The cycle of joy and sorrow is perennial. It is a cycle that is largely of our own making. There is no market where we can go and buy either joy or sorrow. As their source is not outside but within us, it is possible for us to transform or control them too. This is a vastly complex subject that man has struggled with for aeons.

In Understanding Joy and Sorrow, Acharya Mahapragya, the tenth Acharya of the Jain Swetambar Terapanth sect and one of the most widely respected Jain thinkers of the world, outlines the causes, aspects and remedies of our unhappiness in twenty-one succinct chapters that address the role of anger, stress and desire in sorrow, as also that of detachment and fearlessness which enable us to stay happy. Drawing upon anecdotes and examples, the Acharya holds up a mirror to our innermost fears and concerns.