Foundations and Scope of Gross National Happiness: A Layman’s Perspectives

There was once a king who regularly took the advice of a wise man. This sage was called to the king’s presence. The king asked him how he could get rid of his anxiety, how he might be truly happy. The sage replied: “There’s but one cure for your highness’s anxiety. Your highness must sleep one night in the shirt of a happy man”. Messengers were sent through the kingdom in search of a truly happy man. But everyone who was approached had some cause for misery, something that robbed them of true and complete happiness. At last, they found a man who sat smiling by, and had no sorrows. He confessed that he was a truly happy man. Then the messengers told him what they wanted. The king must sleep one night in the shirt of a happy man, and had given them a large sum of money to get such a shirt. Would he sell them his shirt that the king might wear it? The beggar burst into uncontrollable laughter and said: “I am sorry