The Path to Happiness

What is the scientific proof that a modest lifestyle is the path to happiness? Rayo said one example is Buddhist monks. They eat the same food and wear the same clothes every day. With years of meditation they lose interest in the "next new thing and the moving target," he said. "And their brain scans show that they are happier than most people in a scientifically measurable way." Link

Looks like psychology is finally catching up to Aristotle, “buddhist monks”, and Christian saints. I had a post way back that covered the 4 levels of happiness that basically says the same thing as this study. I would like to know how a brain scan can measure happiness though. If happiness consists in a group of neurons, then lets just throw out the hassles of everyday life and just hook some electrodes up to these neurons and be done with it.