His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Jonathan Sacks, Katharine Jefferts Schori, Et. Al. — Pursuing Happiness

On Being with Krista Tippett

On Being Studios

Sociology, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality, Krista Tippett, Arts, Culture, On Being, Society, Society & Culture, Science, Social Sciences

4.7 • 10.2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 September 2014

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The XIV Dalai Lama seems to many to embody happiness — happiness against the odds, a virtue that is acquired and practiced. Before a live audience in Atlanta, Georgia, Krista had a rare opportunity to mull over the meaning of happiness in contemporary life with him and three global spiritual leaders: a Muslim scholar, a chief rabbi, and a presiding bishop. An invigorating and unpredictable discussion exploring the themes of suffering, beauty, and the nature of the body.

Transcript

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0:00.0	It is true that if you read Jewish history, happiness is not the first word that comes to mind.
0:12.0	We do degrees in misery, advanced guilt, and yet somehow or other we get together and we celebrate.
0:26.0	There is a very deep nexus between beauty and happiness.
0:31.0	And happy is the person who realises inner beauty.
0:35.0	Blessing each moment of the day, blessing the milking of the cow, blessing the covering of the fire at night.
0:44.0	It is that awareness and attending that is so significant.
0:51.0	Very purpose of our life is for happiness.
0:53.0	The very purpose of our existence is for happiness.
0:58.0	His holiness, the Dalai Lama of Tibet, seems to many the very embodiment of happiness.
1:04.0	Happiness sustained against the odds.
1:07.0	And so it was a rare and fascinating opportunity to sit down with him and three other global spiritual leaders and to muse over this subject.
1:16.0	The pursuit of happiness is something Americans call a right, but what do we know about happiness as a spiritual practice?
1:23.0	What does it have to do with our bodies?
1:25.0	What is the resonance between happiness and virtue, happiness and beauty?
1:30.0	The presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States, the former chief rabbi of Great Britain,
1:36.0	and an eminent Muslim scholar joined the Dalai Lama in illuminating these and other questions.
1:42.0	I'm Christa Tippett, and this is on Being.
1:54.0	The Interfaith Summit on Happiness, as it was called, was convened by the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University in 2010.
2:03.0	It took place before 4,000 people in a basketball arena transformed by flowers and by the festive energy that does seem to follow his holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, wherever he goes.
2:16.0	The court was decked with black carpet and white chairs, monks set on cushions alongside an incandescently lit stage.
2:24.0	The Dalai Lama sat next to his translator, Geshatupdin Jindpa, and conferred with him constantly as you'll hear.
2:31.0	Joining them were Seyat Jose Nasir of George Washington University, the most reverend Dr. Catherine Jeffert Shory, and rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sachs.
	...

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