Expert: Justin Choo - 3/18/2009

Question
Hi Justin

I am going to write an essay answering the question: "There are people in the world who are happier than we are, while possessing far less. How can this be?". My plan is to talk prove happiness in the buddhist way of life. Now I don't know much about buddhism so I need a more condensed overview of the teaching. I have done Vipassana meditation and that is about as much of Buddha's teaching that I know. I was thinking about going into buddhist philosophy and then backing it up with the people it has made an impact on such as king ashoka.. then I want to focus on that 'state of being' can talk about other people who have lived with that same state of mind such as Jesus, Mother teresa, etc.. Perhaps you could point me in the right direction as for what aspects of buddhism i should read up on?

Cheerss

Answer
Hi Alicia,

Let's talk in general.  

"Happiness" is a conditioned feeling, meaning that it needs certain condition to stay happy.  In daily life we experience different degrees of "happiness".  Simple satisfaction after taking our food is a form of subtle happiness.  On the other end of the scale, striking a lottery brings great happiness!  Since happiness depends on "happy" conditions, once these happy conditions are deminished or gone, the state of happiness deminishes correspondingly.  On another level, if the happy condition is just stagnant, the happiness will in due course deminish because the person will become bored with the same condition.

The greed in us will seek for more and more in order to sustain the same level of happiness.  In the final analysis, the person will never be happy because he needs to strive for more of the same or seek for alternative "happy" conditions" to stay "happy".

The Buddhist concept of "real happiness"  is to be contented with what we already have.  Once we feel contented with the existing  condition, happiness does not depend on the need to have more and more.  In this way. a wise person can stay happy even with less.

Hope this helps.

Justin Choo