Hi Everybody,

Picking up the thread of Buddhism and Happiness, and my key point is that given that it plays such a key role in our universal motivation, let alone our Buddhist practice, it would seem just as well that we share a common understanding of what we mean when we use it, this much over-used word, rather than just assuming that we have a common understanding.

And that would seem to be a genuine issue, both within and beyond Buddhism. Someone as supremely eminent in the field as Martin Seligman for example is driven to exclaim in his latest book Flourish, that the word happiness...

'...is so overused that it has become almost meaningless. It is an unworkable term for science, or for any practical goals such as education, therapy, public policy, or just changing your personal life..'

Almost meaningless is a bit strong perhaps, but you can see the point can't you, that the word happiness in the modern idiom, or to the modern ear, is unquestionably a bit...well a bit lightweight! To many people, and I would include myself, it means primarily such things as merriment and laughter and good cheer and smiley faces, and I don't think we can ignore those connotations as if they were unimportant. We would be doing ourselves and our discussions a disservice. Particularly since good cheer and smiley faces are certainly not what is meant by happiness, in both Buddhist teachings and in the scientific research centred around positive psychology.

Is perhaps well-being a more appropriate term?

That's where we go next time around. A good look at well-being.

See you then.
Best wishes,
William
The Case for Buddhism is available on Amazon and as a downlaod on Kindle.