Happiness Defined
happy - Enjoying, showing, or marked
by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy.
Philosophical definitions: pleasure
conceived of as untroubledness, virtue
alone or together with external goods
(The Morality of Happiness, Annas, p. 426)
Rodney H. Clarken 2003
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Happiness Synonyms
gladness, joy, delight, felicity, contentment,
content, sense of well-being, pleasure,
enjoyment, satisfaction, lightheartedness,
rejoicing, elation, jubilation, high spirits, bliss,
beatitude, blessedness, rapture, ecstasy, gaiety,
exultation, transport, exuberance, merriment,
cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, glee, jollity,
mirth, gratification, blessing, comfort.
Rodney H. Clarken 2003
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Antonyms
unhappiness, sadness, sorrow, grief,
woe; depression, despondency, low
spirits, misery, anguish, distress,
discomfort, bane, annoyance; calamity,
misfortune, thorn in one's side, cross to
bear.
Rodney H. Clarken 2003
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Two Kinds of Happiness
Happiness consists of two kinds; physical and
spiritual. The physical happiness is limited; its
utmost duration is one day, one month, one
year. It hath no result. Spiritual happiness is
eternal and unfathomable. This kind of
happiness appeareth in one's soul with the love
of God and suffereth one to attain to the virtues
and perfections of the world of humanity. (Tablets of
Abdu'l-Baha, p. 673)
Rodney H. Clarken 2003
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Material and Spiritual
Material progress ensures the happiness
of the human world. Spiritual progress
ensures the happiness and eternal
continuance of the soul. (`Abdu'l-Bah, The Promulgation
of Universal Peace, p. 142)
Rodney H. Clarken 2003
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Wealth and Happiness
Even this earth's happiness does not
depend upon wealth.The rich are
mostly negligent, inattentive, steeped in
worldliness, depending upon their
means, whereas the poor are dependent
upon God, and their reliance is upon
Him, not upon themselves. (`Abdu'l-Bah, The
Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 33)
Rodney H. Clarken 2003
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Sociability and Happiness
In his [human] life and being cooperation
and association are essential. Through
association and meeting we find
happiness and development, individual
and collective. (`Abdu'l-Bah, The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
p. 35)
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Knowledge and Happiness
In truth, knowledge is a veritable
treasure for man, and a source of glory,
of bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of cheer
and gladness unto him. (Bah'u'llh-Tablets of Bah'u'llh
Revealed after the Kitb-i-Aqdas p. 50)
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Happiness and Psychology
Most of psychology has focused on
unhappiness, mental illness and
weakness rather than happiness, mental
health and strength.
Recently Positive Psychology is
scientifically studying positive emotion,
virtue, strengths and happiness.
Rodney H. Clarken 2003
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Buddhism & Happiness
Happy indeed we live who are free from:
hatred among those who still hate. In the midst of
hate-filled men, we live free from hatred.
disease among those still diseased. In the midst of
diseased men, we live free from disease.
worry among those who are still worried. In the midst
of worried men, we live free from worry.
Happy indeed we live who have nothing of our
own. We shall feed on joy, just like the radiant
devas. (Dhammapada, 197-200)
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Buddhism on Happiness
There is no fire like desire. There is no
weakness like anger. There is no suffering like
the khandhas. There is no happiness greater
than peace.
Therefore, if he is a man of understanding and
penetration, learned and habitually moral,
devout and noble, one should cultivate the
company of that just and wise man, in the same
way as the moon keeps to a path among the
stars. (Dhammapada, 202 & 208)
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