How to Be Happy

"How to Be Happy" by Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a lovely attractively bound slim volume of wisdom that may take minutes to read but a lifetime (or more) to absorb. This is a book meant to be kept and savored. Everyone has a favorite space to read-- put this book in a place where inspiration and motivation is needed. The little gems within will resonate truths that are within the grasp of our spirits but at times elude that of our minds. The author, as the first reviewer suggests, might find it more enlightening for the reader to include a little dictionary of terms in the back of the volume. In this way, words familiar to the Buddhist will be explained to the non-Buddhist. Other than this slight omission, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has consolidated years of learning in less than 140 pages in a format that allows the reader to glimpse a few paragraphs and come away with much to ponder. Rather than linger or detail the actual message, I will tell you that the book is divided into different section headings that include: Happiness, Meditation, Desire, Attitude, Peace, Compassion, Compassion for the Enemy, The Good Heart, Enlightenment, Self-Cherishing and Cherishing of Others, Mind, Work, Love, Ignorance, Karma, Labeling, Emptiness and Death. This allows the reader to select according to need a particular topic and read the jewels within. For example: in the section headed "Labeling,' the author tells us in bold font: "Labeling a situation 'Bad' is not the problem; the problem comes when you start to believe in your own label." Twist that around your mind for a while and you will realize that there is nothing else that needs to be said. And so it goes with all of the teachings within this book. In the final pages, Lama Zopa Rinpoche shares two self-guided meditations: one called 'tonglen' which means 'taking and giving' and the other 'giving your body away.' Both are very effective in attaining a pleasant alpha state. Bottom line: Lama Zopa Rinpoche's 'How to Be Happy' has come in handy for me in the past year when I have needed guidance from my Higher Self. Indeed, there are times when we need to delve into what we glimpse at as the truth--we begin to realize that the more we look, the less we need to--we need only to be. For me a turning point came when I realized that when we become full, we realize that we need to be empty. However, we can only be empty after being full. Anyone who is a devotee of any of the great religions no matter which one will still gather an understanding of Self through meditation and the referencing of books such as this one. There are many paths that lead to the same place and in all of them love and acceptance are the keys. Another recommendation is Dhammapada: The Teachings of the Buddha which I use in tandem with this offereing. Highly recommended for one's own affirmation and as a lifelong gift for someone dear. Diana Faillace Von Behren "reneofc"

You can read this book "literally" and find that most of the concepts are implausible. You are then tempted to give 1 star for this book. Or, you can read this book "probabilistically" and "figuratively" and find that most of the concepts are "probabilistically" and "figuratively" plausible. You then choose to give 5 star for this book. I have chosen to do the latter. Let's us now start from the very beginning. The major thesis of this book is that through "meditation" we can find lasting peace and happiness. This book offers two types of meditation ie (1). Tonglens (pp 119-122) and a short meditation on thought transformation (pp 123-128). Perhaps the quotation on page 133 summarises the spirit of the book, "The sun of real happiness shines in your life when you start to cherish others". But, for the most part, this book consists of "truism" For example, on page 4 it says that as long as we believe that happiness has to come from outside, we will always blame something outside when we have problems". In page 73 it says that if you want to be loved, love others first. This book will be more useful to non-buddhists if the key terms are clearly defined. I am thinking about terms such as karma, samsara, nirvana, dharma, bodhichitta, bodhisattva and reincarnation. Finally, as a Christian I cannot accept reincarnation. I cannot accept that our aim is to bring all beings happiness until we and they together end the cyclical death and rebirth into problems and sufferrings. I hold, with St Paul, that there is only one life and then judgement.