[Buddha-l] Re: Suffering Vs. Joy and Happiness in Buddhism

[jkirk]

The Buddhist writings that I've come across that take joy and happiness more
seriously than some (not to mention any names here) are in the works of the
Dalai Lama. I don't have time to supply titles, especially as he has been a
prolific writer, but whenever I read writing by him I notice that he is big
on happiness, which he says is built by developing compassion and the mind
training that helps to develop real compassion (as opposed to the such forms
as pity, etc--which are not what karuna means in Buddhism). Karuna means
developing the idea of one's identification with others, thus losing the
tendency we all have (survival again) of differentiating between self and
others.

If you read Daeja Napier, who specialises in teaching the brahma viharas,
she has a lot to say about happiness and joy. Joy in the happiness of
others--mudita--is another of the brahma viharas. Here's one link to
Napier's viewpoints:
http://www.brahmaviharas.org/

I personally do not bother with the many lists found in Buddhist
teachings--to me the creation and memorization of endless lists is a kind of
obsessive practice that tends to cause people to keep asking, 'Am I doing it
right?' 'Am I there yet?'   And so on. Lists provide busywork for teachers,
too. Probably listing things was also a rhetorical technique designed to
facilitate memorization of canonical literature. Since I'm not a monastic,
doing these lists does not strike me as useful or beneficial. Yes, the
brahma viharas are also a list, but a very small list that doesn't seem (to
me anyway) simply a logical extrapolation (tree-building). But that's just
my take..some people might find it useful indeed. Dunno.
Cheers,
Joanna
===========================================


To add some more elements to the jumble of topics, I found the following
discussion on the Buddhist Society of Western Australia on five types of
piti or joy:

"1. Kuttaikapiti: small-scale joy, with a small amount of goosebumps and
perhaps, some tears.

2. Kanikapiti: Joy that lasts for a short period of time like lightning.

3. Okakantikapiti: Periodic joy, with internal tingling sensations - either
all over the body or in the chest and diaphragm. It has been compared with
waves rushing ashore.

4. Uppengkapiti: Exhilarating joy, a feeling of lightness in the body as if
flying.

5. Phranapiti: Cool Piti, feeling cool all over the body and mind."

http://www.bswa.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1345&forum=2&viewmo
de=flat&order=DESC&start=60

I bring this up because I vaguely remember having read somewhere that joy
was one of the (Six? Seven?) Factors of Enlightenment in Buddhism.
Nevertheless, joy hardly ever gets any press, at least in western Buddhism.

Katherine Masis




       
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