How to Find Real Happiness

A BUDDHIST religious leader, the Dalai Lama, said: "I believe that the very purpose  of our life is to seek happiness."  He then explained that he believed that happiness can be achieved by training, or disciplining, the mind and the heart.  "A mind," he said, "is all the basic equipment we need to achieve complete happiness." Belief in God is unnecessary, he maintains.

In contrast, consider Jesus, who had strong faith in God and whose teachings have affected hundreds of millions of people over the centuries.  Jesus was interested in human happiness.  He began his well-known Sermon on the Mount with nine beatitudes-nine expressions that begin: "Happy are . . ." (Matthew 5:1-12) In that same sermon, he taught his listeners to examine, purify and discipline their minds and hearts-replacing  violent, immoral and selfish thoughts with peaceful, clean and loving thoughts. (Matthew 5:21, 22, 27, 28; 6:19-21) As one of his disciples later exhorted, we should "continue considering" things that are 'true, of serious concern, righteous, chaste, lovable, well spoken of, virtuous and praiseworthy.' -Philippians 4:8.

Jesus knew that true happiness involves relationships with others. We humans are gregarious by nature, so we cannot be truly happy if we isolate ourselves or if we are constantly  in conflict with those around us.  We can be happy only if we feel loved and if we love others.  Fundamental to such love, Jesus taught  is our relationship with God.  Here especially, Jesus' teaching departs from that of the Dalai Lama, for Jesus taught that humans cannot be truly happy independent of God.  Why is that so? -Matthew 4:4; 22:37-39.

Next time: Think of Your Spiritual Needs

The Watchtower, 2001