Have you ever looked forward to an experience, such as a day at the beach, only to be disappointed by foul weather or bad traffic? Have you ever gotten excited about a new gadget or item of clothing, only to lose it, break it, or just grow tired of it? Do you often depend on a friend, partner or loved one for enjoyment but can also remember many instances when they have irritated or disappointed you?

We often find ourselves looking outward to experiences, things and people as a source of happiness. In Buddhism, however, we understand that true, permanent happiness can never come from anything external but instead, comes from within, from a peaceful mind. In The Joyful Path of Good Fortune, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso writes “Since happiness is a state of mind, its main cause must also be a state of mind.” In fact, once we train our minds to recognize and let go of the things that agitate us and make us unhappy, we discover that peace is our natural state of being.

In this video, Kadam Morten shows us just how happiness depends on a peaceful mind and how we can learn to train this state of mind.