ดร. ภิญโญ,

1) I have been working on release from my attachments, especially self-focusing conditions. I am not teaching but learning. It'd be better to call me "นร sr" ;-)

2) Thank you for "... กุศลจิต อกุศลจิต กับความสุข...น่าเขียนต่อครับ...เพราะ Appreciative Inquiry เติบโตมาจากจิตวิทยาบวก (PositivePsychology) เรื่องจิตวิญาณ ศาสนาพุทธ ทางจิตวิทยาก็พูดถึงมากเหมือนกัน...โดยแยกออกจาก Positive Thinking อย่างชัดเจน..."

I have come to look at happiness index = (kusala-cittas)/(Akusala-cittas) because these cittas are already defined in Buddhist text (Abidhamma of the Tipitaka). To most Buddhists, they are known for over 2 thousands years. they are complete. They are relevant to (Buddhist) Thais. And if we really look closely, Buddhism is not about dwelling in Dukkka (suffering) but release from Dukkha which (Buddhists would agree) has strong (reverse) correlation with Sukha (happiness).

In a more basic practical measure, we may say, hix = (kusala-acts/akusala-acts) and simply using 5-dhammas and 5-siilas as our guides, we may counts our acts over a period for measurement and get a measure.

We can see that the measure of 1 roughly says we are mixed/messed up. If we have not committed against any siila (no acts rooted in lobha, dosa, moha) then the denominator is 0 and we say we have infinitely high happiness. On the other hand, we have not committed any kusala-acts, our numerator is 0, we are deemed unhappy whatever else we have done. The measurement is not 'linear', the less akusala-acts we do, the more happy we are even when we only a few kusala-acts.

But people say, I have a car, I am more happy than people on public bus. Some people say I have education, I am more happy than illiterate laborers. Some people say I have extra-rights and statuses, I am more happy than Mrs See and Mr Saa. And so on. They beg measurement of happiness on 'materials' and 'economics' and 'social powers'. I can only say that "all" people should find "happiness" whatever, whoever, whenever they are. Were our great grand parents happy without cars, degrees, titled jobs?

Much has been done in laws and orders and religions to help people to live happily in harmony in societies. The systems are not perfect yet because there are still people who don't know happiness or strive to build heavens (ivory towers) amid hells (slums) rather than to live as a happy part of of the whole happy community.

Please excuse my rhetorics. I forget my place and babble some times. ;-)