"Happiness" - the ability to see from up high.

To me…
True happiness derives from one’s ability to concentrate fully on every single aspect of his life 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Letting go of concentration, if even for a brief second, is letting go of a key component to true happiness and enlightenment.
What ARE “true happiness and enlightnement” you ask?
They are the ability to see things from a totally different perspective than before.

Comments would greatly be appreciated.

true happiness and enlightenment would be subjective to different people…

but to me true happiness is any event that would make life worth living.

as for enlightenment? different people might regard this word with different meanings… to me enlightenment is a stage of self knowledge (very egocentric yes) but knowing who you are, your purpose, meaning, goals… everything about you in your blood and veins. it is also a stage of wholeness, balance and mental tranquility (ataraxia) - to be at peace with yourself. (not a religious connontation mind you!)

this i beg to differ… and wold like to ask you why you say so? seeing something from a different perspective might not necessarily being happiness. you may open yourself to another degree of subjectivity but it doesnt equate to enlightenment…
your takes?

Jedi_Pocky took the words right out of my mouth regarding the definition of enlightenment. So am I right in assuming you define enlightenment as knowing yourself? … or something similier.
Cosmo, I’m afraid I’m at a loss. How would the ability to see something from various perspectives bring true happiness and enlightenment? Granted, it’s a usefull skill, one which should be practiced more often, but I cannot accept that it always brings happiness. Seeing something from another perspective CAN bring happiness but doesn’t have to.
I think I’m in need of a little enlightenment myself here, Cosmo.

ps. Jedi_pocky, we have the same amount of posts!!! … oh well I guess we wont after this one… never mind.

“True happiness derives from one’s ability to concentrate fully on every single aspect of his life 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

—personally, this sounds somewhat neurotic and obsessive.

—Enlightenment seems to me to be a paradoxical process, though i do not mean by this that it is impossible. It may involve this sort of concentration, but this concentration (which, on the face of it, seems obsessive and neurotic) in turn implies a certain freedom and loss of ego. It is no longer a question of “controlling” and “concentration”.

—Similarly, it may be said that Enlightenment is a process of self-knowledge. However, paradoxically, such knowledge in turn, when reaching its summit, will lead to a dissolution of the self, and of knowledge of all that is beyond the self (i.e. everything). Paradoxically, self-knowledge leads to the realization that the self is an illusion.

–i dont know, however, if we should identify such enlightenment with happiness. We probably need a new category, such as “bliss” or “peace”.

ah yes slade. enlightenment from my point of perception is indeed self knowledge. but km’s post noted, regarding the paradox… well we can never attain total self knowledge i guess as we are always changing. at least, i am. for with a degree of self knowledge, this realisation takes us to a different level.
and i must say that the first post for this thread is a little warped. and like km said : neurotic and obsessive. perhaps the issue should be approached from a different way.

I think that enlightenment is more broadening your perspective than changing it.
And as far as ‘true happiness’ goes, I would prefer contentment.
I would like to know what you mean by ‘true’ happiness anyway. Is it to top the happy list? Peaceful, good natured, amused, silly, cheerful, happy, quite happy, very happy, ectatic and then truely happy?

Where the heck do you live?
If I spent my time concentrating on my life I think I’d top myself. I would like to know how it is ‘derived’ if possible.

Well I do not doubt you in anyway but for me I find myself happier when I do the exact opposite of concentrating. If you let it all go and say “Screw It”. Just live life second after second, minute after minute, day after day. You’ll find if you worry and you just accept what comes and don’t concentrate on the future or the past then life is much happier. I think you’ll agree with me when I say being happy is the most important thing in life. I guess attaining happiness is different for all people.

I read a book a while ago by the Dalai Lama on happiness. He talked more about contentment then happiness, as he believes happiness is a momentary state that comes and goes, while contentment is something that can always be achieved.

To put it simply, he believes we make ourselves unhappy by wanting things, which might or might not be beyond our control. Or that we set unrealistic goals and then when inevitable failure occurs it brings us sadness.

Of course this was the setup for the later discussion in his book on Detachment. On how, if we don’t really care, we will live a much more content life. Living the maxim, “Desire nothing, and you’ll receive it in abundance.”

To me Enlightenment is about realising that the world is bigger then “me”, and because of this we can’t always have everything we wish for. We must accept our place in the world (not necessarily our social order) without resentment, but trying to better our lot. Giving up beliefs in things that can never be, and removing hopes that are impossible. Desiring nothing, but enjoying everything that is accessible.

I also believe, when enlightenment is reached happiness is no longer of concern. As happiness, bliss, peace and sadness, pain, sorrow, have no meaning anymore, as they are states of imbalance.

Pax Vitae

it seems to me that there is some degree of ignorence involved in happiness therefore happiness could not be derived from enlightenment unless it is limited

(scratches head) I understand complety (says blankly)