Title: Simple Habits That Only Happy People Practice [Buddhist Teachings]
Hello, Today’s theme is "Simple Habits That Only Happy People Practice," particularly those based on Buddhist teachings. These habits are not something that requires special talents; anyone can practice them. It all depends on how you approach it. By adopting the habits I’ll discuss today, you can take the first step toward a happier life.
By adopting these habits taught in Buddhism, you will achieve the following kinds of happiness:
- Being loved and valued by those around you
- Gaining trust and building self-confidence
- Maintaining long-lasting and harmonious relationships
- Achieving your dreams and finding success
- Learning from failures and growing stronger
Let’s explore the simple habits that happy people practice, based on Buddhist teachings.
Table of Contents
- What is Rokudo Bangyo?
- The Battle With Yourself
- The Importance of Practice
Using these three points, I’ll explain the habits that happy people follow.
1. What is Rokudo Bangyo?
First, let me introduce the Buddhist concept of "Rokudo Bangyo," which refers to six good deeds that are easy to practice in daily life. In Buddhist teachings, countless good deeds are taught, but they are condensed into these six essential practices, called "Rokudo Bangyo." The word "Do" (渡) here means to cross over—from a world of suffering and confusion to a world of enlightenment.
The six good deeds in Rokudo Bangyo are as follows:
- Dana (Generosity) – Acts of giving and kindness to others
- Sila (Morality) – Keeping promises and self-discipline
- Kshanti (Patience) – Enduring hardships and controlling anger
- Virya (Diligence) – Effort and perseverance
- Dhyana (Meditation) – Calming the mind and reflecting inward
- Prajna (Wisdom) – Learning and applying correct knowledge
These six acts form the foundation of Buddhist practice, and anyone can begin to implement them little by little.
1.1 Dana: A Habit to Be Loved by Others
"Dana" means giving to others with a heart of kindness. It doesn’t have to be about money or material goods; giving someone a smile or kind words also counts as Dana. In Buddhism, it is taught that acts of giving will always return to you as good results.
For example, if you help someone in need or carry someone’s heavy luggage, you become someone who is loved and appreciated by others. Small acts of kindness build trust over time.
1.2 Sila: A Habit to Gain Trust
"Sila" refers to keeping promises and practicing self-discipline. In Buddhism, keeping promises is crucial for building trust with others and oneself. For example, keeping appointments on time or meeting deadlines is an aspect of Sila.
By making this a habit, you will become a person whom others can trust, and you will also build confidence in yourself. This will lead to stronger, more positive relationships.
1.3 Kshanti: A Habit to Control Anger
"Kshanti" means to endure anger and stress with patience. In modern life, we often encounter stress and anger, but it is important to develop the ability to respond calmly.
Instead of reacting in anger, if you can step back and assess the situation, you will find that your relationships will be more peaceful and last longer. Forgiving others and being flexible are key elements of this habit.
1.4 Virya: A Habit to Achieve Dreams
"Virya" refers to persistent effort and hard work. Success is not achieved through temporary effort, but by consistently building towards a goal over time. Buddhism teaches that consistent effort is the path to success.
If you want to achieve your dreams, continuous effort is essential. By working steadily, you can achieve great things.
1.5 Dhyana: A Habit to Learn from Failures
"Dhyana" means calming the mind and reflecting on oneself. In the rush of daily life, it can be hard to take the time to reflect, but without it, we are likely to repeat the same mistakes. Buddhism teaches that by reflecting, we can learn from failures and grow.
Taking a few moments each day to calm your mind and review your actions will help you move forward and make better decisions.
1.6 Prajna: A Habit to Make Wise Choices
"Prajna" refers to seeing the essence of things and making wise decisions. Every day, we face numerous choices, and these decisions can significantly affect our happiness. To cultivate wisdom, it’s important to continue learning.
Through experience and study, you will deepen your understanding and be able to make better choices that lead to happiness.
2. The Battle With Yourself
When you try to practice Rokudo Bangyo, you will inevitably face the challenge of battling yourself. In daily life, we are constantly confronted by desires, laziness, and anger. Overcoming these feelings and choosing good actions is not easy.
For example, even when you want to be kind to others, you might think, "I don’t want to waste my time." Keeping promises may also be difficult when personal convenience comes into play. But overcoming these inner struggles is key to happiness.
In Buddhism, it’s taught that overcoming such internal challenges leads to enlightenment. Happy people overcome these struggles within themselves every day.
3. The Importance of Practice
Finally, the most important thing is practice. While knowledge is important in Buddhism, what matters even more is applying that knowledge in daily life.
No matter how well you understand the teachings of Rokudo Bangyo, if you don’t practice them, they won’t have any impact. For instance, knowing the importance of kindness won’t make you loved by others unless you actually practice kindness in your daily life. Similarly, understanding the value of patience won’t improve your relationships unless you control your anger.
That’s why it’s essential to take the first step by practicing what you can. Buddhist teachings suggest that practicing even one of the six acts will naturally lead to practicing the others. In other words, by practicing generosity, you will also develop patience, diligence, and so on, leading to greater happiness.
Conclusion
Today, we explored the simple habits that happy people practice, based on the Buddhist concept of "Rokudo Bangyo." These habits don’t require special skills or conditions; anyone can start implementing them in their daily lives. By overcoming the battle with yourself and incorporating these teachings into your life, you too can move closer to true happiness.
Thank you for reading. I look forward to seeing you again next time.
