Is Buddhism the key to happiness? Nothing is permanent, everything is precious, or so says one of the world’s great schools of wisdom. What else does it say and how true is it?
X
Next
Millions celebrate enlightenment of Buddha
Is Buddhism the key to happiness? Nothing is permanent, everything is precious, or so says one of the world's great schools of wisdom. What else does it say and how true is it?
X
Previous
Is Buddhism the key to happiness?
Yes: Buddhist techniques have been honed over thousands of years to help practitioners gain insight, overcome worry and learn to live in harmony with our surroundings. This is a proven pathway to a better life.
No: Buddhism has no more claim to absolute truth than any other religion. You are free to practice any faith you want, but there are better ways to pursue happiness than sitting cross-legged for hours on end.
Or... Many spiritual and philosophical traditions contain tools and insights that could benefit even those who don't share the faith. No religion has a monopoly on happiness and truth.
Keywords
Lunar eclipse - When the Sun, Moon and Earth align so that the Moon's light is blocked.
Meditation - The name for a variety of techniques to train attention and awareness, for instance by focusing on the movement of your breath. Meditation existed long before Buddhism and is also an element in the practice of other religions, including Hinduism.
Arises - Dependent co-arising is another key concept in Buddhism: the idea that mental and physical and phenomena do not exist statically and independently but come and go spontaneously in a constantly shifting relationship to one another.
Millions celebrate enlightenment of Buddha
Glossary
Lunar eclipse - When the Sun, Moon and Earth align so that the Moon's light is blocked.
Meditation - The name for a variety of techniques to train attention and awareness, for instance by focusing on the movement of your breath. Meditation existed long before Buddhism and is also an element in the practice of other religions, including Hinduism.
Arises - Dependent co-arising is another key concept in Buddhism: the idea that mental and physical and phenomena do not exist statically and independently but come and go spontaneously in a constantly shifting relationship to one another.