The Art of Happiness

By Dalai Lama

The purpose of life is to seek happiness that last. Genuine Happiness is a feeling of joy and a sense of inner contentment that results from developing inner discipline which is calm, peace state of mind, rooted in affection and compassion.

Pleasure can also result in a feeling of joy, but based mainly on physical sensory experiences and subject to change at any time, and will not last, that feeling is only temporary.

Genuine Happiness relates more to the state of one's mind and heart, and it is much more stable, reliable, and long lasting than pleasure. Tibetan concept of mind “Sem” has a much broader meaning, closer to `psyche' or `spirit'; it includes intellect and feeling, heart and mind."

So it's not just "positive thinking" that's the key, it's positive being. By bringing about a certain inner discipline, we can undergo a transformation of our attitude, our entire outlook and approach to living.

There are many components to a happy life - having enough money to have one's basic needs met, other people with whom one can share things, love, and so on. It is still possible to be happy even if one has very little money, is in poor health, or even if one is not fortunate enough to have a special relationship with a spouse or lover.

On the other hand, no matter how wealthy a person is, no matter how wonderful their spouse is, or no matter how much "external" success one enjoys or praise one receives, if a person's mind is in turmoil, if it is troubled by anger, hatred, fear, anxiety, or jealousy, then it is impossible to really be happy.

Even though certain having a certain amount of money and so on are factors for enjoying a happy life, one's mental state, the "mind factor" is the predominant or key component.

Happiness can be achieved through training the mind. By getting into the habit of spending a few minutes each day engaged in any practice that helps quiet and focuses the mind--practices such as meditation or prayer. This can help one develop a calm, peace state of mind – inner discipline.