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The Essence Of Happiness.: A Guidebook for Living
Drawn from His Holiness the Dalai Lama's bestselling "The Art Of Happiness", with Dr Howard C. Cutler, this little book contains simple advice on how to achieve lasting happiness in our everyday lives. Going straight to the heart of the matter, each page offers a gem of spiritual wisdom to enable us to defeat depression, anxiety, anger, jealousy - and the many and varied emotions that form a barrier to our happiness. Melding the knowledge of 2500 years of Buddhist meditations with modern Western psychology, "The Essence Of Happiness" offers great spiritual balance and joy, and a source of profound wisdom that can be called upon anywhere, anytime.
120 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
44 people are currently reading
496 people want to read
About the author
Dalai Lama XIV
1,554 books6,195 followersJetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub), the 14th Dalai Lama, is a practicing member of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism and is influential as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, the world's most famous Buddhist monk, and the leader of the exiled Tibetan government in India.
Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of sixteen children born to a farming family. He was proclaimed the tulku (an Enlightened lama who has consciously decided to take rebirth) of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two.
On 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's ruler. Thus he became Tibet's most important political ruler just one month after the People's Republic of China's invasion of Tibet on 7 October 1950. In 1954, he went to Beijing to attempt peace talks with Mao Zedong and other leaders of the PRC. These talks ultimately failed.
After a failed uprising and the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959, the Dalai Lama left for India, where he was active in establishing the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) and in seeking to preserve Tibetan culture and education among the thousands of refugees who accompanied him.
Tenzin Gyatso is a charismatic figure and noted public speaker. This Dalai Lama is the first to travel to the West. There, he has helped to spread Buddhism and to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, honorary Canadian citizenship in 2006, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal on 17 October 2007.
Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of sixteen children born to a farming family. He was proclaimed the tulku (an Enlightened lama who has consciously decided to take rebirth) of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two.
On 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's ruler. Thus he became Tibet's most important political ruler just one month after the People's Republic of China's invasion of Tibet on 7 October 1950. In 1954, he went to Beijing to attempt peace talks with Mao Zedong and other leaders of the PRC. These talks ultimately failed.
After a failed uprising and the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959, the Dalai Lama left for India, where he was active in establishing the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) and in seeking to preserve Tibetan culture and education among the thousands of refugees who accompanied him.
Tenzin Gyatso is a charismatic figure and noted public speaker. This Dalai Lama is the first to travel to the West. There, he has helped to spread Buddhism and to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, honorary Canadian citizenship in 2006, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal on 17 October 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
January 8, 2012
This book is the condensed version of The Art of Happiness. It is a good basic book on Tibetan Buddhist practices of compassion, emptiness, equanimity, etc., which can, with practice and time, lead to happiness. I highly recommend as an introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, or a refresher for those more aquainted with these concepts.
July 27, 2011
This book is simply amazing. When ever I am troubled or feeling lost in this world, i turn to this book to brighten up my day.
October 6, 2025
The Guidebook for Living by the 14th Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler is an excellent piece that can be referred to as a guide to realizing happiness. The purpose of this book is not to convert anyone into Buddhism, but rather to pureheartedly hope for the prosperity of all beings. The very first sentence of chapter one is, "I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness." This is then followed up by, "Whether one believes in religion or not." Just these two sentences highlight the main theme of this book, the pure heart of wishing the happiness of all people.
The Chapters of the Essence of Happiness are divided into Part 1: The Purpose of Life, Part 2: Human Warmth and Compassion, Part 3: Transforming Suffering. Part 4: Overcoming Obstacles, and Part 5: Closing Reflections on Living a Spiritual Life. The first four chapters all entail key practices a person may follow to reach a state of mind that leads to happiness. The chapters do not exactly tell people what to do, but rather ask people what they should do. As each person in this world is different, the book states that their way of achieving happiness might be different.
This book is an excellent place to start for people who wish to explore the connections Tibetan Buddhism has with Western psychology in the study of achieving happiness.
