The Pursuit OF Happiness — 5 Buddhist Philosophies About Being Happy.
The code lies in choosing Happiness.
Unhappy and sad.
Does Life beads its journey like a herculean ride for adaptation and acceptance?
These questions certainly make sense as we are constantly bound in the chains of happiness and sadness — success and failures — trials and errors. Trying to attain the goal of Perfectionism.
In short, on an uninterrupted thinking cycle in bettering our Life’s to the utmost potential. By always cherishing ahead for the unknowns certainly in between our goals and dreams we always corner behind the happiness that exists in the process.
Constantly thinking about future ; outlooks the Present.
Also, What is Happiness? Which are the routes to being happy?
Dictionary defines it as a range of emotions from contentment to joy.
I, individually feel it as notion which differs accordingly to one’s own perception, viewpoint and cannot be absolute, quantitative or rigid. Collectively, as a whole we might think of Happiness as an ephemeral state that seeks in and out of our lives, or a feeling opposed to sadness, or the only essential goal of Life.
The survival of Life is not meant to be easy however it can be made easy. Questions per se Happiness are unending arrays of Life and finding answers indulges curiosity.
So amidst the bubbles of Life — Choose Happiness if possible.
Buddhism and Happiness are complementary to each other. Therefore, there is a lot to be learnt about Happiness from Buddhist philosophies. Even Scientific studies now have given its stamp of approval regarding Buddhist Theory of Pursuing Happiness. While coming across a scientific research published by YES Magazine, there existed some amazing correlations which suggest that — living by a few Buddhist philosophies can make you happy.
A smiling statue of Buddha is what it all takes to peddle on the journey of Happiness. Also, Buddha taught that Happiness is one of the seven factors of Enlightenment.
Here are the principle Buddhist philosophies that can make us happier and more content.
Life Involves Suffering — Accept It
According to Buddhist philosophy, acceptance to the truth of Life involving suffering is crucial grounds in the pursuit of happiness.
While this may paint a rather pessimistic view to look at the things in Life, however Buddhists believe it actually holds the key to happiness.
‘Dukkha’ which is the first Noble Truth, simply means ‘Life is pain and causes suffering.’
Buddhists hold faith that instead of alienating the difficult emotions which inevitably comes with Life, one should accept the suffering phase and abide by it’s existential truth.
Having accepted that, our Life will instantly become happier.
Higher the acceptance greater comes the peace.
Be Mindful
According to Tibetan Buddhism — Mindful awareness is one of the keys to become truly happy and involves core belief in the idea of practicing right mindfulness.
By above, I meant to state that when we are mindful — we hold tranquility in the present moments, pay attention to what we are doing instead of dwelling back on the days of the past or worrying about the future. Also, it helps us stay at doors from channeling negativity. This is the core heart of Buddhism.
By practicing ‘Meditation’ — one can achieve a great state of consciousness, allow self to become more centered and grounded which in return turns down the table of mind getting intrigued by negative thoughts. Also, wisdom will emerge if our mind remains at a state of being pure and calm.
For a person like me whose mind runs on constant thinking mode, looking up to Meditation required great effort as novice. However, with practice I could feel the real sense of joy in cultivating the art. It helps! It truly helps — to lead you towards the road of nourishment, fulfillment and savor the happy moments.
Hence, Mindfulness is an energy we can generate all day long through our consistent practice and touch the ample conditions of happiness and joy already available.
As rightly said, “With practice comes perfection.”
You are a real artist as well.
Create the art of Happiness on the board of your Life.
You definitely will know the secret in creating happiness and joy any time you want. This art of creating happiness is born from Mindfulness.
Art Of Compassion — Practice It
Compassion or embracing kindness is a key Buddhist Philosophy promoting Happiness. Practicing Kindness as a part of our Life can help us achieve a higher state of happiness rekindling our soul towards joy.
Being Kind is like an enlightened light of optimism.
Also, it helps us develop empathy where one could advance for brighter aspects towards Life. With empathy comes Kindness. It helps you understand yourself and others as well with hearts beating on compassion.
In fact, affection to Kindness has its own meditation Buddhism, ‘metta bhavana’, which encourages you to send kindness to oneself in association with the ones around you, including your enemies.
Forgiveness is an art touching the feet of Kindness — such is the impact inculcated by the virtues of kindness.
“Tonglen” in Tibetan Buddhism is a meditation exercise which also throws light on the art of compassion. It involves breathing-in suffering and breathing-out happiness. This alleviates the suffering and pain existent in the world and spreads peace to all beings.
Compassion therefore involves being Compassionate.
Connecting With Others
In Buddhism, community and connecting with the people around you is also one the key philosophy driving towards the road of Happiness. The art of connecting involves embracing the relations with the community.
To the Buddha, spiritual friendship was “the whole of spiritual life. Generosity, kind words, good deeds, beneficial support rende-red, and consistency in the face of the events” are the things which binds people in unison.
To sum it all, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”
It also emphasizes the idea of non-attachment — specifying the art of unconditional loving without any desire of resisting control or impeding change .
To brief it up, a connect which remains untouched and unattached.
Also, The “Three Jewels” of Buddhism are made up of the Buddha (the example), the Dharma, (the path) and the Sangha (the community) — thereby reflecting a traditional practice of showing the sheer importance of community in order to cherish a happy Life with a healthy environment.
For instance, the community participation in ‘Medium’ also has its fruits involved. The ideas, thoughts, writings are mutually exchanged in the community of readers and writers. It speaks about community engagement. Its ideas spread wisdom, knowledge, kindness, clarity, to uplifting each other with experiences shared.
Community Connection involves sharing and caring. Their lies the perpetual Growth to Happiness among one and all.
Embracing Death
The word “Death” itself feels scared.
To even hear someone speaking about it makes us drop down the hat of Life. No matter how hard Life gets but Death is the ultimate scare one always croons about.
But, What makes us turn down the nod to Death? Is our existence attached to permanency — or Are we here seeking completion?
Nobody likes welcoming death but the sad part is — we are all on the journey progressing towards it. It might arrive early or be late or when fated but ultimately remains the end goal. This truth only makes sense no matter how attached or unattached Life remains. As we near it, Life becomes more gratifying with humbleness.
The mere acceptance of death in the early shades of Life will instill a spirit of embracing it in arms at later stages.
Only difference lies in — How well we lived Life or How well we survived it.
But the irony remains that we remain surreal about the birth of Life but not equally celebrate the ending.
In fact, the real truth lies in believing — Life is a beautiful lie and Death the only truth.
The fear engulfing it should be crumbled down and instead embraced.
According to Tibetan Buddhism — the philosophy of embracing death is personified to actually lead to embracing death. The reason cited is that — it is seen as a ‘victorious achievement’ to a well accomplished Life and to a Life that has been lived to the fullest. Also Tibetan Buddhists believe that meditation can help us in accepting the nature of Life and Death to hold the key to happiness.
Finally, the road to “Being Happy” requires that we nourish happiness on an everyday basis — with understanding — with acknowledgement — and compassion for ourselves and for those around us including our loved ones and to the community at large.
The “Pursuit of Happiness” thereby lies in the conjunction of suffering and joy.
Like everything else, happiness too is impermanent.
In order for it’s renewal and extension, one needs to always feed their happiness — right from every breath we take in to the breath we release out to ultimately breathe in happiness.
Above all - “Happiness is always a choice.”
I choose to be happy!
What will You?
