By:Buddhi Chaudhary 

Whenever we look towards the teaching of the Buddha, happiness occurs or could be found through the understanding the root causes of suffering. In Dhammapada, Buddha says that the happiness and unhappiness depends on our conditions of mind and consciousness “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. It is founded on our thoughts. It is made up of our thoughts. If one speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows one, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the wagon. All that we are is the result of what we have thought. It is founded on our thoughts. It is made up of our thoughts. If one speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows one, like a shadow that never leaves.”

And same facts, whenever we look within the Christianity, they would define that the happiness depends on the God’s fairness upon the human beings which is quite distinct than other kinds of happiness  but the problem is that it is so multi-layered and multi-dimensional that it’s probably impossible to define it in one sentence. For the better understanding to the readers, I would like to mention here some of those sample sources of Christian happiness which had been tried many Christian believers. 

1.     “God is my perfect father” keeping in mind often.

2.     “Jesus is our Lord and Savior” keeping in mind often.

3.     “The Holy Scripts is sacrificing and empowering me”

4.     “My signs are forgiven” keeping in mind and being happy.

5.     “God lives in my heart”

6.     We are justified and adopted into God’s world-wide and heaven-wide family.

7.     Everything is working together for our good.

8.     God is our guard and guide

9.     We have all the promises of God.

10. Jesus has prepared a place for us in heaven and will welcome us there.

While the Islam defines happiness as seeking the pleasures within Allah, according to Webster's Third New International Dictionary, happiness is a state of well-being characterized by relative permanence, by dominantly agreeable emotion ranging in value from mere contentment to deep and intense joy in living, and by a natural desire for its continuation.

Though there are thousands of definition, we could be founded while turning the pages of different sorts of religions, philosophies and scientific evidences but no one could give the exact definitions about it. Is it an idea, emotions, virtues, philosophy, ideal or is it just programmed in the genes? My answer would be “No.” Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. And this states of mind could be achieved through understanding one's own states of mind and heart and our personal efforts.

Here in this informative blogs, I would like discuss the twelve Zen things for the happy Life.

     1.     Do one thing at a time.

One man can do one thing within one time. It is quite hard and difficult to concentrate to two things at same time. While preparing for the final exam, many students keep online Facebook, Skype as well as other social Medias and kept waiting for the new notifications but finally, they could complete none. The works or studies remain undone. Do one thing at a time.

1.     Do it slowly and deliberately  

Here the actions slowly and deliberately interpret that the actions we get should be done thoughtfully and patiently. In order to be successful in life, we should think first what we are going to do and then should be got action to complete the missions. As a famous writer says “Before starting to write something, think first” because thoughtless compositions are tasteless. Whenever, we look towards the world, many businessmen start the companies without thinking and visionless. The end results of their action are failure which leads them towards the unhappiness, depressions and stressfulness. Whatever, we do in our day to day life; we should be done slowly and deliberately. 

1.     Do it completely

In order to be successful in our missions and achieve the happiness that we are looking for, we should be done started business. “Still there are many times, I will complete this tomorrow” with such kinds of thoughts many people keep postponing the business they had started to do. They do not complete and start to do another business and at the end, all the started business remains undone. So to be achieved real states of happiness, do complete the started business. 

1.     Put space between things

While completing the started business, we should keep space for it. Here space means not a wide places but time-spaces. If there is not any space then it is quite hard to find or think the solutions. So put space between things to be succeeding the happiness. 

1.     Develop Rituals

In order to be happy, we should develop or should be religious as well. Whether, we are Christian, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, we should go to the Churches, Mosques, Temples and Buddhist monasteries and practice the religious rites and rituals.

For instance, as a Buddhist, we should observe five or eight precepts, offer foods to the monks who wonder around for alms in the early morning, warships the Buddha, listen to the sermons given by the monks and hymns as well. If the morning starts with positive thoughts, then the whole day affects to have positive results. All those above mentioned activities are positive actions which cause to be having positive thoughts. According to the great Zen master of this days and ages, Thich Nhat Hanh, there are Nine Prayers to be happy. They are

The Nine Prayers

1.     May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit;

2.     May I be free from injury? May I live in safety;

3.     May I be free from disturbance, fear, and anxiety;

4.     May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and of love;

5.     May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself;

6.     May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in myself;

7.     May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day;

8.     May I be able to live fresh, solid and free;

9.     May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.

Thus as developing the religious rituals help to understand oneself and achieve the happy life too.

3.     Designate the time for certain things

In order to be happy in life, we should have plans the way our life going to be spent.

4.     Devote your time

When we start something to do, we should devote our times for it. We should work hard and spend much and more times for it. When we do thus happiness arises. 

5.     Smile and serve others

Mother Theresa says “Smile at each other. Smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other- it doesn’t matter who it is- and that will help to grow up in greater love for each other.” A smiling face is a beautiful face. A smiling heart is a happy heart. So smile is one of the necessities in life to be happy.

6.     Keep clean and do meditation

The place where we live should be kept clean and clear. Whenever the environment is clean the space for concentration to the works is much and more broad then place for the happiness is there too. Meditation places the major roles for the happiness in life.

7.      Live Simply 

 Simple living and contentment is one of the most appreciated facts in Buddhism which leads towards the real states of happiness. Not only Buddhism but also great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi appreciated simple living or contentment. He says “Simple living and high thinking.” Even though CEO of Apple Company Steve Job, he appreciated simple living too. Whenever, I read his biography, I could understand that his bank account was filled millions of dollars but his life was very simple. He preferred contentment that is why life was full of happiness. So, in order to have a happy life we must prefer simple life.