A Nation's Happiness Index: Is Vietnam Truly Happy?

When they heard the news that Vietnam had achieved the second highest happiness index in the world, many Vietnamese people were surprised and asked themselves: "Why? I don't feel particularly happy." But perhaps what matters is not the medal itself, but the responsibility we must fulfill to be worthy of it.

"If they had said that our Vietnam is the most suffering country in the world, we would have nothing to say. But they happened to say we are the second happiest in the world, so we must reflect and take responsibility for this ranking."

Happiness does not lie in numbers of wealth

The Happy Planet Index published by the New Economics Foundation is not measured by GDP or material wealth. It measures life satisfaction and environmental sustainability. For this reason, the world's wealthiest nations such as America and Australia rank far behind. In contrast, a country like Japan, where the average income reaches four thousand dollars a month per worker, still has people living in hardship, crowded into subway trains, unable to afford a car.

We Vietnamese may not yet be rich, but our happiness lies in our attitude toward life. Venerable Thích Chân Quang taught:

"We do not compete or chase after things. We are joyful with what we have. We love the work we do, rather than doing only the work we love."

Buddhism and the spirit of loving life

One of the reasons Bhutan became the happiest nation is that most of its people follow Buddhism. The Buddha taught compassion and gentleness, knowing how to love all living beings. It is this spirit that spreads outward, leading them to protect the forests, protect the plants, and sustain the life of the planet. Venerable Thích Chân Quang emphasized:

"Grass is a soldier protecting the life of this planet. Trees are the same. And when we cherish life, everything else becomes beautiful in one's heart."

Our first morality is to cherish life, from plants to animals to human beings. When we understand that rice plants draw their nourishment from the air rather than from the soil, we cherish even more what nature bestows upon us.

Three elements that create the happiness of the Vietnamese people

Venerable Thích Chân Quang summarized three elements that create our nation's happiness index:

Whether poor or rich, the spirit of sharing is very high. In the countryside, when a neighbor knocks on the door at midnight to borrow a few cans of rice, we readily give. It is this spirit that creates happiness.

In times of hardship, the spirit of mutual support is very strong. When Central Vietnam is struck by storms and floods, even the poor will wrap up a little beans, a little corn, and send them to encourage their fellow countrymen.

Few outward ambitions, and trust in the nation's inner strength. Pride in the heroic history of our people and optimism about the future are sources of inner strength.

"I see that Vietnamese people are not picky about their work. They train in one trade and are assigned to another, they simply do it, and they remain joyful. Abroad, people resist, grimace, and complain, and so they are not happy."

The mission of preserving happiness

Vietnam being ranked the second happiest nation is not for us to boast to the world, but so that we may take responsibility to preserve it and become a model. True happiness is not about competing for wealth and status, but about living in harmony with nature, knowing how to share, and knowing how to love.

"We have a responsibility for having achieved this ranking as the second happiest country in the world. We preserve it not to compete or compare, but so that we may seek a model of happy living for this world to follow."

So today, let each of us begin with the smallest things: plant one more tree, help someone in difficulty, live fully with the work we are doing, and always trust in the future path of our nation. This is what will keep Vietnam's happiness index high, and bring honor to the spirit of our people before friends from all corners of the world.