In the pursuit of happiness, we often cling to people, status, and outcomes. But the core teaching of the Buddha for daily life is simple: Only the things you hold on to will one day be lost. The deeper your attachment, the greater the eventual sorrow when those things inevitably drift away.
The Illusion of Control
We often suffer because we try to grasp the ungraspable. Only the people you are attached to will one day be far away from you. This is not a dark thought; it is a liberating reality.
Everything else in the universe remains the same because it is “real”—it exists independently of your ego. Because these things are not within your reach to control, nothing else can hurt you. When you stop trying to own the world, the world stops being a source of pain.
The Trap of the “Second Moment”
A life lived without unnecessary expectations of a future moment is a life of true contentment. It is always perfect in itself. We are constantly searching for a “second moment”—a future time where everything will be “perfect.” Yet, it is this very effort to reach a future perfection that causes us to experience the imperfection of life every moment.
Goals vs. Fullness: The Way of the Strong
There is a profound difference between being a slave to a goal and being a person of strong will:
- Slaves to Goals: These individuals live in a dream world. They postpone their happiness, thinking they will achieve fullness “tomorrow” or “someday.”
- Strong-Willed People: They allow goals to exist as mere directions, but they do not obsess over them. Instead, they experience the fullness that is in the present moment.
True peace and freedom do not exist in the future. They are always, and only, in the here and now.
The Ultimate Pacification: Understanding Nibbana
Many people “pursue” enlightenment as if it were a trophy to be won. But you cannot chase peace. Do not pursue Nibbana. Nibbana is freedom from all pursuits. The ultimate pacification of the soul occurs when you realize that life does not need a grand, external “purpose” to be valuable. Life is its own purpose. When you truly become pacified in this moment, your inner self is at peace forever.Abandon the magical battle against imperfection. Be still. In the stillness, you are already home.