The Chapters of the Essence of Happiness are divided into Part 1: The Purpose of Life, Part 2: Human Warmth and Compassion, Part 3: Transforming Suffering. Part 4: Overcoming Obstacles, and Part 5: Closing Reflections on Living a Spiritual Life. The first four chapters all entail key practices a person may follow to reach a state of mind that leads to happiness. The chapters do not exactly tell people what to do, but rather ask people what they should do. As each person in this world is different, the book states that their way of achieving happiness might be different.
This book is an excellent place to start for people who wish to explore the connections Tibetan Buddhism has with Western psychology in the study of achieving happiness.
June 10, 2018
I’m a Buddhist but I’m not a practicing one. I don’t know much about the religion at all. I’m a Buddhist because my parents are Buddhists. We’re Laotian and it’s the main religion of Laos. My parents occasionally go to the temple to pray and that’s mixed with the cultural aspect too. Going to temple is a good opportunity to mingle with other Lao people and eat food after the prayer sessions. I think my parents are not that religious but there’s some Buddhist influence in how they interact with the world.
You may wonder about my ignorance over my religion, my answer is that while I did attend temple many times when I was growing up, I never learnt much about the religion at all. Whenever we went to temple, the adults would go pray while the head monk would chant something in Laotian and all the kids just played outside until it was lunch time or they would be in the Lao language school. Also, there is no baptism involved in Buddhism so it was not like I was on a path to follow Buddha.
I wanted to read The Art of Happiness to learn more about Buddhism. The Art of Happiness was written by Howard C. Cutler who is a clinical psychiatrist. He had a series of interviews with the Dalai Lama on the subject of happiness. Cutler wanted a Buddhist perspective on how to achieve happiness to compare with western notions on happiness.
The book features quotes from the Dalai Lama and some meditations, along with statistics and observations by Cutler.
It became apparent while reading this book the depth of the discussion on happiness. I found the prospect of reviewing the book to be an overwhelming task. My reluctance is also due to the fact that I identify as a Buddhist but do not have any real understanding of the religion but wanting to do justice to Buddhist teachings.
The book is divided into four parts with three or four chapters exploring an aspect of the human psyche such as self esteem and suffering. The main ideas that I got from this book is that everyone has a right to happiness, suffering is part of being human and that one should be kind to oneself and others. I think those themes are apparent in most religions but I think Buddhism is more philosophical and less doctrinal about it.
The Dalai Lama answered questions thoughtfully and I thought that many of his answers were practical solutions bordering on psychology. The focus for Buddhism is enlightenment which does involve training of the mind through meditations and stopping negative thoughts and actions after all.
What was most thought provoking for me was the chapter relating to anxiety. They described many forms of anxiety but this instance was the most poignant for me. Cutler and the Dalai Lama discussed whether the Dalai Lama got nervous before making public appearances. His holiness said he did and that he overcomes it by reminding himself that his efforts to help people are sincere and he tries his best. He also mentioned how people come to him expecting miracles and cures. The Dalai Lama cannot give people miracles but he tries his best to comfort people as best he can which gives some people peace.
Cutler later related the story to a young student who was suffering from social anxiety. The student he had the advice in mind when he wanted to ask out a girl. He was nervous but remembered that he his intentions were good which helped to ease his nervousness. The student didn’t get the date but he was content that he had tried and that was enough for him.
I tend to be an over thinker and worrier especially when I have to do something out of my comfort zone. So, that advice your good intentions and trying your best gives me some comfort. While the book wasn’t a life changing read, I was glad that I read it. I think it is one of those books where you gain a new understanding each time you read it. I wonder what I will learn next time
You may wonder about my ignorance over my religion, my answer is that while I did attend temple many times when I was growing up, I never learnt much about the religion at all. Whenever we went to temple, the adults would go pray while the head monk would chant something in Laotian and all the kids just played outside until it was lunch time or they would be in the Lao language school. Also, there is no baptism involved in Buddhism so it was not like I was on a path to follow Buddha.
