The Math of Suffering & Happiness:

'Life 365' newspaper, Pune, May 2012 This piece is penned for the benefit of all my friends out there inclined towards logic & equations, because & therefore, if & then, much the same way as we interpret the Law of Causation, of cause & effect, in Buddhist terms.

And for those friends not as much initiated to the balancing of equations, fret not. These are simple words merely arranged differently, to be largely interpreted the same way as ‘if you do this, that will happen’. It’s quite easy, try it.


Suffering Suppressed = Suffering + Accumulated interest on suffering

Suffering Released = Happiness / All Bliss

Suffering Released with Indifference = Negative karma resultant & therefore continued suffering

Suffering Released with Awareness = Positive karma resultant & therefore All Bliss

Resultant Effects:

Negative karma resultant + dharma practices = Moving towards happiness

Positive karma resultant + dharma practices = Afterlife in higher realm / Nirvana

Negative karma resultant + non dharma practices = Afterlife in lower realm

Positive karma resultant + non dharma practices = Moving towards suffering

Being defined that:

Suffering: Condition or mind state bound with afflicted emotions (“zagche”) or kleshas (“nonmyong”).
Awareness: Understanding the true nature of happiness/root nature of things, in equanimity, blunting discriminatory emotions.
Dharma (in the context of Buddhist teachings): Cessation / Freedom from suffering / Nirvana
Dharma practice: Practices related to freedom from suffering.

Four premises for happiness as offered by HH the 14th Dalai Lama:

1. The purpose of life is happiness. It is our birthright.
2. Happiness is determined more by the state of one’s mind than by one’s external conditions, circumstances, or events—at least once one’s basic survival needs are met.
3. Happiness can be achieved through the systematic training of our hearts and minds, through reshaping our attitudes and outlook.
4. The key to happiness is in our own hands.

Easily, the choice is ours!