Gratitude as a Source of Joy
Gratitude as a Source of Joy We have a saying in my country: “Being grateful is [a sign of] being well-born”. I always think that there is a lot of wisdom in these traditional sayings. The importance of gratitude is unfathomable, until the point that being or not being grateful draws the line between a happy and an unhappy person or even a pleasant and an unpleasant person. Being grateful is an incredible quality that brings joy to oneself and others, since one is able to appreciate what one has and how one got it, thanks to others. When we get to know about the interdependence of phenomena, we learn to appreciate the immense kindness of others. When acknowledging the effort, work and time invested by others so that we can enjoy a simple plate of food, for instance, we cannot but value and respect all the people who participated in the process of creating that plate, and feel extremely lucky for receiving that meal. Similarly, when studying at Rangjung Yeshe Institute, I...