I wanted to read The Art of Happiness to learn more about Buddhism. The Art of Happiness was written by Howard C. Cutler who is a clinical psychiatrist. He had a series of interviews with the Dalai Lama on the subject of happiness. Cutler wanted a Buddhist perspective on how to achieve happiness to compare with western notions on happiness.
The book features quotes from the Dalai Lama and some meditations, along with statistics and observations by Cutler.
It became apparent while reading this book the depth of the discussion on happiness. I found the prospect of reviewing the book to be an overwhelming task. My reluctance is also due to the fact that I identify as a Buddhist but do not have any real understanding of the religion but wanting to do justice to Buddhist teachings.
The book is divided into four parts with three or four chapters exploring an aspect of the human psyche such as self esteem and suffering. The main ideas that I got from this book is that everyone has a right to happiness, suffering is part of being human and that one should be kind to oneself and others. I think those themes are apparent in most religions but I think Buddhism is more philosophical and less doctrinal about it.
The Dalai Lama answered questions thoughtfully and I thought that many of his answers were practical solutions bordering on psychology. The focus for Buddhism is enlightenment which does involve training of the mind through meditations and stopping negative thoughts and actions after all.
What was most thought provoking for me was the chapter relating to anxiety. They described many forms of anxiety but this instance was the most poignant for me. Cutler and the Dalai Lama discussed whether the Dalai Lama got nervous before making public appearances. His holiness said he did and that he overcomes it by reminding himself that his efforts to help people are sincere and he tries his best. He also mentioned how people come to him expecting miracles and cures. The Dalai Lama cannot give people miracles but he tries his best to comfort people as best he can which gives some people peace.
Cutler later related the story to a young student who was suffering from social anxiety. The student he had the advice in mind when he wanted to ask out a girl. He was nervous but remembered that he his intentions were good which helped to ease his nervousness. The student didn’t get the date but he was content that he had tried and that was enough for him.
I tend to be an over thinker and worrier especially when I have to do something out of my comfort zone. So, that advice your good intentions and trying your best gives me some comfort. While the book wasn’t a life changing read, I was glad that I read it. I think it is one of those books where you gain a new understanding each time you read it. I wonder what I will learn next time
Read
April 19, 2023As always, anything of HHDL is an absolute treasure. Some key reminders for sure, especially relevant for me personally in this moment of living:
The purpose of our life needs to be positive. We are not born with the purpose of causing trouble, harming others. For our life to be of value: We must develop basic good human qualities. Warmth, kindness, and compassion. Then our life becomes meaningful and more peaceful, happier.
If you want a particular event or experience to occur: the logical thing to do is seek the causes and conditions that give rise to it.
I believe that happiness can be achieved through training the mind.
Each day upon waking: I will utilize this day in a more positive way.
At night: check what you've done: ask yoursel. Did I utilize this day as planned?
How do I know if something is good or bad? Positive or negative: it depends on the ultimate result: will this action yield positive or negative consequences?
Compassion: a state of mind that is non-violent, non-harming, and non-aggressive.
A Mental attitude basedon the wish for others to be free of their suffering. A sense of commitment, responsibility and respect towards the other.
The purpose of our life needs to be positive. We are not born with the purpose of causing trouble, harming others. For our life to be of value: We must develop basic good human qualities. Warmth, kindness, and compassion. Then our life becomes meaningful and more peaceful, happier.
If you want a particular event or experience to occur: the logical thing to do is seek the causes and conditions that give rise to it.
I believe that happiness can be achieved through training the mind.
Each day upon waking: I will utilize this day in a more positive way.
At night: check what you've done: ask yoursel. Did I utilize this day as planned?
How do I know if something is good or bad? Positive or negative: it depends on the ultimate result: will this action yield positive or negative consequences?
Compassion: a state of mind that is non-violent, non-harming, and non-aggressive.
A Mental attitude basedon the wish for others to be free of their suffering. A sense of commitment, responsibility and respect towards the other.
