Transforming Problems into Happiness [Paperback]

Lama Zopa Rinpoche (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001

"Happiness and suffering are dependent upon your mind, upon your interpretation. They do not come from outside, from others. All of your happiness and all of your suffering are created by you, by your own mind," says Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Commenting on a 13th-century Tibetan text of instructions and practical advice for everyday spiritual living, Lama Zopa Rinpoche literally teaches us how to be happy when we are not, by bringing about the changes in attitude that permit us to live a happy and relaxed life in which external circumstances no longer rule us. In Transforming Problems Into Happiness, Lama Zopa Rinpoche brings his own special flavor or contemporary relevance to a timeless teaching on Buddhist psychology. This volume will be valuable to everyone, whatever their religious or spiritual background.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Happiness and suffering are dependent upon your mind, upon your interpretation. They do not come from outside, from others. All of your happiness and all of your suffering are created by you, by your own mind."

Commenting on a 13th-century Tibetan text of instructions and practical advice for everyday spiritual living, Lama Zopa Rinpoche literally teaches us how to be happy when we are not, by bringing about the changes in attitude that permit us to live a happy and relaxed life in which external circumstances no longer rule us. In Transforming Problems Into Happiness, Lama Zopa Rinpoche brings his own special flavor or contemporary relevance to a timeless teaching n Buddhist psychology. This volume will be valuable to everyone, whatever their religious of spiritual background. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: Wisdom Publications; 2nd edition (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0861711947
• ISBN-13: 978-0861711949
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #816,139 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tibetan Mathematics, July 11, 2001

By 

Bill Butler "Bill Butler" (Tarzana, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Transforming Problems into Happiness (Paperback)

This is a book on how to destroy mental and physical suffering. Lama Zopa Rinpoche discusses Mahayana Thought Transformations. These are statements or views that we can use in our everyday life to massively destroy suffering and create happiness. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is believed that all our suffering is caused by selfishness or what Lama Zopa Rinpoche calls, "self-cherishing." We all have comitted selfish acts in the past. We must experience the results in the future. But we can experience all these problems in such a way as to put a stop on all suffering sometime in the future. Simply because the impetus of suffering has lost it's ability to cause a chain reaction. Lama Rinpoche gives plenty of thought transformations. And a comprehensive list is given in the back. Some of these ideas may strike the reader as a bit strange. Using suffering to destroy suffering. As Harry Truman said, "The buck stops here!" In this book, "The suffering stops here. I blame all this suffering on selfish actions and thoughts which I have performed in the past. I will not blame anybody. And I am suffering for all beings." Having done so, Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains how this stops suffering. Usually, when we experience a problem, we blame other people, places, or things. This blaming increases our self-cherishing stance. "If only my tire didn't go flat..." and so forth. We can learn to like suffering so that we can put a stop at it's nucleus. Which is that suffering leads to more selfish actions. Lama Zopa Rinpoche even goes as far as stating that we can enjoy suffering like eating ice cream or listening to classical music! You can actually experience problems, which are the result of selfish actions, and state, "Well! I got rid of that selfish action. My tire went flat!" This may sound strange. The author is not asking you to stick your hand into a fire. He is just asking you to give Mahayana Thought Transformations a try. Or as Jesus said, "Ye Reap What Ye Sow." The object of this book is to sow no more. You have been in pain long enough. So buy this book and give it a good test run. I think that you will be happy with the results.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, February 29, 2004

By 

Swing King (Cincinnati, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Transforming Problems into Happiness (Paperback)

What is the first noble truth set forth by the Buddha Shakyamuni? That we all suffer! We face trials and tribulations all throughout this human experience. Lama Zopa Rinpoche shows us how to successfully deal with such adversity, and as the title suggests, transform this into joyful experience.

It's essential, Rinpoche highlights, to be prepared for unhappy situations before they ever occur. Having the capacity to use these afflictions as a basis for cultivation of wisdom and happiness is a pretty difficult task. Lama Zopa makes no secret of it. But with previous training we can all straightforwardly apply the teachings of the Buddha to transform these afflictions via our practice. We must in a concrete way realize that our life's problems, beyond any doubt, are the necessary conditions required for a quality life and meaningful practice. The only way we can receive continuous happiness in our lives is from our misgivings and misfortune.

Lama Zopa points out that the idea the problem is an affliction is the one and only boundary holding your confines in misery, looking wan tingly into the field of joy and happiness. In that sort of state, there is no way we can transform the affliction into practice. So acknowledging that these problems are a true friend in our Buddhist practice, is the first essential step towards liberation. This book really helped me through some rough points not so long ago. Even though I knew what Lama Zopa was expressing long before reading this work, it was a bright and gentle reminder to employ what I knew to be the medicine into actual practice. When I did, I experienced vast relief. Buy this book, it can do wonders for you in your practice.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars advice from the heart, August 2, 2000

By 

mark ruggieri (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Transforming Problems into Happiness (Paperback)

I highly Recommend Lama Zopa's, "Transforming Problems into Happiness." This is a book about finding some meaning in our problems. The message is that in the midst of our suffering (Physical, Mental, and Emotional) we can find the seeds of happiness. For it is in skillfully experiencing our pain we develop compassion for the pain of others and the pain of the world (poverty, disease, hunger, environmental degradation).

Obviously, Rinpoche goes into greater detail. His words Heal. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to develop their Heart.