Phil 186 - Dalai Lama’s Definition to True Happiness

Kalen Rosselli

Tony Nguyen

Phil 186

April 4th, 2016

Happiness is…

“As human beings we all want to be happy and free from misery; we have learned that the key to happiness is inner peace. The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such as anger, attachment, fear and suspicion, while love and compassion and a sense of universal responsibility are the sources of peace and happiness” (38:42). The true value and meaning of happiness raises some controversy today, and the method in which one derives such a state. Ideals of happiness are comprised within several Utilitarian philosophies, yet the means to which the state arises slightly differ. Bentham and Mills philosophies relate to the beliefs of the Dalai Lama, all accounting for happiness in the decisions of morality of actions. Mills and Bentham however believe happiness to lead to the ideal value of pleasure, whereas the Dalai Lama places true happiness as the ideal virtue for one to achieve (Shaw 59).

One of the main problems we are faced with today arises from a conflict of ideologies and which should dominate in our decision making; political, financial and/or religion. The principles of the Dalai Lama, Aristotle, Mills, and Bentham evaluate different and detail the different ideologies; religion, political, financial, and market systems, in the search to achieve happiness and an end ideal state. It is thought that there are three types of decisions that make financial markets succeed. Dan Loeb questions whether he has found the key principles that make the financial markets work proficiently. We have yet to find a definite source or meaning behind happiness, however, we still look for it each an everyday. This panel including the Dalai Lama try to determine a common ground in which it is clear that free enterprise is still the best system to pursue happiness for the common individual.

The Dalai Lama states, “the right method to bring happy life, individuals, family, nation and world” as the outcome of the greatest degree of inner tranquility (7:32). The more we take into consideration the importance of others, the better our sense of well being becomes. Compassion and well-being of the overall society must begin with the happiness of each individual before it can extend outward to one’s family, nation, or world to eventually unite society as one cooperative body. I agree with the beliefs of the Dalai, as by having love and compassion for others puts one’s mind at ease. By doing so, this will help remove any fears or insecurities we may be facing and instead give us strength to handle any obstacles we face. The Dalai Lama states, “peace only comes through our actions…not the wistfulness or prayer” (11:35). Our need for love and compassion will ultimately result in the greatest happiness following the principles of the Dalai. However, according to Aristotle, happiness consists in achievement over the course of an entire lifetime, including all the “goods”: health, wealth, knowledge, friends, all of which help lead to the perfection of human nature and to the enrichment of human life (Shaw 18). This requires us to make choices, some of which may be very difficult. Often the lesser good promises immediate pleasure and is more tempting. While on the other hand the greater good is painful and requires some sort of sacrifice. Aristotle said, “different men seek after happiness in different ways and by different means, and so make themselves different modes of life, and forms of true happiness” (Shaw 476). Thus, happiness is found in the eye of the be-holder and the spirit. It is only “I” or “me” that can truly define what happiness is to the individual.

Daniel Loeb touches on this complex topic of the internal search for happiness within oneself. He is extremely connected to his start up company, and the rigorous environment of the free enterprise market in which his business operated in influenced him to take a month away to find happiness within himself. With the addition of yoga to his life, he was able to understand the quota of yoga: yoga quiets the fluctuations of the mind, which relates with the Dalai Lama as, “you can’t be a happy person when your mind is not at piece” (15:27). This trait taught Loeb the art of “trust” within the individual, which in return, educated his mind to the ways of three types of decisions. First, the core foundation, secondly the framework, and lastly the trading decision. Standing in close correlation to Loeb’s beliefs of moral reasoning, Kant believes moral awareness not be based on a factual understanding and therefore the outcomes of our actions do not participate in the decision of whether they are right or wrong (Shaw 65). On the basis of obligation, Kant believed, “one must not be sought in human nature, [nor] in the circumstances of the world” (Shaw, 65). Dan Loeb advocated in support for the philosophies of Kant by describing how, “we are very lucky that we live in a system that favors the individual” (Loeb, 34:25). The meaning Daniel Loeb is trying to convey is shown when he says “we are very lucky to be in this type of system” was with a correlation to “trust” and the “rule of law.” Therefor the right to have trust in our society, to feel comfort that the right decisions are being made for the common individual, is provided by the “rule of law” which for the individual means there is more universal responsibility.