How to Achieve Happiness

[Ryumon]

The Dalai Lama will tell you how, in a live webcast later today:

http://circles.dalailamafoundation.org/how-to-achieve-happiness-live-webcast-from-berkeley-california-usa/

I have a great deal of respect for the Dalai Lama, but I find that the Tibetan tradition - which was may gateway drug to the dharma, many years ago - puts too much emphasis on "happiness," and not enough of relieving suffering, and contentment. Perhaps, back in the day, I would have considered that sitting and the dharma were about finding happiness, but I know now that's not the case. Yet the Tibetans keep peddling the same old spiel...

Contentment is, today, drinking a nice cup of tea, listening to Leonard Bernstein conducting Charles Ives, playing with my cat, talking with my girlfriend, and being sheltered from the winds outside. I've learned to be satisfied with simple things.

Gassho,

Kirk

[Kokuu]

My last teacher just wrote an article on this, Kirk:

http://www.tricycle.com/practice/forget-happiness

In my experience with several Tibetan traditions, there is not much emphasis on happiness but it is certainly something HH Dalai Lama has written about repeatedly. While I understand that many of his books are aimed at lay people, I agree with you that aiming for happiness is not particularly helpful. What happens when you are not happy?

Gassho
Andy

[Ryumon]

How to Achieve Happiness

I think that if you aim for happiness, and you do not achieve it, then you can feel that you have failed. Also, a lot depends on what you consider happiness should be. Many people have very high expectations, and would therefore constantly fail.

Gassho,

Kirk


(Posted from my iPhone; please excuse any typos or brevity.)

[Taigu]

So you guys both agree...

gassho

Taigu

PS:we share a lot. Kirk. And yes, happiness is no big deal, Andy.

So I guess we all agree...

[Entai]

I think it's natural to want happiness. I also think there is a subtle difference between being happy and being content (at least in my mind there is). Content, being more "okay" with what life presents. Less struggle for or against it. In my opinion, contentment is more healthy and liberating. That said, I chase after the elusive "happiness" quite often....but I'm starting to notice when I do so. And the noticing helps keep things in check.

[Hans]

Hello,

the Dalai Lama is a wise and sly fox who knows how to create maximum exposure for his many coffee table books etc., knowing fully well that among all those people who get their views on spirituality solely from Oprah...some will follow the fox's tracks back to the den.

And for those few, it will all have been worth it....those who get hooked on the happiness fly paper, well...it pays for a bunch of wonderful monasteries

Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Jundo]

I wrote the following a couple of years ago about the tendency of the Dalai Lama and some other Tibetan writers to bandy the word "happiness" around in book titles. Perhaps some of you with more experience in the Tibetan traditions than me could say if my comment makes sense ...

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

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

[Myosha]

Thank you.


Gassho,
Myosha

[alan.r]

Hello,

the Dalai Lama is a wise and sly fox who knows how to create maximum exposure for his many coffee table books etc., knowing fully well that among all those people who get their views on spirituality solely from Oprah...some will follow the fox's tracks back to the den.

And for those few, it will all have been worth it....those who get hooked on the happiness fly paper, well...it pays for a bunch of wonderful monasteries

Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

Good point. Hadn't thought of it like that.

Gassho

[Joyo]

Good info here. Just wanted to add this...

“for most of life, nothing wonderful happens. if you don’t enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the chances are that you’re not going to be very happy. if someone bases his happiness or unhappiness on major events like a great new job, huge amounts of money, a flawlessly happy marriage or a trip to Paris, that person isn’t going to be happy much of the time. if, on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness.”

~ Andy Rooney


Gassho,
Joyo

[Jundo]

Good info here. Just wanted to add this...

“for most of life, nothing wonderful happens. if you don’t enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the chances are that you’re not going to be very happy. if someone bases his happiness or unhappiness on major events like a great new job, huge amounts of money, a flawlessly happy marriage or a trip to Paris, that person isn’t going to be happy much of the time. if, on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness.”

~ Andy Rooney


Gassho,
Joyo

Yes, the late American TV commentator Andy Rooney was a wise fellow.

And I would add, also nothing wrong with enjoying the odd "celebration of getting a great new job" or vacation trip when they happen too. When working work, when on vacation, just be there too. Even Zen Monks got vacations from the monastery.

Also, do not forget to "Enjoy" (Big "E") the unenjoyable (little "e") times of sickness, death of those we love, losing the great job and the like. It is trickier to see through those times, and find the Peace & Joy that holds even our tears and fears. In fact, they may still suck lemons. However, such is possible too, and lemons are filled with juicy life.

Gassho, J

[Steven]

In fact, they may still suck lemons. However, such is possible too, and lemons are filled with juicy life.

We would be unable to acknowledge the sweet without knowing the sour

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[Jundo]

There is a Sweet (Big "S") which holds sweet, sour and all the other sensations and textures of the tongue.

Gassho, J

[Joyo]

Ah yes, very true, Jundo. Good reminder

Gassho,
Joyo

[Vincinho]

I really don't think any serious (another great word, eh?) practitioner of any lineage of Buddhism means to deceive with words like happiness, mindfulness, loving-kindness or any other Buddhism-ness. It was merely a matter of trying to pick good translations for well established concepts. HOWEVER, I'm really not sure I can say the same about some major publishing houses and the burgeoning McMindfulness culture. In that case I suspect deception in aid of book sales may really be at hand, even when what's inside the book is genuine.

Gassho,

Dave.