The quest for The Unknown and Contentment makes one happy.
Science and Religion belong to the category of trying to make Absolute statements, though those who propound these know these to be untrue, do not make one happy.
The inner yearning to feel one’s Self until that is realized, no one is happy.
Indian Philosophy,realizing this, does not propound Dogma.
It encourages self-analysis ans Skepticism until one is satisfied.
Therein lies the Greatness of Indian Philosophy.
The link between spirituality and happiness is pretty well-established for teens and adults. More spirituality brings more happiness. Now a study has reached into the younger set, finding the same link in “tweens” and in kids in middle childhood.
Specifically, the study shows that children who feel that their lives have meaning and value and who develop deep, quality relationships — both measures of spirituality, the researchers claim — are happier.
Personal aspects of spirituality (meaning and value in one’s own life) and communal aspects (quality and depth of inter-personal relationships) were both strong predictors of children’s happiness, said study leader Mark Holder from the University of British Columbia in Canada
and his colleagues Ben Coleman and Judi Wallace.
http://www.livescience.com/3198-spirituality-religion-kids-happy.html
Indian Philosophy states, Reality is ,Truth,Being, and Beauty-.’Satyam,Sivam Sundaram.
And belief in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny also make children happy.
So?
I’m not trying to badmouth happiness. But is happiness the most important thing?
Belief in Santa Claus makes children happy because they find Santa an unknown and exciting quantity that is not found in daily life.
This does not last, as one knows who or what Santa Claus is when one grows up.
Any thing that is unknown, opens new vistas makes one happy.
In Life when one finds the Ultimate where happiness merges with what is found, he/she is happiest.
This has to be felt, not to be reasoned out one can never Know hunger or thirst but only feel.
But regarding your poser’is happiness the most important thing?-the answer is I do not know..
For me it is.
Well, for me, the truth is more important than happiness. But to each their own.