Causes Of Happiness

I think the Dalai Lama is saying that the two causes of happiness are the brain functioning well and inner strength, and it's compassion that helps it function well and brings inner strength. So, compassion is very important. Compassion means to me to feel sympathy, that is, to be very much with the other in their suffering of their pain. For example, a man was sharing with me the grief he was suffering regarding the death of his wife. My sympathy or feeling with him helped me to see with clarity that his grief was very painful, heavy and difficult for him to suffer. I think my sympathy helped him in his suffering his grief. What helps me practice compassion is identifying with the other and what he or she is suffering, knowing that we are one, knowing that his or her pain is also my pain, and knowing that we are suffering for one another.