Joe's Black Dog

Joe's Black Dog
Joe's Black Dog by Marjorie Weiss

24 October 2015

The Essence of Happiness

Photo by woodleywonderworks, Flickr creative commons

 ' ... generally speaking, one begins by identifying those factors which lead to happiness and those factors which lead to suffering. Having done this, one then sets about gradually eliminating those factors which lead to suffering and cultivating those which lead to happiness. That is the way.'

'If we utilise our favourable circumstances, such as our good health or wealth, in positive ways, in helping others, they can be contributory factors in achieving a happier life.'

'The demarcation between a positive and a negative desire or action is not whether it gives you an immediate feeling of satisfaction but whether it ultimately results in positive or negative consequences.'

His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D., 2001, The Essence of Happiness: A guidebook for living.