Once a question was raised in Newsweek: Money or happiness, which one is more important?

Shakyamuni Buddha answered this question 2500 years ago. That is, happiness is the most important. Money alone cannot make people satisfied, nor can one obtain happiness and freedom from it. Nonetheless, most people still think that there can be no happiness without money. To them, money is the key to happiness.

Of course, other than barely a few exceptions, people who are destitute generally do not feel much happiness. But does it mean that wealthy people must be very happy? No, it certainly does not. Money really cannot buy everything!

~ Depicted from Luminous Wisdom Book Series 6

It is imperative that we incorporate the three supreme methods in every good action we undertake. Otherwise, actions may seem impressive and beneficial on the surface, but in fact are less than admirable. Thus, it is most important to fully understand the essentials of the three supreme methods and practice them accordingly.

~ Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - The Three Supreme Methods—the ultimate methods of cultivating virtue and training the mind

3. Irrational idea. Defilement or negative emotions generated due to external cause is termed irrational or illogical idea, a Buddhist terminology. This is also the most crucial cause.

~ Depicted from "THE HANDBOOK FOR LIFE"S JOURNEY : On The Three Poisons - How to Handle Desire"

As human beings, we think material things are what we spend a lifetime pursuing; actually, we are only chasing after a feeling. The Buddha pointed to this important distinction, but we have yet to recognize or discover it. The Buddha said: we can seek happiness — that is our right; however, the happiness derived from material things cannot be relied on. Thus, when we pursue worldly pleasures, we should concurrently look for even greater happiness — the kind that comes from the spirit, or from undertaking work which is noble and meaningful.

~ Depicted from THE PAPER TIGER - The Tibetan Buddhist View on Happiness

With the four ordinary preliminary practices or the Hinayana Buddhist view, we can conclude that all compounded things are impermanent, suffering and contaminated. It is called “contaminated” since various afflictions can be produced. The investigative method of the Madhyamaka teaches us to investigate this life and next life, as well as other various external stuffs.  The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way by Nagarjuna has twenty-seven chapters, and most of the content is the investigation on the external spiritual’s substance, so to understand that all phenomena are empty and discover that the world is fundamentally an illusion that does not exist at all. Thus, our greed and ignorance are undermined and will not grow.

~ Depicted from Luminous Wisdom Book Series  9

3. Dedication Upon completion of a virtuous deed or spiritual practice, a proper dedication of the merit should be done according to the text. Since very good karma has already been effected during meditation or animal release, how to apply this good karma thus becomes a pivotal question. Should it be used to attain liberation, health, longevity or rebirth in the god or human realm? We can choose. In essence, dedication is to make a purposeful choice.

~ Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - The Three Supreme Methods—the ultimate methods of cultivating virtue and training the mind

If one is in control of one’s own mind and able to rein in one’s desire, even watching television all day long should not be a cause for concern.

~ Depicted from "THE HANDBOOK FOR LIFE"S JOURNEY : On The Three Poisons - How to Handle Desire"

For ordinary people, the mind follows a natural pattern. This pattern always takes the same direction. To start with, material things can bring us a feeling of happiness. This feeling of happiness is based on a sense of satisfaction; in turn this sense of satisfaction comes from having a new or fresh experience. When we examine the feeling of happiness, we see that all things lose their luster once the novelty wears off. Being new and fresh is not a quality that can last forever; it is only a matter of time before it dissipates. When the new sensation disappears, the feeling of satisfaction loses its base and disappears with it. The feeling of happiness then disappears as well.

~ Depicted from THE PAPER TIGER - The Tibetan Buddhist View on Happiness

Nagarjuna used the following analogy to describe man’s desire in the treatise entitled Letter to a Friend (Suhrlekha). People who suffered leprosy, a disease caused by bacteria, would feel extremely itchy and painful when the symptoms flared up. This analogy actually hints at man’s desire. We have always thought that money can buy us happiness and so we strive all the time to make more money. But the truth is that being rich often makes us even more miserable.

~ Depicted from Luminous Wisdom Book Series  6