May 22, 2021
Coming back to Buddhist reading after two decades of psychology training is a bit of a trip. Buddhism helped me survive my late teens, and psychology helped me define what had happened. They work well together.
This book is very accessible in a way academic psychology is not. But it covers many of the same lessons. There's a lot of CBT and also humanistic and positive psychology. What is and is not in my control? Identifying problematic behaviours, and systematically creating the circumstances and intentions to change them. Forgiving and being kind to yourself. Gratitude for what you have. Respect for others, yourself, your environment, living things.
The book doesn't cover structural societal problems, and it puts the onus on individuals to make peace with their lives and find their own happiness. It was a quick read tho, so understandable it missed some stuff.
This is a good place to start if you're looking for a refresher or entry into Buddhist reading.
This book is very accessible in a way academic psychology is not. But it covers many of the same lessons. There's a lot of CBT and also humanistic and positive psychology. What is and is not in my control? Identifying problematic behaviours, and systematically creating the circumstances and intentions to change them. Forgiving and being kind to yourself. Gratitude for what you have. Respect for others, yourself, your environment, living things.
The book doesn't cover structural societal problems, and it puts the onus on individuals to make peace with their lives and find their own happiness. It was a quick read tho, so understandable it missed some stuff.
This is a good place to start if you're looking for a refresher or entry into Buddhist reading.
June 2, 2018
This book was a short, concise, and inspiring summary of what I am learning from my meditation practice. It's less than 2 hours long on audio. I found that practically every sentence in this book was meaningful to me. It is a really nice complement to what I've learned from my meditation app.
I strongly recommend this to anyone who is working on mindfulness, compassion, acceptance, and happiness!
I strongly recommend this to anyone who is working on mindfulness, compassion, acceptance, and happiness!
July 19, 2018
A wonderful little pocket book. A collection of teachings on happiness and joy. One of the important lessons i learned dealt with training your mind to focus on strengthening seeds of positivity which leads to a diminishing of negative thoughts. Easy to read and digest in small doses. I promise every page you read will brighten your day. You can just feel how much love and happiness he has in his heart.
December 12, 2018
I was expecting a more coherent, spun-out texts rather than scattered fragments of insights. It bothered me, but only because it seemed to touch the surface, not the depths. A more practical addendum to each insight, would have made the text flourish.
With that said, TEOH is a beautiful read, with the compassionate vision of the Dalai Lama shining through. I am looking forward to reading more written by him.
With that said, TEOH is a beautiful read, with the compassionate vision of the Dalai Lama shining through. I am looking forward to reading more written by him.
April 18, 2019
This book is a beautiful summary of Budhist thought. It will give you a new perspectvie in life based on all of the pearls of wisdom that it provides.
The words of the Dalai Lama are so brief, simple, educational and to the point, Word to the wise, just read the sections by His Holiness. I mean - why would you need somebody like Cutler messing with perfection. Give me a break.
I'll give this 4 out of 5 stars.
The words of the Dalai Lama are so brief, simple, educational and to the point, Word to the wise, just read the sections by His Holiness. I mean - why would you need somebody like Cutler messing with perfection. Give me a break.
I'll give this 4 out of 5 stars.
May 15, 2022
I read this book when I was in my teens, which instilled in me a belief that I have the power to change my circumstances. That in itself was a guiding hope. Now, this refresher in my twenties is well appreciated on my journey to achieving a fulfilling life, and I am eager to read more on the subject. With more clarity of mind, I hope to concentrate on the approaches and methods to challenging and changing how I approach myself and others. A wonderful book with only the best of intentions.
May 14, 2017
I've been wanting to read some of the works by the Dalai Lama for a while, although John Oliver's recent interview put that more into the forefront of my mind. I didn't realize that this was a condensed version of another book or that this was simply a book of quotes. This might not be an issue for some people but I felt like this just wasn't a good starting point for me.
November 26, 2017
Open the Mind
The book was very enlightening. Statements were thought provoking and presented an opportunity for self-awareness. Positivity within ourselves needs to be fed. Negativity should starve. It should never be fed. Fasting is required. Eliminate hate from your diet.
