Abstract
Work is considered a way to earn money for living and is generally perceived to be a stressful and unhappy experience. This study points out that happiness, in contrast to pleasure, is a property of the Spirit. The Spirit, while remaining within each and every one of us as our ultimate source of life, fills the whole universe and functions as an inseparable single entity. Therefore, at the level of Spirit, we are not separate individuals but are integral parts of the Universe, and our perceived separateness in the material world is an illusion. Evidence suggests that we are designed in such a way that if we align ourselves with the Spirit and live selflessly as integral parts of the whole, we experience happiness. On the other hand, if we perceive ourselves as separate entities and live selfishly, we suffer. Spirituality involves aligning ourselves with oneness of the Spirit. Performing work as a spiritual practice enables employees to align themselves with the Spirit and experience happiness. Spirituality therefore is the missing link between work and happiness. All religions can be considered as different pathways to achieve this goal. This study focusses on Buddhism and points out that the Middle Path, which captures the essence of Buddhism, both provides a practical guide to make work a spiritual activity and experience happiness at work. Vipassana, the mind-training technique proposed by the Buddha, is a technique that can be practiced while working.
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Ulluwishewa, R., Uthumange, A., Weerakoon, R., Perera, D. (2021). Some Reflections on Achieving Happiness at the Workplace Through Practical Buddhism. In: Dhiman, S.K. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Workplace Well-Being. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30025-8_21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30025-8_21
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