Seven Tips for a Happy Life
Seven essential tips for cultivating happiness drawn from the Buddha’s teachings. Based on two talks for young people given in Singapore.
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© Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery. This book is strictly for free distribution. It is not to be sold. Published by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore.
Overview of contents
- Live without hypocrisy
- Reflect on your motivation
- Set wise priorities
- Keep ourselves balanced
- Befriend yourself
- It’s not all about me
- Cultivate a kind heart
- Conclusion
Excerpt
Sometimes when we are alone, we have thoughts such as “Oh, I am a failure! I cannot do anything right! I’m worthless, no wonder nobody loves me!” This low selfesteem is one of our biggest hindrances on the path to full awakening. We live with ourselves 24/7 but we do not even know who we are and how to be our own friend. We constantly judge ourselves using standards that we’ve never examined to determine if they are realistic or not. We compare ourselves with others and always come out losers.
None of us is perfect; we all have faults. That is normal and we do not need to berate ourselves for our faults or think that we are our faults. Our self-image is exaggerated because we don’t really know who we are. We need to learn to be our own friend and accept ourselves, “Yes, I have faults and I’m working on them, and yes, I have many good qualities, abilities and talents too. I’m a worthwhile person because I have Buddha-nature, the potential to become a fully awakened Buddha. Even now, I can contribute to others’ well-being.