Many people think burning incense, prostrating to the buddhas, and giving to charity are the ways in which the Dharma teachings are applied to life. Actually they represent only a portion of Buddhist practices in life, and a very superficial one at that. The essence of the teachings is in taking refuge, developing renunciation, compassion, bodhicitta, and the view of emptiness. Through these methods, we can face and surmount difficulties we encounter in everyday life with ease.

- Quote from Are You Ready For Happiness? Don't Let the Paper Tiger Scare You Off, "How to Face Suffering"

The wise look inward to find happiness and the source of suffering. They know the seed of happiness and suffering is in the mind, external things lend only temporary support. Because they have the right view, they can eventually eradicate suffering, and attain absolute happiness and freedom-liberation. In contrast, ordinary people look outward for the source of their problems. Because their direction is wrong, they can never eradicate suffering and fail every lifetime to achieve liberation. This is the difference between an ordinary person and a sage.

- Quote from Are You Ready For Happiness? Don't Let the Paper Tiger Scare You Off, "How to Face Suffering"

Although suffering is hard on us, if we know the method, it will strengthen our practice, cultivate the mind, and fill our hearts with joy. When this joyous feeling develops to a certain stage, our physical pain becomes less acute, our mind more open; we can face suffering with ease, and relate better with people; hence, we should embrace, even welcome, suffering when we encounter it. Just as in acupuncture, patients are willing to bear the pain of the treatment and pay for it, because they know they can attain good health in exchange. In the same way, our suffering can bring us mental well-being, happiness, even liberation. We do not have to pay for suffering, only confront it directly and transform it into the path.

- Quote from Are You Ready For Happiness? Don't Let the Paper Tiger Scare You Off, "How to Face Suffering"

The essence of Mahayana Buddhism is bodhicitta; the basis of bodhicitta is compassion. Without compassion, there can be no bodhicitta.

If our realization is not stable, our mind will return to mundane concerns and experience anxiety and suffering again. Until we have subdued the mind, it will traverse back and forth between illusion and reality, between relative truth and ultimate truth.

If we wish to eradicate our suffering immediately, we must practice the preliminaries. We cannot bypass the preliminaries and think we can take up a different practice to achieve the same result.

- Quote from Are You Ready For Happiness? Don't Let the Paper Tiger Scare You Off, "How to Face Suffering"

Hence, it is not just in times of suffering, but also in times of happiness, that we need the Dharma. With the wisdom and the force of the teachings to face happiness, to share our good fortune with others, then happiness will not obstruct our practice.

Without the Buddhist teachings and practice, most people are still able to endure suffering; this is because they hold on to hope, even if it is very slight. Faced with good fortune, however, it is difficult for them to remain composed; with money, power, and status, they become megalomaniacal and self-important. Unable to return to their simple life before, and even less willing to listen, reflect, and practice the teachings, they indulge in material pleasures and gradually deplete their blessings.

- Quote from Are You Ready For Happiness? Don't Let the Paper Tiger Scare You Off, "How to Face Happiness"

Although many people are Buddhist followers, they have not given sufficient time to listening, reflecting, and practicing the Dharma, and are in that sense no different from non-Buddhists in character. Within the Buddhist community, we can see disharmony and grievances throughout. Why do they not practice? It is because they do not know how precious human birth is and how rare this opportunity is. It is useless to buy a larger house or a more expensive luxury car. We should cherish our life and this exceptional opportunity. We should know this is the most fortuitous time; if we still do not recognize our good fortune and begin to practice, our blessings will diminish in the road ahead.

- Quote from Are You Ready For Happiness? Don't Let the Paper Tiger Scare You Off, "How to Face Happiness"

It is not difficult to realize emptiness. Unfortunately, because we do not practice the preliminaries, have not developed renunciation or bodhicitta, and have neither accumulated merit nor repented our wrongdoing, we only experience dullness or anxiety during meditation.

- Quote from Are You Ready For Happiness? Don't Let the Paper Tiger Scare You Off, "How to Face Suffering"

We should contemplate: I must recognize the blessings in my life now. At the same time, I should cultivate gratitude and live a simple and unpretentious life; I should also learn to moderate my desires, be content with what I have, share my happiness, and give to the needy. A simple act of giving even in small amount can also be endowed with all the merit of the six paramitas. To give on the basis of renunciation and bodhicitta results in the accumulation of substantial merit. In this way, the mind will gradually settle down and feel free and happy. I must always remember not to be intoxicated with the few blessings I have; I must exert even greater effort in listening, reflecting, and practicing the Dharma.

- Quote from Are You Ready For Happiness? Don't Let the Paper Tiger Scare You Off, "How to Face Happiness"