A Monk Who Sold His Maserati To Find Inner Peace

In the pursuit of happiness, we always have an outward look and try to find happiness in what we call in Buddhism, a compounded phenomenon, stated, his eminence the 8th Choekyong Palga Rinpoche

Spirituality as a concept is a dense subject and is often considered as the by-product of religion. But the connection between the two is debated time and again. When textbook knowledge is limited, myths follow. Spirituality does not have one definition but many, mainly derived from experiences. The understanding of which has expanded over time. 

In the 2nd edition of the Festival of Wellbeing, his eminence the 8th Choekyong Palga Rinpoche of Ladakh, Buddhist Teacher and Spiritual Speaker shed light on the topic of spirituality.  “Spirituality can be approached not only by religious people, but by everybody because when it comes to spirituality, you don’t necessarily have to be religious,” said Rinpoche. 

He added, “What is the meaning of true happiness? In the pursuit of happiness, we always have an outward look and try to find happiness in what we call in Buddhism, a compounded phenomenon. This phenomenon is impermanent, we gather to separate, we earn to spend, we construct to collapse, we are born and then we die.” According to him chasing happiness may also lead to disappointment. Rather, if only we look inwards for happiness, contentment and spiritual enlightenment; we find permanency and spontaneous happiness.

He went on to say, “Meditation, is one of the most effective measures to find true happiness and contentment. According to Buddhist teachings, whatever we achieve in this life is a result of our past good and bad karmas. Karma is a result of a chain of events, the cause and effect, and the practice of spirituality cleanses our karma.” He also states that, “When you focus on your breath, your mind starts to rest.” In a physical and mental practice of guided meditation, Rinpoche highlights how our five senses can be constantly distracting. 

He adds, “With meditation, we can control our mind. Similarly, with deep breathing exercises, our thoughts subside and we feel calm. If you make meditation your daily practice, you will feel rested and get sound sleep. This is a mind exercise.”