happinessthe little book of
* Meditation village Panawat in Chiang Mai, Thailand
The search for the most reliable source of happiness
might be closer than you think.
Since time immemorial, people of all ages, races and faiths
have one thing in common--the search for happiness.
If they believe happiness is in the sea,they go to the sea.If they believe it is in the mountains,they go to the mountains.If they believe it is in the shopping malls,they go on a shopping spree.If they believe it is about being rich,they devote their lives to making money.Or, if they think it lies in being famous,they seek every means and measureto fight their way to fame.
What all these people find in commonis that all the seas, money and fame
in the world cannot help themwhen they are heart-broken, depressed or in pain,
that even a mountain of wealth and possessionscannot fill the emptiness in their hearts.In fact, such things produce short-lived
pleasure and inevitably stress and exhaustion.
Fortunately, all human beings are blessed with the ability to
produce self-sustaining happiness--the kind of happiness
that only they themselves can produce and is completely
independent of personal circumstances and external factors.
That kind of happiness lies within them,
and can be achieved through meditation.
*The Middle Way Meditation Retreat in Chiang Mai
How To Meditate
Sit upright with your right leg on your left leg. Place your right
hand on your left hand. Let your right index touch your left
thumb. You can sit with or without a cushion on the floor. Feel
free to adjust your sitting position until you feel comfortable.
Close your eyes very gently as if you are about to fall asleep.
Relax every muscle in your body--from your eyelids to your
cheeks, your chin, your shoulders, your arms, and your legs, down
to the tips of your fingers. Free your mind from all kinds of
thoughts. Drop all your personal baggage of duties, worries, and
problems. Assume they do not exist for now. Breathe in deeply
and gently exhale three times. Imagine that you are sitting
happily alone in the universe. Indulge in peaceful solitude. Tell
yourself you deserve happiness, and this is your relaxation time.
Also imagine that the inside of your body is hollow and
transparent--with no internal organs. To keep your mind from
wandering, imagine that a crystal ball is floating in the middle of
your stomach. For this purpose, you can use other neutral objects
that youûre familiar with such as a scoop of ice-cream, a football
or the moon. Make sure not to strain your eyes or force an image.
Just visualize as you comfortably can--and relax. In meditation,
you see with your mind, not with your physical eyes.
To keep thoughts from entering the mind, recite the words ùsumma
arahung, summa arahung,û which means the virtuous path toward
freedom from all evils of the mind. Recite the words as if youûrehumming a song while quietly observing whatever scenery there is
at the center of your body.
If thoughts arise, thereûs no need to fight against them. Let them
pass through the center of your body like a passing view that you
happen to see from the window of a moving train. Accept that
they are present but donût take them to your heart or think further.
Alternatively, you can choose not to visualize anything at all and
simply observe whatever you see at the center of your body
without making any judgment or emotional response to it.
Whether you see darkness or bright light or anything else, just
accept it without any thought. Depending on the degree of
stillness and clarity of your mind, after a while you will
experience a sense of peacefulness and refreshing joy as if youûve
come out of an inner spa.
It is a nice practice of compassion to end your meditation session
by spreading the inner peace and all the good feelings that youûve
received to all living beings regardless of their race, nationality and
faith, and even your personal feelings:
çMay all living beings have a share the peace and happiness that I
have received from meditation, whether they are in my country or
anywhere else, whether they are a member of my race or any other
race, whether they are a follower of my religion or any other belief
system, whether they love me or loathe me, whether they see me as
a family, friend or foe. May this air of purity resulting from the
meditation dissolve all the anger, sadness and suffering in their
hearts. May those in pain be free from suffering and those already
happy be happier. May people of all races, nationalities and faiths
live together in peace, forgiveness and compassion.é
* Thousands of monks and lay people were meditating around the Pramongkolthepmunee Memorial Hall.The hall was built in 1996 in honor of Ven. Pramongkolthepmunee,
who had rediscovered the Dhammakaya tradition of meditation lost to the worldfor more than 2,000 years or 500 years after the passing of the Lord Buddha.
If you wish to join a meditation retreat
or a short class in English, you are welcome to
visit our meditation centers in the United States,
Europe, and Asia or the Dhammakaya Temple
in Thailand or click onto www.meditationthai.org
for more details. For an audio guide to meditation
and soothing songs, please listen to the CD
enclosed in the back cover of this booklet.
* Thousands of people were meditating in a peaceful celebration at the dawn of New Year Day 2005.
The temple is one of the worldûs largest
meditation centers, covering about 1,000
acres. Funded by public donations, the
temple is a non-profit organization that
provides meditation lessons to the interested
public in Thailand and overseas.
Each year, the temple draws more than half
a million local and overseas visitors.
Due to its size and facilities, the temple is
often used as a venue for gatherings and
meetings of monks, novices, lay Buddhists,
as well as peace lovers of all religions.
Its supporting organization,
the Dhammakaya Foundation,
is also a member of the United Nations
and has participated in many international
activities aimed at promoting world peace
as well as intra- and inter-religion unity.
*Every year, hundreds of thousands of
people gather at the temple for an
illumination ceremony on the
full-moon night of Makha Puja Day
* About 5,000-15,000 people gather at the Dhammakaya Assembly Hall every Sunday
for meditation and as many as 300,000 on some important Buddhist days.
The temple conducts various Dhammakaya
Meditation training sessions and retreats for
the interested general public as well as private
and public organizations at their requests.
* The pyramid-shaped chapel was built in 2002 in honor of the founder ofthe Dhammakaya Temple and meditation teacher, Maharattana Ubasika Chan Khonnokyoong.
Since its establishment in 1970, the temple
has been promoting the concept that true happiness
comes from within, that attaining inner peace as
an individual is prerequisite to world peace arising,
and that to end external wars, people must first
stop the wars within themselves.
The temple organizes several mass meditation events
each year, including on the Earth Day or 22 April.
All the events are open to all peace lovers and
anyone who is interested in meditation.
* Decorated with 300,000 Buddha images on the outer shell and 700,000 more on the inside,
it is the worldûs largest constuction of its kind in modern history.
*Hundreds of thousands of lay people from all walks of life
as well as Buddhist monks of all sects from more than
30,000 temples gathered in a spirit of unity in February 2002.
The temple is constructing the Grand Meditation Stadium for
World Peace where Buddhists and peace lovers of other faiths
can come to meditate together for individual happiness and
world peace. The two-storey structure and its adjacent area can
seat one million people who are expected to join the largest mass
meditation event the world has ever seen. This future event will
be held with the aim of promoting meditation as a means to
achieving intra- and inter-religious unity and world peace
through inner peace.
We look forward to seeing you there. Your presence will be a
present to world peace.
List of contact numbers of Dhammakaya Meditation centerswww.dhammakaya.or.th/centremain.php
U.S.A.NORTH AMERICA
GeorgiaGeorgia Georgia Meditation Center Inc.12250 King Cir., Roswell, GA 30075 USATel. +(1)-770-649-9819Email : [email protected]
IllinoisMeditation Center of Chicago (M.C.C.)6224 W.Gunnison St., Chicago,IL 60630 USATel. +(1)-773-763-8763Fax. +(1)-773-763-7897Email : [email protected]
MinnesotaMinnesota Meditation Center242 Northdale Blvd NW, Coon Rapids,MN 55448 USATel. +(1)-763-862-6122Fax. +(1)-763-862-6123Email : [email protected],[email protected]
New JerseyDhammakaya International Meditation Centerof New Jersey257 Midway Ave., Fanwood, NJ 07023 USATel. +(1)-908-322-4187, +(1)-908-322-4032Fax.+(1)-908-322-1397Email : [email protected]
Tel. +(32) 3.326.45.77, +(32) 3.289.51.81Mobile. +(32) 494.32.60.02Email : [email protected]
DENMARKWat Buddha DenmarkGl. Landevej 12, 7130 Juelsminde, DenmarkTel. +(45) 46.59.00.72Mobile. +(45) 20.70.74.59Email : [email protected]
FRANCEBordeauxWat Bouddha Bordeaux47, Cours du General de Gaulle, 33170Gradignan, FranceTel. +(33) 5.40.00.93.70Mobile. +(33) 6.20.23.53.08Email : [email protected]
ParisWat Bouddha Paris10, Avenue de Paris, 77164 Ferrieres en Brie,FranceTel. +(33) 1.64.77.28.37Fax. +(33) 6.88.25.82.06Email : [email protected]
StarsbourgDhammakaya Centre International de laMeditation21, Boulevard de Nancy, 67000 Strasbourg,FranceTel. +(33) 3.88.32.69.15Fax. +(33) 3.88.22.99.19Email :[email protected]
GERMANYAugsburgWat Buddha Augsburg (Meditation Zentrum)Pfarrer-Bogner Str.6, 86199 Augsburg, GermanyTel. +(49) 821.998.3939Fax. +(49) 821.998.5118Mobile. +(49) 162.421.0410Email : [email protected]
FrankfurtWat Buddha Frankfurt (Meditation VereinFrankfurt/Me.V)Odenwald Str.22, 65479,Ruanheim, GermanyTel. +(49) 614.2833.0888Fax. +(49) 614.2833.0890Email : [email protected]
CaliforniaDhammakaya International Meditation Center(USA)801 E. Foothill Blvd., Azusa, CA 91702 USATel. +(1)-626-334-2160Fax. +(1)-626-334-0702Email : [email protected]
FloridaFlorida Meditaion Center1303 N. Gordon St., Plant City, FL 33563 USATel. +(1)-813-719-8000, +(1)-813-719-8005Fax.+(1)-813-719-8007Email : [email protected]
OregonOregon Oregon Meditation Center13208 SE. Stark Street., Portland, OR 97233USATel. +(1)-503-252-3637Mobile. +(1)-503-799-8547Email : [email protected]
TexasMeditation Center of Texas1011 Thannisch Dr., Arlington, TX 76011 USATel. +(1)-817-275-7700Email : [email protected]
WashingtonSeattle Meditation Center852 N.E. 83rd Street Seattle, WA 98115 USATel. +(1)-206-522-1514Fax.+(1)-206-985-2920Email : [email protected]
VirginiaMeditation Center of D.C.3325 Franconia Rd., Alexandria, VA 22310USATel. +(1)-703-329-0350Fax.+(1)-703-329-0062Email : [email protected]
EUROPE
BELGIUMDhammakaya International Meditation Centre(Belgium)Sint-Jobsteenweg 84, 2970 S-Gravenwezel,Antwerp, Belgium
StuttgartWat Buddha StuttgartIm Meissel Str.6, 71111, Waldenbuch ,GermanyTel. +(49) 715.753.8187Fax. +(49) 715.753.7677Mobile. +(49) 16.0179.3782Email : [email protected]
BodenseeWat Buddha BodenseeLindauer Str. 76, 8808 LangenargenTel +(49) 754.393.9777Email : [email protected]
ITALYMilanWat Buddha MilanViadelloscoiattolo 7 21052 Busto Arsizio (VA)ItalyTel. +(39) 33.138.6721, +(39) 33.131.8738,+(39) 329.917.8629Email: [email protected]
RavennaWat Buddha RavennaTel. +(39) 348.814.2485, +(39) 338.644.1706Fax.+(39) 054.498.7722Email: [email protected]
NORWAYWat Buddha Midnuttsol (Det NorskeDhammakaya Samfunn)Hvittingfossveien 343, 3080 HolmestrandNorwayTel. +(47) 33.61.01.43Mobile. +(47) 997.23.075Fax. +(47) 33.09.66.09Email: [email protected]://www.dhammakaya.no
SWEDENWat Buddha GothenburgOlstorpsvagen 41B, 443 70 Grabo, SwedenTel. +(46) 30.24.14.90Mobile. +(46) 73.75.62.722
SWITZERLANDWat Buddha Geneva, SwitzerlandAvenue díaire 93 G, 1203 Geneva , Switzerland(c/o Wee Khee Wee)Tel. +(41) 796.049.704Mobile. +(33) 06.15.41.70.14
THE UNITED KINGDOMLondonWat Phra Dhammakaya London (DhammakayaInternational Society of United Kingdom)2 Brushfield Way, Knaphill, Woking,GU21 2TG, UKTel. +(44) 1483-475757, +(44) 1483-480001Fax.+(44) 1483-476161Email : [email protected]
ManchesterWat Charoenbhavana ManchesterGardner House, Cheltenham Street, Salford,Manchester M6 6WY, United KingdomTel. +(44) 161-736ñ1633, +(44) 798-882-3616Fax. +(44) 161-736ñ-5747Email : [email protected]
CHINASichuan Meditation CenterTel. +(86) 28-8541-8878, +(86) 28-8129-2072Mobile. +(86) 136-8900-7101Email : [email protected]
HONG KONGThe Dhammakaya International Society of HongKong Ltd.385-391, 2/F, Henning House, Hennessy Rd.,Wanchai, Hong KongTel. +(852) 2762-7942, +(852) 2794-7485Fax.+(852) 2573-2800E-mail : [email protected]
JAPANTokyoDhammakaya International Meditation Centerof Tokyo3-78-5 Arakawa, Arakawa-ku,Tokyo, 116-0002,JapanTel. +(81) 3-5604-3021Fax. +(81) 3-5604-3022Email : [email protected]
OsakaDhammakaya International Meditation Centerof Osaka (Dimc of Osaka)4-6-27 Ohmiya, Asahi-ku, Osaka,535-0002,JapanTel. +(81) 6-6956-1400Fax. +(81) 6-6956-1401Email: [email protected]
NaganoWat Thai Nagano733-3 Mihari, Tomi-Shi, Nagano-Ken,389-0501, JapanTel. +(81) 2-6864-7516, +(81) 2-6864-7720Fax. +(81) 2-6862-2505Mobile. +(81) 90-9390-6055Email : [email protected]
TochigiWat Bhavana Tochigi4-3 Koei-bld. 2F, Demma-Cho, Utsunomiya-shi,Tochigi-ken, Japan 320-0035Tel. +(81) 2-8639-0116, +(81) 2-8614-5662Email: [email protected]
KanagawaWat Bhavana Kanagawa3-5-12 Ryosei, Ayase-Shi,Kanagawa-Ken,252-1126, JapanTel. +(81) 4-6770-3264Mobile. +(81) 90-5099-4527Email: [email protected]
IbarakiWat Bhavana Ibaraki2816-2 Oaza Arakawahongo, Ami-Machi,Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki-ken, Japan 300-1152Tel. +(81) 2-9846-6110Mobile. +(81) 080-5489-5669, +(81) 080-5489-6659Email: [email protected]
MALAYSIAKualar LumpurPERSATUAN MEDITASI DHAMMAKAYASELANGORNo. 4-2, Jalan Puteri 5/1, Bandar Puteri,47100 Puchong, Selangor D.E, MalaysiaMobile. +(60) 17-331-1599
PenangDhammakaya Meditation Center of Penang66, Lengkonk Kenari1, Sungai Ara,11900
ASIA
Penang, MalaysiaTel. +(60) 4-644-1854Fax. +(60) 19-457-4270 to 1E-mail : [email protected]
SINGAPORESingapore Kalyanamitta Centre (Singapore)30 Mohamed Sultan Road #03-03 Lam AnnBuilding, Singapore 238974Tel. +(65) 6836-1620E-mail : [email protected],[email protected]
REPUBLIC OF KOREAWat Tae Jong SaM 29-4, Dongsam-2 dong, Youndo-Gu,Busan City, Republic of KoreaTel. +(82) 51-405-2626Mobile. +(82) 10-8681-5976
TAIWAN R.O.C.TaipeiDhammakaya International MeditationCenter of Taipei3F No.9 Lane 16, Sec.2 Sihchuan rd,Banciao city, Taipei country 220Tel. +(886) 2-8966-1000Fax. +(886) 2-8967-2800http://dhammakaya.tc
TaoyuanDhammakaya International Meditation Centerof TaoyuanNo. 232 , Ching-Tian Street , Taoyuan City 330Tel. +(886) 3-377-1261Mobile. +(886) 9-2252-1072Email:[email protected]
THE MIDDLE EAST
BAHRAINDMC Centre, Bahrain1310 Road No. 5641, Block No.0356, ManamaCity, BahrainContact : Mr.Thanachai & Mrs.PeanjaiThongthaeTel. +(973) 3960-7936Email : [email protected]
OCENIA
AUSTRALIASydneyWat Phra Dhammakaya, SydneyLot 3, Inspiration Place, Berrilee, NSW 2159Tel. +(61) 2-9655-1128Fax. +(61) 2-9655-1129Mobile. +(61) 4-1162-8677Email : [email protected]
Sydney meditation Center, (Sydney office)117 Homebush Rd. Strathfield NSW 2135,AustraliaTel. +(61) 2-9742-3031Fax. +(61) 2-9742-3431Mobile. +(61) 4-1145-3946Website : www.dhammakaya.org.au,www.dmctv.net.au
BrisbaneBrisbane Meditation Center73 Lodge Rd., Wooloowin Brisbane,QueenslandQLD 4030, AustraliaTel. +(61) 7-3857-3431Mobile. +(61) 4-3105-7215Email :[email protected]
MelbourneDhammakaya Meditation Centre of Melbourne84 Oakwood Rd., St. Albans VIC 3021, AustraliaTel. +(61) 3-9266-0181Mobile. +(61) 4-0100-8799Email : [email protected]
PerthDhammakaya Meditation Centre of Perth174 Moolanda Boulevard, Kingsley,WA, 6026,AustraliaTel. +(61) 8-9409-8614Fax +61 8-9408-1007Mobile. +(61) 4-302-07877Email : [email protected]
NEW ZEALANDOrewaOrewa Meditation Centre43 Albatross Road, Red Beach,HBC, Auckland,New Zealand, 1461Tel. +(64) 9-427-4263Fax. +(64) 9-427-4264Mobile. +(64) 21-153-8592Email : [email protected]
DunedinDunedin Meditation Centre (DDMC)10 Barnes Drive, Caversham, Dunedin,New Zealand, 9001Tel. +(64) 3-487-6772Fax. +(64) 3-487-6775Email: [email protected]
SOUTH AFRICA
Cape TownCape Town Meditation Centre (CMC.)4B Homlfirth Road, Sea Point, Cape Town,South Africa, 8005Mobile.+(27) 72-323-0050, +(27) 72-323-0060,+(27) 21-439-1896
JohannesburgJohannesburg Meditation Centre30 Scheepers Street, North Riding , Randburg ,Johannesburg, South Africa.Tel :+(27) 11-704-3360Mobile:+(27) 79-379-0245, +(27) 73-146-8587Email : [email protected]
The temple offers a meditation lesson inEnglish from 13.30 to 15.00 hours daily.It regularly organizes a seven-day retreat inthe northern province of Chiang Mai, eachstarting after the first Sunday of every month.
For more information, please contact thefoundation or visit www.meditationthai.org
THAILAND
The Dhammakaya Foundation offers meditation lessons on a satellite
TV channel called DMC, run by its affiliated organization. The
channel provides 24-hour coverage on meditation, Dhamma talks,
news, music, health programs, childrenûs and youthûs programs in the
Thai language. Viewing is completely free of charge.
A select number of programs are available in English, Chinese,
Japanese, Vietnamese, German and Spanish. English-language
programs include a live meditation lesson at 07.00-07.30 GMT
(12.00-12.30 ET) on Tuesdays through Sundays and Meditation for
All, a feature program broadcast at 22.00-22.30 GMT (16.00-16.30
ET) every Sunday. You can join a live mass meditation session at
16.40-18.00 and 20.30-21.00 GMT on Sundays. A case study-based
Dhamma program with English subtitles is available Monday through
Saturday at 02.30-03.00 GMT (00.40-01.10 ET).
Live Meditation Lessons
You can watch the programs
on the satellite TV
or on www.dmc.tv/en.
DMC Chanel Satellites coverage area
The satellite DMC channel is accessible through the following satellite networks:
Australia and New Zealand
Ku-Band OptusB3 at 152.0 Ì EC-Band Thaicom 5 at 78.5 Ì E
Central Asia
Ku-Band Hot Bird 7A at 13.0 Ì E
Europe
Ku-Band Hot Bird 7A at 13.0 Ì EC-Band Thaicom 5 at 78.5 Ì E
Middle East
C-Band Thaicom 5 at 78.5 Ì E
North Africa
Ku-Band Hot Bird 7A at 13.0 Ì E
North American Continent
Ku-Band Intelsat Americas 5 at 97.0 Ì W
Northeast Asia
Ku-Band PAS 8 at 166.0 Ì E
South Africa
C-Band Thaicom 5 at 78.5 Ì E
Southeast Asia
Ku-Band NSS 6 at 95.0 Ì EKu-Band Thaicom 5 at 78.5 Ì E
For more information, please contact your
nearest Dhammakaya meditation center.