Frazer Andrade
Atish Andrade of Ambagim, Fatorda, Margao, Goa, explores the search for happiness, purpose and inner peace in his book Buddha in a Suit, which encourages readers to look within without abandoning the careers, relationships, ambitions and responsibilities they have built in their lives.
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Atish’s central message is that spiritual discovery does not necessarily require withdrawing from the modern world. Instead, he explores the possibility of finding greater awareness and fulfilment while remaining fully engaged with everyday life.
The idea for the book emerged from a fundamental question about why people spend so much of their lives pursuing happiness when happiness is ultimately something they wish to experience in the present. Drawing from his professional journey across geology, the oil industry, education, business development and entrepreneurship, Andrade says he came to recognise that success, money, achievements and relationships can provide moments of happiness, but do not necessarily guarantee lasting fulfilment.
Through Buddha in a Suit, he examines whether a person can discover peace and happiness without walking away from the life they have created.
According to Atish, the “Buddha in a Suit” represents an individual who can participate fully in modern professional and personal life while remaining connected to their inner self. Such a person can manage pressure without allowing it to define them, experience anger without being controlled by it, and achieve success without allowing achievements to become the foundation of their identity.
The book brings together ideas from science, evolution, ancient wisdom and Atish’s own experiences. Rather than presenting the subject purely from a spiritual or scientific perspective, he attempts to connect different ways of understanding human existence and encourages readers to question, explore and develop their own understanding.
His background in geology contributed to his interest in evolution and the universe, while his experiences in education and working with young people brought him closer to questions concerning human behaviour, purpose and happiness.
A recurring theme in the book is the tendency to postpone happiness. Atish observes that people often convince themselves that they will be happy after securing a better job, earning more money, finding the right partner, purchasing a home or achieving another personal goal. Once one objective is reached, however, the mind often moves towards another destination.
For Atish, ambition itself is not the problem. Instead, he raises the question of whether people can experience the journey towards their goals rather than continually postponing happiness until they reach them.
The book also examines the role of the human brain in the pursuit of happiness. Atish points to humanity’s evolutionary history, during which survival required people to identify danger, anticipate problems, find food and protect themselves. This survival-oriented conditioning, he suggests, continues to influence modern behaviour, with people frequently focusing on the next problem, achievement or reward.
He also highlights the human tendency to adapt to positive experiences, meaning that something that once brought immense happiness can eventually become part of everyday life.
Rather than viewing these tendencies as unavoidable limitations, Atish advocates greater awareness of them. He suggests that understanding how the mind operates can help people work with these patterns rather than being controlled by them.
The book further challenges the conventional perception that spiritual growth necessarily involves meditation retreats, withdrawal from society or a radically simplified lifestyle.
Atish suggests that inner awareness can be cultivated through ordinary activities. Paying attention to one’s breathing, observing physical reactions during moments of stress or anger, pausing before responding, spending time without a phone, practising gratitude, connecting with nature and becoming aware of one’s thoughts are among the simple practices he advocates.
For him, spirituality is not about escaping life but becoming more conscious while living it.
Atish says his understanding of happiness and fulfilment developed through a series of experiences rather than one dramatic turning point. His transition from geology into education was one such significant phase, as he discovered a deeper interest in working with people, particularly young people, and helping them recognise their potential.
These experiences also led him to question conventional definitions of success. While society often places emphasis on qualifications, money, professional positions and possessions, Atish believes there is comparatively less attention given to understanding oneself.
One of the questions that emerged from this reflection was not simply what a person wants to achieve, but who they want to become during their lifetime.
At the heart of Buddha in a Suit is therefore an invitation to shift attention from constantly chasing happiness towards cultivating a deeper sense of presence and awareness.
Atish encourages readers to pause each day and ask themselves what is happening within them in the present moment. By observing thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and reactions, he believes individuals can gradually develop an understanding that they are not defined by every thought or emotion that passes through their minds.
For Atish, the journey towards greater fulfilment does not necessarily begin by going somewhere else. It begins by becoming fully present in the life one is already living.
