Happiness Through Spirituality

My father has been ill for quite some time, and he’s suffering both mentally and physically. His health issues have been an emotional roller coaster for my family. Every time he goes to the hospital we think, “Is this it?” and often ask questions like, “When will this be over?”

When faced with severe problems, it’s comforting to reach inside to find inner peace. I woke up this morning and opened a book that I bought recently called The Art of Happiness by His Holiness The Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D. For those who don’t know, the Dalai Lama is a Tibetan Buddhist Monk who practices Buddhism. He is accepting of all religions, but finds that Buddhism fits him most.

I skimmed through the table of contents and saw that the last chapter was entitled Basic Spiritual Values. In this chapter, the Dalai Lama shares thoughts on how important spirituality is to attaining happiness, regardless of what your religion is or even if you are religious. Regardless if you are suffering or feeling the pains of others who are suffering.

Mental Development

He believes to find authentic meaning of spirituality, spirituality and religion need to be distinguished, and that we can reach our potential as human beings through inner transformation. Mental development aids this transformation. Accordingly, there are two degrees of spirituality. One is religion or religious beliefs, and the other is basic spirituality. (HH the Dalai Lama 294)

Religious Beliefs

Regarding religious beliefs, the Dalai Lama says that every individual is on a spiritual path unique to themselves. Because there are so many types of people, it’s inevitable that they all have different tastes, such as in religion. Therefore, it is essential to appreciate all the religions and learn to accept diversity because certain individuals will benefit more from religions like Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. He believes the religions are helpful to reach happiness and stresses that one should learn the teachings and integrate them into their lives. (HH the Dalai Lama 294)

True Spirituality is a Mental Attitude

He believes that true spirituality can be practiced at any time. It’s a state of mind rather than a recitation of prayers or mantras. Therefore, this can happen 24 hours a day. (HH the Dalai Lama 299)

Attaining Compassion

Through his Buddhist training, his mind has become more calm, and he has attained deep feelings of compassion even for those who act on negative emotions. In Buddhism, he vows to become a Bodhisattva or a person who attains Bodhicitta, the conscious attainment of Enlightenment. Because of this Bodhisattva vow, he has grown his compassion for others. (HH the Dalai Lama 301)

Spiritual Dimension

Spiritual dimension through faith is an important element of a happier life. (HH the Dalai Lama 302) Faith has been shown in studies to help people feel happy and satisfied with their lives. (HH the Dalai Lama 303)

“In the same way, those who have an unshakable faith in God are often able to withstand intense hardship because of their belief in an omniscient and loving God—a God whose plan may be obscure to us at present but One who, in His wisdom, will ultimately reveal His love for us.” Many who believe in God take comfort in passages in the Bible like Romans 8:28: “All things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” (HH the Dalai Lama 305)

Basic Spirituality

The other degree (or level) of spirituality he calls basic spirituality – goodness, kindness, compassion and caring. (HH the Dalai Lama  307)

“But true spirituality should have the result of making a person calmer, happier, more peaceful.” Feelings of compassion, tolerance, forgiveness, and caring are mental qualities that are naturally spiritual and cannot exist at the same time with negative feelings and states of mind.(HH the Dalai Lama  308-309)

The Importance of Discipline

Mental inner discipline is essential to the religious experience and life, which develops on these positive behaviors. Success on leading a spiritual life depends on controlling the mind on a daily basis. (HH the Dalai Lama  309)

The Dalai Lama stresses that inner discipline is essential to the spiritual life, and a peaceful, balanced mind is the key to a happy life. Control requires fighting negative thoughts and feelings like anger, hatred, and greed, and nurturing feelings of kindness, compassion, and tolerance. Specific techniques in meditation and prayer can “stabilize the mind and achieve that calm state.” This is done in any traditional religion, which seek to “quiet the mind, to put us more in touch with our deeper spiritual nature.” (HH the Dalai Lama  311)

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Cutler, Howard C,  M.D. The Art of Happiness. New York: Riverhead Books, a member of Penguin Putnam Inc, 1998.