The book was very enlightening. Statements were thought provoking and presented an opportunity for self-awareness. Positivity within ourselves needs to be fed. Negativity should starve. It should never be fed. Fasting is required. Eliminate hate from your diet.
January 11, 2018
I didn't like the narration of the introduction, but the remainder of the audiobook was a good short introduction to the philosophy of the Dalai Lama. Relaxing, slow pace and a good message of respect and tolerance.
February 17, 2019
Aunque pequeño, the essence of happiness es muy acertado en los puntos que trata, explicando de manera sencilla los preceptos básicos que, a su parecer, traen felicidad.
Es curioso cómo, a pesar de hablar en un sentido amplio, las lecciones resuenan tan cerca en la consciencia de uno.
Es curioso cómo, a pesar de hablar en un sentido amplio, las lecciones resuenan tan cerca en la consciencia de uno.
December 15, 2018
The message of the book is very important. I recommend you to read the full book instead of this one.
January 1, 2019
Good book overall. I feel like it could get a little repetitive but it still had a lot of good tips
May 28, 2020
Great book during a early 2010's when the West was recovering from the housing bubble and could use a reminder of what true happiness was in the face of materialism.
August 19, 2020
Interesting book and reminder of insights. Need to read one of the other books to gain a deeper understanding of the concept.
April 7, 2021
Short read book. Can finish within 2-3 hours.
June 2, 2022
Audiobook recommended
December 29, 2023
Although it’s a condensed version of The Art of Happiness, there were still great take aways in this book. Highly recommend!
June 17, 2018
Lovely way of thinking about the world. On my better days, I aspire to embody these idea.
September 26, 2016
If we could have just one book for living life to the fullest, I would recommend "The Essence of Happiness" by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama and psychiatrist, Howard C. Cutler. I first had the opportunity to read this book in April of 2012 and was significantly impressed by the short insightful passages found throughout. While I had read a fair amount of articles and watched television programs on the Dalai Lama, this is the first book I had come across which involved his participation. What I gained from this book is the reconfirmation that happiness is a mindset that we can work towards by changing the way we think and look at the world. I found the writing style throughout the book to be clear, concise and to the point.
The Dalai Lama's philosophy and openness keeps the reader engaged. Howard C. Cutler's has channelled the essence through numerous interviews he had with the Dali Lama, providing his own interpretations and additions along the way. I found the author's writing style to be clear, motivational and refreshing. One does not need to have any set religious belief or alignment to enjoy and understand this book as it's meant for everyone. I appreciate that. The concepts are simple and powerful. I think this is a great resource for people from all different walks of life and each reader can acquire their own insights from it. For me, reading the passages brought a sense of calm and happiness, and a reminder that life is beautiful, that it is important to take timeout and meditate. This is a resource which I will keep and come back to time and time again.
In life we often have to overcome adversity and hard times, and the mindset we have during these times is crucial. The way we choose to look at the world has a considerable impact on the way we lead our lives. This book shows how our desires, experiences, feelings, thoughts and actions, can cause pain and suffering. But in turn, it provides the all-important strategies for improvement, change, better living, and increased happiness. By keeping it short and to the point the authors provide an exceptionally helpful resource. This book is a treasure, especially for individuals who are looking to find happiness, inner peace and expand their horizons. When it is difficult to stay positive during challenging times and live more meaningful lives, The "Essence Happiness" is a refreshing, uplifting, spiritual book worth having in your collection. Open any page to find immediate inspiration on what really counts.
The Dalai Lama's philosophy and openness keeps the reader engaged. Howard C. Cutler's has channelled the essence through numerous interviews he had with the Dali Lama, providing his own interpretations and additions along the way. I found the author's writing style to be clear, motivational and refreshing. One does not need to have any set religious belief or alignment to enjoy and understand this book as it's meant for everyone. I appreciate that. The concepts are simple and powerful. I think this is a great resource for people from all different walks of life and each reader can acquire their own insights from it. For me, reading the passages brought a sense of calm and happiness, and a reminder that life is beautiful, that it is important to take timeout and meditate. This is a resource which I will keep and come back to time and time again.
