Western Psychology and BuddhismWestern psychology is concerned with investigating the understanding of the negative aspects of human behavior, emotions and mind and, to some extent, changing them. The Buddhist approach to the investigation of the mind is unscientific, as defined by the science of Western psychology. It is not about laboratory conditions, control groups, or “objectivity” in the sense that the experimenter is separate and impartial from the subject (Nettle, 2005). In Buddhism, the person conducting the experiment and the subject are one and the same. Buddhists seek the truth, as do scientists. Science, for the most part, sees the world as something external, which can be observed and understood as truth. Psychology involves understanding the human experience through the study of the mind and how perception governs behavior. Buddhism sees perception as internal and the experience of the external world as a fundamental part of understanding the truth within us. HappinessBuddhism is known for happiness. Happiness can be achieved by truly practicing meditation. Meditation is the central practice of Buddhism. Practicing Buddhism offers a way to find answers to profound questions about life and the nature of reality. "Who am I?" "Why am I here?" “What is the meaning of life?” “Why do we suffer?” and “How can I achieve lasting happiness?” As the Dalai Lama commented, I believe that the very purpose of our lives is to seek happiness. Whether we believe in religion or not, whether we believe in this religion or that, we are all looking for something better in life. So, I think, the very movement of our life is towards happiness (Dalai Lama & Cutler, 1998, p. 15). The... medium of paper... the art of happiness: a manual for living. NY: Riverhead Books.McLeod, M. (2007). Best Buddhist Writing: There is no "i" in happy. MA: Shambhala Publications, Inc. Nettle, D. (2005). Happiness: the science behind your smile. (First ed., pp. 1-6). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.Prager, D. (1997). Happiness Is a Serious Problem: A Repair Manual for Human Nature. NY: HarperCollins PublishersSeligman, M. (1998). Learned optimism. NY: Pocket BooksSeligman, M, & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction: American Psychologist, 55, 5-14. Wallace, B. L., & Shapiro, S. L. (2006). Mental balance and well-being. Building Bridges Between Buddhism and Western Psychology, 61(7), 690-699.Wong, P. T. (2011). Positive psychology 2.0: Toward a balanced interactive model of the good life. What to do about the negative?, 52(2), 69-70.