By Amanda MacMillan
Researchers say they’ve discovered that even thinking about doing something generous has real mood-boosting benefits in the brain.
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CLEAR ALL
Question: Buddhist teachers, including the Dalai Lama, often speak of happiness as a goal (if not the goal) of Buddhist practice. I don’t begrudge anyone happiness, but making it so central to spiritual life feels self-serving. Am I misunderstanding what’s meant by “happiness”?
It’s surprisingly easy to achieve lasting happiness — we just have to understand our own basic nature. The hard part, says Mingyur Rinpoche, is getting over our bad habit of seeking happiness in transient experiences.
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The ultimate goal of Buddhist practice isn’t about achieving mental health.
Reginald A. Ray argues that far from being a “lesser” practice, giving is central to all schools of Buddhism and essential to—perhaps synonymous with—the relinquishment of ego.
Lama Tsultrim Allione looks at how the traditional Buddhist practice of chöd—offerings one’s own body to frightening demons—can inspire us to let go of ego and practice joyful generosity.
When we think about generosity, most of us probably don’t think immediately of a powerful force, an inner resource, a real tool for changing how we relate to ourselves, to others and to our world.
In this essay, I discuss what enduring happiness means according to the Buddhist perspective and the ways in which the Dalai Lama embodies this enduring happiness.
Norman Fischer on why giving is the Buddha way.