If you search for happiness, so I can tell you that happiness is already there in every moment of your life. You don‘t need to look for happiness. Happiness is always there, just like the singing birds and your own breath...
When happiness is already there, so why are we not able to come in touch with it?. We don‘t have that capacity because we are too busy. We don‘t have enough time to come back to ourselves. We don‘t come in touch with happiness because we have too much sorrow, worries, and dissatisfaction.
So far we didn‘t have the capacity to liberate ourselves from the chains of sorrow. These chains seem to take away our ability to see clearly, they are like clouds that cover the light of the moon so that we can‘t see the happiness that is currently available. If we want to come in touch with happiness, we have to truly live. We have to develop the ability to live in the present moment with our full presence. Happiness is always available in the present moment, in the here and now.
When we come back to ourselves and dwell with our full presence with the three elements BODY, MIND, and ENVIRONMENT, we will discover the source of unlimited happiness that is rising in this present moment. We will discover our true self. That self is authentic, free, and death-less.
When we discover our true self, we will live in harmony with everything that is. We will be able to adapt to all the ups and downs of life. When we are able to see our true self, we will no longer need any religion or rituals. Because every action of a person who knows the true self, is already a ritual. And the life of such a person is already a religion.
This religion consists of the smooth, harmonious rhythm of the universe and of the love to all beings. Every breath and every step turns into a prayer of love and peace. We will become a happy person, and this happiness from our own inner source will expand and it will penetrate into every place where we come to and dwell for a while. We can do this because our presence is a true presence, we are truly and fully there.
The source of happiness is immense.
We have put down the chains of worldly life.
We have left behind anger and ill will.
Now we are dwelling in silence and love.
- Thay Phap Nhat