertain.







Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Doshin]

Call me naive, but most folks around here know me as a pretty pragmatic, skeptical fellow who discounts much of the seemingly superstitious and overly idealistic beliefs of traditional Buddhism. Nonetheless, I believe that this Path provides some solid perspectives on questions like the above that even a skeptic can entertain.

http://www.otoons.com/eso/images/zen.jpg

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

That is why I am here listening to you Jundo even when I do not always understand

Doshin
St.

[Jakuden]

Thank you Jundo Roshi [emoji120][emoji120][emoji120]

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


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[Mp]

Wonderful Jundo, I am bias, but I sure do like the way you express the Dharma, thank you as always. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Joyo]

That is why I am here listening to you Jundo even when I do not always understand

Doshin
St.

Me too Jundo. Thank you for your teachings.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today/lah

[Jishin]

Whatever enlightenment may truly be, I think a lot of people in West are pursuing it for one reason: to be happy.

Enlightened people are attached to enlightenment.

Nothing wrong with attachment to happiness.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Jundo]

Enlightened people are attached to enlightenment.

Nothing wrong with attachment to happiness.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

Hmmm.

Enlightenment is usually defined as freedom from attachment in Buddhism.

However, Zen folks also learned how to be "free from attachments" right in a world of various human attachments. Attached yet free of attachment. Non-attached attachment. I see this as the profound appreciation of the beauty of a bird in flight while in view, and a willingness to let it fly off without traces.

So, I think it is fine to be happy sometimes, but do not be attached to happiness (a happiholic). Also, fine to be sad sometimes, but do not be attach to sadness (a tragiholic). Best to be Free in sometime happiness and sometime sadness.

When happy, be happy. When sad, just sad. Happy at the little bird's presence, sad as it leaves our view. All just our life like a bird in flight.

Something like that.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH



I am not

[Shinshou]

I'm glad Jundo used the word "contentment." I haven't achieved lasting happiness through zen, or really even increased happiness. But I have greatly increased my ability to be content. When things go wrong, it's okay to not be okay, and still realize that not being okay is okay. That's being content.

Shinshou
Sat today

[Hoseki]

Hi guys,

I'm not sure how many people actually think about what happiness is. I mean really ask themselves what it is to be happy? I suspect its a fuzzy concept for most people so it varies by the current context.

Gassho
Hoseki
Sattoday

[Getchi]

Two things I've learned through tree leaf anc jundo that make me "happy" are

1. Its not my fault. Whatever emotion arises,whether wanted or not, is largely due to a mysterious playing out of Mind itself.

2. Philosophical questions like "why are we alive", "where do we go" and "what's the purpose of life" are not only distracting and largely unnecessary, but also seldom produce worthwhile results in concrete reality.

Being comfortable with being just the me I am (whether good/bad, although good/bad or neither good/bad) means I drop the idea of who I "should" be and live more as what I already am anyway.



Hope that makes sense


Gassho,
Geoff.

SatToday,
LaH.

[Jishin]

Hi guys,

I'm not sure how many people actually think about what happiness is. I mean really ask themselves what it is to be happy? I suspect its a fuzzy concept for most people so it varies by the current context.

Gassho
Hoseki
Sattoday

I like to walk around the house with my wife’s panties and high hills.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Jundo]

I like to walk around the house with my wife’s panties and high hills.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

If you do, then that is good for you.

When I was growing up, such things were less accepted. I feel that it is marvelous today that people can be open and accepted about such things.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAh

[Jishin]

IMG_0479.JPG

Sometimes I wear a wig too.

[emoji2]

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_