Is happiness the most important purpose in life?

I think serving is. which should in turn make you happy.

I had to think about it fora minute. Good question.  

Great point.

Thank you for that answer.

Odd that I now live a life of not much service, except to green causes.

At times when I have worked as a volunteer

or worked in aged-care

there have been moments when the feeling of unconditional love has been blissful,

and I felt cheerful much of the time.

I am happy now, very, but it is almost hermit-like.

Perhaps we humans have a need to practise altruism.

That's actually pretty alright too.

More than happiness, I would say contentment. Life deals a hand to each of us. Our acceptance or rejection of it shapes our attitudes. 

If we accept our life as it is, and be content with what we get, we shall never suffer physically or mentally or emotionally. Thinking aloud as I write this, happiness is perhaps just that - not suffering physically or mentally or emotionally.

Of course, our human frailties tend to push us into struggle and strife, and thereby keep happiness (contentment, rather) always an arm's length away - so near yet so far!

I hope what I've written makes even a little bit of sense. I'm too tired to erase it and start all over again on a fresh answer, which might turn out to be even worse than this.

We could start by defining what is happiness to us?

Is it money, health, being in love, being loved, making a difference in the lives of others, and/or for the world, etc. I think we could put happiness as the most important, but then it will vary between each of us what that happiness is.

Hello h:

In the overall scheme of things, species need to propagate.  What we WANT out of it, is irrelevant.

excon

To realize the depth of consciousness.

when accomplished, there is the ultimate  Bliss, happiness and joy

that is experienced.

What delight I feel in your answer! :)

Have believed in the biological imperative of nature for as long as I can remember - driving our unconscious and emotions whether we like it or not - not just for procreation, but also in the urges to survive and thrive - and if we get beyond those, to relate well and realise our potentials.

I think nature programmed happiness and unhappiness as our motivators - and that the organism is such that in a healthy person the relative degrees of emotions are necessarily in constant flux.

So I find it curious that the US constitution holds that the right to the pursuit of happiness is self-evident.

Nature does not dole out rights - only creates drives that may or may not be satisfied.

Is it transient, or infinitely permanent?

How much is it the promise of ancient texts,

and how much your actual living experience?

The is never a need for the species to propagate.

Stop your propaganda please.

Rationally, you are quite right. Humanity has overbred to the point of ruining the planet, and probably bringing about the extinction of most life through global warming.

But nature could not foresee that. In evolution, the majority of species could only survive by procreation abundant enough to overcome the risks of the environment. Humanity turned out to be much too greedy.

I had no intention to propagandise, only to enjoy sharing agreement with excon.

Too many long answers...here is a short one. Happiness...what is that?

Happiness

For me happiness is achieved in three ways.

One is accepting reality as it is -- as I perceive it through my senses -- not trying to fight the things I don't like, but rather just responding appropriately. My best metaphor for this - to be like a sailor, who in order to get from A to B, must know the currents, winds, tides, obstacles, weather, sun, moon and stars in order to steer and trim sails to meet the conditions.

Second is to live by the principles, "First cause no harm," and second, "do or say that which benefits the well-being of life whenever possible." This is the path towards unconditional loving-kindness.

Third is how to deal with physical and emotional pain and negative thoughts. Physical pain is halved when one achieves the skill of simply observing it without an emotional reaction - takes practice. Emotional pain is the same - get the thoughts and interpretations out of the way and just observe the sensations of the emotion in the body, observe the stimulus that caused it. Observe any thoughts or interpretations which complicate or magnify it. (Not identifying with ideas, roles, memories, beliefs, plans or values helps – since an attack on any of these is usually a source of pain for most people, felt as if it were an actual physical wound.) Identify the need that underlies and is the real cause of the emotion. Seek to meet that need either by full filling it oneself or through an optional request of another. Lastly but really first is my mental hygiene - when a negative or depressing thought arises in my mind either turn my attention to physical sensations or the current task - or find a more useful or pleasant distraction.
It's been a long and very hard road to learn it – I'm not yet permanently able to achieve it – but I find it works and most of the time I am now happy.

I know when I am unhappy and what it is that is making me unhappy. If I solve that, happiness arises.

It is the natural state of contentment when all needs are met.

But it can also be a state of mind resulting from how the mind functions.

Very sorry if you dislike long answers - because I'm wordy.

Hey! :) Are you a Buddhist by any chance, Neelie?

Your view sounds awfully close to it.

It makes nothing but perfect sense to me. :)

For me happiness is achieved in three ways.

One is accepting reality as it is -- as I perceive it through my senses -- not trying to fight the things I don't like, but rather just responding appropriately. My best metaphor for this - to be like a sailor, who in order to get from A to B, must know the currents, winds, tides, obstacles, weather, sun, moon and stars in order to steer and trim sails to meet the conditions.

Second is to live by the principles, "First cause no harm," and second, "do or say that which benefits the well-being of life whenever possible." This is the path towards unconditional loving-kindness.

Third is how to deal with physical and emotional pain and negative thoughts. Physical pain is halved when one achieves the skill of simply observing it without an emotional reaction - takes practice. Emotional pain is the same - get the thoughts and interpretations out of the way and just observe the sensations of the emotion in the body, observe the stimulus that caused it. Observe any thoughts or interpretations which complicate or magnify it. Identify the need underlying the emotions. Seek to meet that need either by full filling it oneself or through an optional request of another. Lastly but really first is my mental hygeine - when a negative or depressing thought arises in my mind either turn my attention to physical sensations or the current task - or find a more useful or pleasant distraction.

It's been a long and very hard road to learn it - but I find it works and most of the time I am now happy.

Great ones. I'm not sure I have mine all defined yet. But the well-doing of my kids will be one, ability to stay positive another. It will be centred around compassion and love. Giving and receiving.

Sounds like you're more than half-way there already. :)

Thank you dear. One day closer each day. :-)

Hello again, h:

I believe the dumb one was addressing me.

excon