Inspirational words from one of the leading spiritual figures of our time

His Holiness the Dalai Lama offers simple advice on how to defeat day—to—day depression, anxiety, anger, jealousy and the myriad other emotions that get in the way of happiness. Based on 2500 years of Buddhist meditations coupled with modern Western psychology, The Essence of Happiness crosses traditional boundaries to help with problems common to us all.

The Essence of Happiness provides a source of spiritual wisdom that can be called upon anywhere, anytime.

From the Dalai Lama's bestselling The Art of Happiness

Contents

Foreword
Preface

• Part I  : The Purpose of Life
• Part I  : Human Warmth and Compassion
• Part II : Transforming Suffering
• Part IV : Overcoming Obstacles
• Part V  : On Living a Spiritual Life

The Essence of Happiness has been extracted from The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living, a book based on extensive conversations between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Dr Howard C. Cutler, a Western psychiatrist. Dr Cutler's aim was to collaborate on a project that would present the Dalai Lama's views on leading a happier life, augmented by observations and commentary from his own Western perspective.Dr Cutler received his medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He completed specialty training in psychiatry at the Good Samaritan Medical Centre in Phoenix, and is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr Cutler currently resides in Phoenix, where he has a private psychiatric practice.His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, is the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people. In 1989 His Holiness was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. Since 1959 he has been living in exile in India. Tibet continues to be occupied by Communist China.

The High Office of Tibet
Dharamsala
India
February 2001

Howard C. Cutler MD met His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1982, while visiting India on a research grant to study traditional Tibetan medicine. Impressed by the Dalai Lama's many remarkable qualities, particularly his serenity and sense of fulfilment, he began to wonder if he could elicit from the Dalai Lama a set of practices that could be used by non-Buddhists in the pursuit of a happier life. The extensive conversations that ensued, both in India and during the Dalai Lama's visit to Arizona in 1993, culminated in the bestselling Art of Happiness.

The Essence of Happiness presents a quintessential selection of the Dalai Lama's views on the nature of happiness and how it may be achieved, based on 2500 years of Buddhist thought and meditation, coupled with the observations and commentary of Howard C. Cutler from his perspective as a Western psychiatrist.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama believes that 'The very purpose of our life is happiness; the very motion of our life is towards happiness'. and the Essence of Happiness presents this vision of happiness as an attainable objective - one that we can take positive steps towards achieving on a daily basis. As we begin to identify the factors that lead to a happier life, we will learn how the search for happiness offers benefits not only for the individual but also for the individual's family and for society at large as well. The Essence of Happiness shows us that with compassion, love, and training of the mind, happiness is achievable for everyone.