the pursuit of happiness

Dalai Lama was here in Toronto last Wed to deliver his public talk titled, " the Art of happiness" @ the Rogers Centre.

When talked about how to achieve inner peace, The Dalai Lama said that's something best answer by the individual.

"Thru ur own experience," he stressed.

"I can say my mind is very peaceful and that gives me inner happiness."

A rare feat, I suspect.

That we are a society so misguided that we've given the attainment of stuff ~ like big screen tvs, Mcmansions and fast cars ~ higher meaning is glaringly obvious.

It's cushy, this existence of ours, wif our lattes, 24 hrs grocery stores and personalized cable packages ~ lives packed full of big, empty things, displays of exterior wealth.

It's not surprising inner peace seems unreachable.

"$$$ can provide physical comfort, not mental" noted the Dalai Lama .
 

The whole course of  this  public talk somewhat reminded me of an Indian spiritual  leader ,Osho Rajneesh, wrote in one of his books, " Nobody has ever succeeded in pursuit of happiness and those who have tried have become very unhappy and miserable in their lives. Happiness does happen. Perhaps that's why you call it happiness ~ becoz it happens. But you can't manage it, you can't manufacture it, you can't arrange it. Happiness is something that is beyound ur effort, beyound you."

 

 "Happiness is always there, but if you seek it you'll find unhappiness. By seeking you will miss happiness ~ that's what unhappiness is, missing happiness. Unhappiness has a certain relationship wif pursuit, a partnership. If you pursue, you'll find unhappiness."  Osho also emphasized.

 

 The spiritual leaders are right ~ happiness is within us, you can't pursue it elsewhere and you definitely can't get happiness @ the drive-thru!!!!!

11/2007