H.H. The Dalai Lama's "The Art of Happyness"

i would just like to know if anybody has read The Art of Happyness: A Handbook for Living, by His Holyness the Dalai Lama, and Howard Cutler, and what you think of it, i'm a beginner as far as mental develpment and true introspective discovery goes, but, for me this book has been life changing, in a nutshell it blew my mind! just because it opened my eyes to the fact that there's so much out there i have no clue about, it's made me very hungry for more...

 

hmm. i have a different book by him, called something like how to practice... i don't know... i read a few chapters and i found it really depressing, pessimistic, and judgemental. maybe it gets better, but all i got out of it was "life is pain. nobody likes pain, but if you think about it, everything you love is painful."

 

i have that book. the first two noble truths are recognizing that life is full of suffering because we all get old and die and experiance pain at some point. the second noble truth is identifing the causes and roots of suffering. this is where i also lost interest. but the 3rd and 4 noble truth are about pursuing happiness. if you read this i sugges that you keep reading. the book has a lot of wisdom in it.

 

i have read the art of happiness, or most of it anyway. its great, i love it, im also reading how to expand love by his holiness. that book is wonderful and i reccomend it.

 

ok i'm pretty sure it's the same book, now i feel dumb

 

i think it was an excellent book and a good easy read. The philosophies presented were verry introspective for me, and helped me realize alot about myself and the world around me.

 

i would have to agree with prismatism. i found it in a way, similar to those fundie christian books the way it saays everything is sinful, painful etc......unless you do what the book tells you. i dont know, i just didnt like it at all, i didnt agree with most of it. i got the sense they wanted me to live the life of a buddhist monk or nun almost. i mean im all about enlightenment, but im not going to restrict my self to two meals a day and stop wearing jewelry and whatnot, just a bit to extreme for me. but...if it helps other people out then i guess im all fo rit, i just didnt agree with it.

 

It's sounds like you got out at the wrong time, you'd done the hard part.

Somebody gave the book to me as a gift once, but I haven't read it either. Must dig it out again.

 

I received my copy of this book today. I read it today after getting pretty blazed. I’ve only read the first chapter and I’ve already cried from being so happy from the book, and I’ve never cried from a book before. I’m very much looking forward to this read. And what’s great is it seems as though every book I read is better than the last one.

 

Just to shed some light on the philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism

The First Truth is the universal truth that all life is a form of suffering. Bugs, animals, humans, gods, astral beings.....we are all born, we all die. We all have suffering in common.

Have you not experienced suffering in your life? Many people suffer but fail to recognize it. Buddhism isnt pessimistic at all though really, because the second truth explains the nature of suffering

(2) which is attachment. Suffering, or atleast a huge extent of it, is caused by our attachment to the past, or to objects.

(3) the third truth is beautiful, because it says okay, (1) life is suffering, yes, but (2) suffering is caused by attachment. thus we can (3) end suffering by cutting the root of desires and attachments!

isnt that beautiful? Suffering exists;Suffering exists because of attachment; Suffering doesn't have to exist!!!!

The last truth is Dharma. The truth of the path that leads to safety, to eternal happiness.




Sounds dogmatic, but if you look into it, and maintain a steady practice/interest in buddhism, it frees you from the bonds of maya and creates a very happy life

 

I really liked the book. I think you have to know a little about Buddhism before you read to get the whole picture. As a whole, it has a beautiful message, as many people have pointed out. We cause our own suffering and only we can end it. Otherwise, we will always be unhappy, running from attachment to attachment, looking for something to "save" us.

Peace and love