In life we often have to overcome adversity and hard times, and the mindset we have during these times is crucial. The way we choose to look at the world has a considerable impact on the way we lead our lives. This book shows how our desires, experiences, feelings, thoughts and actions, can cause pain and suffering. But in turn, it provides the all-important strategies for improvement, change, better living, and increased happiness. By keeping it short and to the point the authors provide an exceptionally helpful resource. This book is a treasure, especially for individuals who are looking to find happiness, inner peace and expand their horizons. When it is difficult to stay positive during challenging times and live more meaningful lives, The "Essence Happiness" is a refreshing, uplifting, spiritual book worth having in your collection. Open any page to find immediate inspiration on what really counts.
July 17, 2011
This book is amazing.It's straight to the point, and condensed. It was very easy to understand. I see things clearer after every page. Most of the time i would just put the book down and reflect it on to my life. I'am not very old, im not going to disclose my age, but im in my young teens. I recommend this to any teenager out there getting bullied,dont feel like they fit in, or are depressed at school. This is who i was for a short while. My parents were separating,my older sister was travelling, and earning heaps of money (which made me jealous), and my older brother is graduating from university and pursuing his dream (also made me jealous). I was losing myself. I shouldnt be jealous, i should be happy for them. This book helped me see the light in my life, and that those hard times in my life, are only obstacles that i can climb over in the right state of mind. Sometimes they arent even obstacles, they are just my own mind focasing over little stupid things or a way person might of acted around me. I was becoming self-drawn, and not thinking about other people and their feelings and thoughts. I also started to become angry, anxious and jealous of everything. After the first couple of pages, I was already getting over the unhappiness in my life, and pulling strength out of my inner self, and turning it into happiness.
May 30, 2014
Amazing.. Every page contains a little message, a little bit of Wisdom from the Dalai Lama. You should pick this book up if you are angry about something or someone.. if you are sad. When you feel unhappy with your live or if you just want to feel a little bit better without a reason. After you read a little bit you'll feel a little bit happier and see all the things a little bit different.. But if you want some more information about why and how or about Buddhism then you should read a different Book from the Dhallai Lama.. This is just a gathering from some things he said to different topics! It's amazing but wished for a little bit more and will read another Book from him!
December 23, 2013
I am usually very anti-self-help, but as of late, I'm acknowledging that I'm needing some simple, straight forward guidance to stop feeling like I'm running in place. A coworker, not knowing these feelings I'm harboring, passed this book along to me and I'm thankful he has. I hope to apply the things I've learned in this book, along with the three other "books" I read prior to this one to my life. I can use the shifting, the adapting if being able to change, to see life in my own way, but a healthier way. I must. It's essential to my survival.
August 27, 2016
This book is a collections of snippets/quotes from the Dalai Lama. It is very good, but I wanted more information about his theory on how to move towards (and reach/achieve) happiness. I am not an abridged story kind of girl; I want the full story.
My favorite quote:
"The ability to shift perspective--asking, "How can I see this differently?"--can be one of the most powerful and effective tools we have to help us cope with life's daily problems."
But the book is good and positive--worthy of a star or two more if you don't mind just the key points of his message.
My favorite quote:
"The ability to shift perspective--asking, "How can I see this differently?"--can be one of the most powerful and effective tools we have to help us cope with life's daily problems."
But the book is good and positive--worthy of a star or two more if you don't mind just the key points of his message.
March 20, 2011
No doubt, this book has a lot of good positive messages in it, but at the time i was reading this, i was going throught a rather tough time mentally, as well as dealing with my father, who was very closing to dying (he has since passed on) so i think there was a lot of this book that i just could not absorb at the time, so well i think the book was good, i think i will have to come back and read it again at a later date and try to take a bit more of it in.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews