The Art of Happiness – The Dalai Lama

Brief Description of the Book

The Art of Happiness blends Buddhist philosophy with modern psychology to explore happiness as a skill rooted in compassion, mental discipline, responsibility, and ethical conduct. The book does not promote withdrawal from public life; instead, it emphasises inner well-being as the foundation for ethical action, leadership, and social harmony. 

The following extracts may be used in OPSC answer writing:

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” → GS-4 Ethics / Essay: Moral agency, accountability, ethical action shaping outcomes

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” → GS-4 Ethics: Compassion in governance, citizen-centric administration, empathy in public service

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” → Essay / GS-4: Social cohesion, ethical foundations of governance, inclusive development

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” → Essay: Human-centric development, well-being approach to public policy

“True happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment.” → GS-4 / Essay: Contentment vs consumerism, mental well-being of civil servants

 “We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” → GS-4 Ethics: Emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, calm decision-making

“Compassion naturally creates a positive atmosphere, and as a result you feel peaceful and content.” → GS-4 Ethics: Organisational culture, ethical work environment, leadership by example

“Anger and hatred are the enemies of peace.” → GS-4 / Essay: Non-violence, restraint, ethical response to provocation

“Through training the mind, we can change our attitude.” → GS-4 Ethics: Ethics training, attitude change, capacity-building in administration

“A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.” → GS-2 Governance / GS-4: Transparency, trust in institutions, good governance principles