The goal of man is Truth. Truth is more than happiness. The man who has Truth can have whatever mood he wishes, or none. . . . We have pretended that Truth is happiness and happiness Truth, and people have believed us. Therefore you, too, have until now imagined that happiness must be the same as Truth. But happiness makes you its prisoner as does woe.
— Sufi teaching
Yes! I love this. We indeed have confused the pursuit of happiness with the search for Truth. I recently found this interesting quote by Ramakrishna, an East Indian sage: "The goal of human life is the realization of Ultimate Reality (Truth) which alone can give one supreme fulfillment and everlasting peace..." Happiness is just another mood/feeling that comes and goes based on externals. True peace, or contentment is a state of Being that is realized within... :)
ReplyDeleteThis makes a good meditation, Ruth...perfect for sitting in the sand dunes and looking out to sea!
ReplyDeleteis the pursuit of happiness so old? i am surprised. i thought it might have been a modern development. huh. i'm completely surprised.
ReplyDeletexo
erin