Why do we practice meditation and the spiritual path? For me it is to be happy. So this raises the question, what truly makes us happy.

Here I reflect on the Buddha's example of kindness and its importance as the first of the 5 Perfections or pāramitās, which are the foundation of Mahyana Buddhist training. The five are:

• Dāna (Generosity)


• Śīla (Moral Discipline)


• Kṣānti (Patience)


• Vīrya (Vigorous Effort)


• Dhyāna (Meditative Concentration)

Recent research has shown that what the Buddha recommended 2,500 years ago does have a beneficial impact on our body and mind....being an antidote to depression, reduces chronic pain, lowers inflammation, reduces the risk of cancer and is an aid to living a longer and healthier life. As one of the scientists says: "if you want to live longer, be kind".