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Originally Posted by jewels443
Aren't all those (contentment, joy, inner peace etc) temporary states of being within the confines of the word "happy"? Some may last longer than others but unless you can achieve nirvana, I still think can't see how it's possible to achieve enduring happiness. Life endures and we can't shelter ourselves from it, so there are bound to be disturbances in that perfection of pure happiness.
I do believe we can strive for more of those moments or prolonged periods of happiness by continuing to set new goals and not allowing ourselves to stagnate.
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Happiness is not an achievement, it is a process. Nirvana isn't a finish line, it is a path.
Everything is transient. The failure to realize this and to adequately respond to it is what causes misery. This is how pleasure can cause misery; this is why we desire. Happiness is being able to see through it all. To see life for what it really is. To know how to avoid falling into the clinging fruitless habits that leave us wanting more and more.
Crompsin: You are on the right track. Where you might be falling off the path before you even know it's there is when you let desire lead you by the nose. Pleasure cannot be controlled. The path of happiness resembles that of a bird's. It cannot be seen and therefore cannot be copied. Desire often causes us to forget this. Happiness is within our reach only when we master our minds by preventing our minds from mastering us.
I am still out of reach of happiness. But I am seeking my path.