Dalai Lama
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Universal Icon of Peace, turn 87 today, 6th July 2022. Here, we look at his quotes on happiness that will change the way you perceive the word, and the world.
(1) "Since our goal and the purpose of life is happiness, what is happiness? Sometimes physical suffering can even bring a deeper sense of satisfaction like with an athlete after a grueling workout. So “happiness” means mainly a sense of deep satisfaction. The object of life or our goal, then, is satisfaction."
(2) “We are social animals. From birth, others look after us. As we grow, we learn to help each other and life becomes meaningful. Selfishness is not only contrary to social behaviour, it’s impractical. To be realistic, we need a sense of the oneness of the seven billion human beings alive today. In that context, selfishness undermines our pursuit of happiness. Look at young children. They have a natural, happy sense of community with their friends and companions."
(3) "In any case, the main point that we are referring to here by cognitive faculty is the ability to experience feelings: pain, pleasure, or neutral feelings. Actually, pleasure and pain, and happiness and unhappiness, are things that we need to examine in more depth. For example, every sentient being has the right to survive and, for survival, this means having a desire for happiness or comfort: that’s why sentient beings strive to survive."
(4) "Our survival is based on hope – hope for something good: happiness. Because of that, I always conclude that the purpose of life is happiness. With hope and a happy feeling, our body feels well. Therefore, hope and happiness are positive factors for our health. Health depends on a happy state of mind."
(5) “Our survival and our future depend on other human beings, who are our source of happiness. If I smile at this flower, it doesn’t respond. But if I smile at another human being, she or he generally smiles in return. Without showing a warm-hearted concern for others we can’t be happy."
By Team TRC