To Seek Happiness

Topic: Joy & Happiness

I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we are all seeking something better in life. So, I think the very motion of our life is towards happiness…

The Dalai Lama

Tenzin Gyatso, born on July 6, 1935, is known globally as the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual and former political leader of the Tibetan people. Born as Lhamo Thondup in a farming family in Taktser, Amdo, Tibet, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, when he was just two years old. As the Dalai Lama, he holds the highest spiritual position within Tibetan Buddhism and is seen as a figure of great moral authority and influence. Following China's invasion of Tibet in 1950, he assumed full political power in 1950 but was forced into exile in India in 1959 after the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule.

The Dalai Lama is renowned for his messages of peace, non-violence, inter-religious understanding, and compassion. He has authored numerous books and has lectured worldwide, becoming one of the most influential figures in the world of spirituality and philosophy. In recognition of his work for peace and non-violence, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. Furthermore, his advocacy for the cultural and religious rights of the Tibetan people and his efforts to find a peaceful solution to the situation in Tibet through dialogue and understanding, rather than violence, have made him an internationally respected leader. Despite the political controversies and challenges, he remains committed to promoting human values and harmony among the world's religious traditions.

Buddhism
The Art of Happiness

The Dalai Lama, and Howard C. Cutler. The Art of Happiness. Riverhead Books, Penguin Putnam Inc., 1998, p. 13

The Dalai Lama

Theme: Happiness and Well-being

About This Dalai Lama Quote [Commentary]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama begins with a clear and inclusive claim: “I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness.” This is not tied to religious belief—“whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion”—the movement is the same: “we are all seeking something better in life.” The desire for happiness is not an added goal, but “the very motion of our life.” It is a direction already present in human nature, shared across backgrounds and beliefs.

This movement, however, is not automatic. It can be shaped by “training the mind.” The Dalai Lama explains that he is using “mind” in the sense of the Tibetan word sem, meaning something closer to “psyche” or “spirit”—a unity of “intellect and feeling, heart and mind.” Through “a certain inner discipline,” he says, we can shift our “attitude, [our] entire outlook and approach to living.” This training begins by identifying “those factors which lead to happiness and those factors which lead to suffering,” and then gradually working to let go of the latter and strengthen the former.

The Dalai Lama’s words point to a practical path. Happiness, in this view, is not something passive or momentary, but something we move toward with care and discernment. It does not require belief in any one tradition, but invites each person to examine their life directly. By engaging in this inner work, guided by clarity and effort, we align ourselves with what he calls “the very purpose of our life.”

The Dalai Lama with Howard C. Cutler [Excerpt]

“I believe that happiness can be achieved through training the mind…. ”

“When I say ‘training the mind,’ in this context I’m not referring to ‘mind’ merely as one’s cognitive ability or intellect. Rather, I’m using the term in the sense of the Tibetan word Sem, which has a much broader meaning, closer to ‘psyche’ or ‘spirit’; it includes intellect and feeling, heart and mind. By bringing about a certain inner discipline, we can undergo a transformation of our attitude, our entire outlook and approach to living.

When we speak of this inner discipline, it can of course involve many things, many methods. But 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.”

—The Dalai Lama with Howard C. Cutler [The Art of Happiness] pp. 14-15.

To Seek Happiness

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