Happiness Is Overrated - by Cuong Lu (Paperback)

About the Book

"We spend so much time in pursuit of happiness-trying to purchase it, experience it, meditate our way towards it-but happiness is elusive and doesn't last. According to the teachings of the Buddha, this is not a problem! As Cuong Lu writes, "suffering is not a problem to be solved. It is a truth to be recognized." Happiness is Overrated invites us to look deeply at the truths in our lives-not glossing over or denying our suffering-and focus on the meaning and value already within us, and available to us in each moment. Each chapter of this direct and profound book shares a lesson drawn from Buddhist psychology and the Four Noble Truths, which are accessible to all readers and often illustrated with a stories from the author's life growing up in Vietnam, as a monk with Thich Nhat Hanh, and from his life after leaving the monastery. "Apps" at the end of each of the thirty short chapters help readers apply the teachings in their own lives through meditation and mindfulness practices that include paying attention to the breath, considering our minds, connecting with our hearts, interconnectedness with others, and more. Happiness is Overrated helps readers get in touch with their true selves and their true minds, which is the greatest happiness"--

Book Synopsis

Stop chasing happiness and reconnect to the meaning of each moment through this practical guide, told through vignettes of life training as a Buddhist monk under world-renowned spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh.

We spend so much time in pursuit of happiness--trying to purchase it, experience it, meditate our way toward it--but happiness is elusive and doesn't last. According to the teachings of the Buddha, Cuong Lu writes, "Suffering is not a problem to be solved. It is a truth to be recognized." Happiness Is Overrated invites us to look deeply at the truths in our lives--not glossing over or denying our suffering--and to focus on the meaning and value already within us.

Each chapter of Happiness Is Overrated shares a lesson drawn from Buddhist psychology, accessible for all readers. Short practices at the end of each of the 30 short chapters help readers apply the teachings on their own.

Happiness Is Overrated helps us get in touch with our true selves and our true minds, through meditation and mindfulness practices that include paying attention to the breath, observing our minds, connecting with our hearts, practicing "interbeing" with others and the Earth, and more.

Review Quotes

"An insightful, inspiring, uplifting guide for building a meaningful life and living it to the fullest. Written in an engaging and easy-to-understand style, what makes this book stand out from the crowd is its incredibly practical approach. It's full of simple but powerful practices that anybody can do to enrich and enhance their life, moment by moment."--Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap

"Cuong Lu's poetic and simple teachings can lead one to immediate peace. Meditation is in between each word and the application of that meditation is in his teaching stories. In this sweet and gentle text, Lu makes it clear that happiness is overrated when the joy in our lives is giving and receiving. This book is truly a gift."--Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, author of The Deepest Peace and Shamanic Bones of Zen

"Cuong Lu's simple, down-to-earth teachings--rooted in a unique blending of the Yogachara teaching of Consciousness-Only and the Vietnamese Zen discipline of mindfulness--reveal the profound depth of Buddhadharma. A lay dharma heir to the late Thich Nhat Hanh, whose wisdom lingers throughout this small gem of a book, Cuong offers 30 refreshing contemplative prompts at the end of each chapter, inviting you to inquire into what he calls the 'raw mind' of innate freedom and connection. This is a wonderful guide for all those interested in mindfulness and meditation."--Guo Gu, author of Silent Illumination and Passing through the Gateless Barrier

"'Please remember that this is not a theoretical presentation. . . . It's a call for peace.'" Cuong Lu's Happiness Is Overrated is that rarest of achievements: a deeply spiritual text providing simple yet profound bite-size, doable exercises offering a practical path to that place of great healing and lasting peace--our 'true home'--which already resides within each of us if we know where and how to look. Like his beloved teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, Cuong Lu provides us with concrete ways to quiet, deepen, and focus the mind on what truly matters in life.
After reading Happiness Is Overrated, I found myself treasuring everyday opportunities to practice the exercises Lu so wisely and lovingly provides us. Suddenly, waiting in line at the bank, grocery store, or post office are transformed from drudgery into precious opportunities to practice, deepen, and grow. And isn't that what great literature does: awaken us to the possibilities offered in each moment? Happiness Is Overrated belongs with Ram Dass's Be Here Now, Bo Lozoff's We're All Doing Time, and Eknath Easwaran's The Mantram on that most important shelf in any personal library--the one labeled 'Books that changed my life.'"--Brian Lindstrom, filmmaker

About the Author

CUONG LU, Buddhist teacher, scholar, and writer, was ordained a monk at Plum Village in France under the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh. In 2000, he was recognized as a teacher in the Lieu Quan line of the Linji School of Zen Buddhism. Cuong is the founder of Mind Only School, leads retreats, and gives Dharma talks in Europe, the US, and Asia. He is the author of The Buddha in Jail: Restoring Lives, Finding Hope and Freedom (OR Books/Counterpoint Press) and Wait: A Love Letter to Those in Despair (Shambhala Publications).