“I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”
How do these words spoken by the Dalai Lama compare to the idea of the Pursuit of Happiness presented in the Declaration of Independence?
What does he say is a mistake?
We talked earlier in class about the 'American Dream.' How many of your dreams for happiness involved material things like money, cars, or X-boxes? How do your dreams mesh with what the Dalai Lama is saying?
Does the Dalai Lama practice what he preaches or is he, as China calls him, 'a jackal in monks robes?"
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