Synopsis

In this paper, some of the characteristics of happiness perceived by the Bhutanese are presented in the backdrop of the Buddhist philosophy of life. Over the last many centuries, Buddhism has played a great role in the shaping of society’s perception of happiness and the general attitude towards life. Further, happiness has been divided into various levels, where its parameters or determinants may be common in all the levels, or it might be quite different. These levels have been treated in the context of Bhutan, while at the same time referring to the outside world