The Trail to Enlightenment

This video discusses enlightenment in terms of happiness in the view of Siddhartha Guatama, as well as in reference to Buddhism and Taoism. There is an underlying debate over whether happiness is externally influenced or found within, these interviews give several opinions.

In the Indian religions, happiness is a fairly existential thing, as most people focus on enlightenment in a later life. This is because only certain people in society were traditionally able to achieve such status, and that was the highest class - the Brahmins. What Siddhartha discovered is that happiness must be within the here and now, not limited to a caste or to another life. In viewing the world this way, he achieved happiness and universal understanding - by focusing on the here and now without attaching himself to it. This means that we are to act as a stone falling through water, to respond and react to the world and 'go with the flow' rather than try to correct and control our lives. In being so acquiescent, Siddhartha was able to find happiness.

According to a business professor interviewed here, happiness is more likely tied to personal performance and worldly success - both of which involve a competitive comparison and relative review. Rather than base one's happiness on their own feelings of success, this view seems to compare one person to another and to another. In this way, happiness is an externally driven thing, that must be controlled and sought after to win over.

The students interviewed agreed with the professor's initial statements that to achieve happiness, a person must set goals or core values and follow through on them. However, worldly success and competition is not necessary. Siddhartha had 3 values he lived by for most of his life, which led him to contemplate his journey by the river.

Find your own trail to happiness, and follow it within yourself.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• siddhartha
• herman hesse
• religion
• buddhism
• taoism

[rumit99]

Nice topic to make a video on. To be happy you have to love the world, with all its imperfections and flaws. Most of us cannot love unconditionally, and so will fail at finding true everlasting happiness.