The 5 Rules Of Well-being, According To Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism is a pacifist philosophy in which human happiness occupies a central place. However, unlike Westerners, Buddhists do not believe that happiness is a state of fulfillment or excitement. Quite the opposite. For there to be happiness, there must first be inner peace. And to achieve this, the five rules of well-being must be followed.

The Buddhists designed the rules of well-being based on what they call “the poisons” of life. It is about all those feelings and situations that take over the human being, invade him and never let him be at peace. These poisons are hatred, anguish, pride, selfishness and nonconformity.

The five rules of well-being are aimed at expelling those five poisons from life . As long as they are inside us, just like a poison would, they intoxicate us with emotions that hurt us. That they finally go against ourselves. Therefore, if we want to have inner peace, we must observe these rules. They are as follows.

1. Free the heart from hatred   

Hate is a complex and very deep feeling. It is composed of anger, rejection, resentment and aversion, among others. For this reason, it is also a very invasive feeling, which ends up permeating our way of seeing the world. You cannot be well, as long as you harbor hatred in your heart.

Therefore, one of the five Buddhist rules of well-being is to free the heart from hatred. Obviously easier said than done. To achieve this you need a strong dose of empathy.

It is about looking at who we hate from a compassionate point of view, trying to understand their shortcomings and their limitations. This allows us to forgive and stop hating.

2. Free the mind from worries

Worries are an anxious anticipation of the future. In other words, the expectation that something unpleasant will happen, causing us pain, distress, or some form of discomfort. This is not a rational perspective. If it were, we would simply seek the means to ward off the looming risk.

The best way to free the mind of worries is by placing ourselves in the present. Instead of thinking about what could happen, we should rather dedicate ourselves to making this present moment the best it can be. This not only alleviates distress, but also nurtures a feeling of self-power.

3. Release the spirit of pride

One of the most paradoxical aspects of pride is that it makes those who are a victim of it very vulnerable. This happens because those who feel superior to others are more prone to whip themselves for any mistake they make. He is also easily overcome by flattery or artificially humiliated by criticism.

Taking yourself too seriously only leads to discomfort. This is avoided if we are humble enough to understand that our whole life will not reach us to learn everything we would like or to achieve all those goals to which we aspire. Without pride, life is lighter.

4. Learning to give, one of the rules of well-being

Buddhists insist that one of the rules of well-being is learning to act generously. This virtue is typical of those who trust themselves and wish that suffering is neither in their own lives nor in those around them. The generous enriches whatever environment he is in.

Giving is a form of personal power. Whoever gives of himself and of heart, feels stronger doing it. It expands your being and is a generator of well-being. That is what you will ultimately reap: wellness for yourself and those around you.

5. Accept more and expect less

One of the most important rules of well-being, in the light of Tibetan Buddhism, is to learn to accept each of the experiences that are presented to us. Each person and each situation that comes into our lives brings with them a gift. What happens is that we are not always able to identify it.

If instead of denying or rejecting what happens to us, we put ourselves in an attitude of learning, our well-being will increase. Best of all, we will really have the ability to turn negative events around, turning them into a source of growth.

The rules of well-being according to Tibetan Buddhism are a catalog of life. Sometimes we complicate existence, without any need. These rules remind us that, deep down, it’s just about living with simplicity, humility and a good attitude towards ourselves and towards others.