The
Pursuit of Happiness
“A
concentrated mind is able to have a direct glimpse into the nature of
things just as they are. When the nature of things has been perceived
directly (rather than conceptually), it leads to disenchantment,
which in turn leads to dispassion. When disenchantment and dispassion
are firmly in place, the practitioner has become liberated.”
(Upanisa
Sutta, “Prerequisites,” Samuytta Nikaya, 12:33; paraphrased by Mu
Soeng in “Worldly Happiness/Buddhist Happiness; Parabola, Summer,
2016)
When
we Westerners hear words like disenchantment and dispassion, we think
“emotionally flat and possibly depressed.” Not so in the Buddhist
mind. Nirvana is not paradise with a multitude of virgins, or even
eternity with “the Lord.” It is final release from the desires of
the flesh. It is letting go of samsara; the endless search for
everything worldly. In other words, it is the realization that
happiness is not found in external things, or in sensual pleasures.
In fact, according to Mu Soeng, the ingredients listed as the
“poisons” of samsara include seeking gratification through
food, sex, sleep, fame, and wealth. Oh, no!
Before
you hit the off button, let's explore this a little bit. Obviously,
even Buddhists have to eat and sleep, and they certainly enjoy sex,
wealth and fame. But in the practice of meditation and mindfulness,
one comes to realize that one's life should not be lived out in the
search of these pleasures. When we think of what happiness truly
means, it is most often contentment. A hot car, or a hot partner is
not likely to give anyone contentment for very long—too much to
worry about there. What happens if we lose that hot car, or hot
partner? What about extreme wealth? When is enough enough, and what
happens when the market crashes and it all turns to dust in a day?
And fame? Very few people manage to be both famous and content. We
now have a long string of celebrities who are dead before their time
from the effects of trying to hang on to that bright star. And, Lord
knows, we've seen, and are seeing everyday, the results of seeking
pleasure through food. So, the Buddhists may be right about the
things that keep us from true liberation.
In
his book, The Happiness Industry, William Davies lays out the
case for the way our capitalist economy has duped us, and made
well-being expensive. Here are a few quotes from his book: “...we
have become a culture obsessed with measuring our satisfaction...we
measure ourselves and continually find ourselves wanting...the
pursuit of happiness only makes us sad—and the rise of depression
and anxiety proves it.” We're chasing happiness and satisfaction in
all the wrong places. If we use this beauty product, if we constantly
monitor our every move with apps on our phones, if punish our bodies
with brutal workouts and running ten miles a day, if we eat only
gluten-free sushi and rice—well maybe we'll be satisfied with
ourselves. And then the product, device, diet, and ideal exercise
changes so that we have to start all over. All that does not result
in happiness, but it can and will deplete our resources. Whole
industries—such as the makers of food supplements and
pharmaceuticals, Nike sports shoes and Fit-Bit—are making a fortune
off our pursuit of happiness. When you really think about it, it's a
crazy merry-go-round.
Happiness
is an inside job. If you truly want to find it, look inside of you.
Finding contentment with being exactly who you are right now is a
good starting place.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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