Happiness: A Psycho-Philosophical Appraisal Shagufta Begum ∗ , Shaista Jabeen ∗∗ & Aneeqa Batool Awan ∗∗∗ Abstract The concept of happiness has been under consideration among philosophers, psychologists, theologians and mystics since a long time. These disciplines have tried to explain the concept in their own respective manners. The purpose of this paper is to examine the theoretical and practical aspects of the notion of happiness. This would explicate two approaches to the problem of happiness: philosophical and psychological to know how to achieve happiness and avoid unhappiness. We claim that happiness is not merely a matter of fate but a skill that can be learnt to groom one’s personality and to lessen pains. This paper deals with following core questions: Is the term ‘happiness’ definable? Is happiness an internal state of mind or the result of external state of affairs? Keywords: Happiness, Pleasure, Eudemonia, Positive psychology, Nirvana, Positive emotions, Wellbeing, Summum Bonum. Introduction The concept of happiness has been the core subject right from hedonism to utilitarianism, from liberalism to positive psychology, and from religious judgments to mystic experiences. Many philosophical and psychological systems regard happiness as the summum bonum of life. What happiness is? Many scholars consider happiness as the fulfillment of desires, passions, whims, and aims. There are two senses of the term ‘happiness’: first, happiness in the sense of wellbeing or flourishing, and secondly, happiness in the sense of psychological aspects. Mostly joy, pleasure, satisfaction and contentment are the terms considered synonymous with happiness. Many philosophers and psychologists have attempted to define the term happiness but they could not succeed in finding an ∗ Shagufta Begum, Associate Professor/Chairperson, Department of Philosophy, University of the Punjab, Lahore. Email: dr.shaguftabukhari@gmail.com ∗∗ Shaista Jabeen, Senior Clinical Psychologist Resilience, Ireland. ∗∗∗ Aneeqa Batool Awan, Department of Philosophy, University of the Punjab, Lahore.