Survey Says
Researchers have shown that by noticing things you are grateful for increases your happiness. In a study done (Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003. 84(2), 377-389) it was shown that people who made a weekly accounting of the things they were grateful for during the week were happier than those who simply recorded events or complaints that occurred during the week.
It has also been shown the even those who are severely depressed, just by writing down three things they were grateful for showed improvement in their symptoms in only 15 weeks.
“We have the greatest joy that we have ever had. We have never expected to hear such a rare teaching all of a sudden. How glad we are! We have obtained great benefits. We have obtained innumerable treasures although we did not seek them.” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter IV)
I should point out here that this is not about whether one is by nature an optimist or a pessimist. This is not looking at how we perceive the future, but about how we interpret the past. It is true that in Buddhism we focus on the present and not the past, yet it is not contrary to Buddhist belief to acknowledge the things we are grateful for, any more than we look to at the past to learn from our mistakes.
The difference is, I believe, about how we bring the past into the present and use its richness and its lessons for future behaviors.
When I think about this the image of a dark cave comes to my mind. When we focus on our problems and ignore the things to be grateful for it is as if we are choosing to remain in a darkened cave without lighting a torch. However, when we choose to light a torch then the darkness recedes.
Here at the temple, frequently when we begin to chant Odaimoku, I give the instruction to chant with great joy. I encourage folks to look for the joyful things in their lives. When we can chant in such a way I believe that it has the effect of increasing the joy we experience in our lives.
“Just as the Moon God is brighter than the stars, this Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma gives us more light than any of the other sutras numbering thousands of billions. Just as the Sun God dispels all darkness, this sutra drives away all the darkness of evils. “ (Lotus Sutra, Chapter XXIII)
