Tara Brach, a clinical psychologist and meditation teacher, gives this talk on two kinds of happiness, drawing on the Buddha’s teaching on suffering and the end of suffering.
According to the Buddha, there are two kinds of happiness. Tara Brach shares insights into what these two kinds of happiness are and what they each offer us. While the first type might initially be looked down upon from a misunderstanding of what happiness ‘should be,’ even this first type can inspire our awakening to the second if we are willing to dive deeply into our pursuit of pleasure.
The Happiness of Sense Pleasures
The Pali word pamoja refers to the first type of happiness – the happiness of sense pleasures. Examples of this type of happiness can arise from receiving a compliment, eating a certain type of food, or embracing a loved one in an open hug. While this type of happiness does have a shadow side (for instance, when we become attached to things outside of ourselves and require them for our sense of fulfillment), gratitude practices can help us to explore the pleasure that arises from our senses in an open and expansive way.
Happiness Through Natural Presence
The Buddha referred to the second type of happiness as sukha – the happiness of experiencing who we really are. This type of happiness is described as long lasting and as running much deeper than pamoja, since it is not rooted in anything outside of ourselves. Sukha is associated with greater peace, harmony, and contentment.
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