Wanted to remind myself about this in one way or another.
Attended study meeting yesterday, and the gosho was “Hero of the World”.
I loveeee how one topic can have different Buddhist principles incorporated inside, that makes me look at things and reminds myself about applying these principles in my life.
Anyway, one topic was “Absolute vs Relative happiness”.
It’s just something sooo simple, but yet we often forget about. We often forget that we should be happy or sad because of the things we do, but not others. Yes, they may upset us, they may affect us, but we shouldn’t base our happiness on what others do.
I’m not good at explaining, so I got these paragraphs from: http://www.sgi.org/sgi-president/writings-by-sgi-president-ikeda/on-practice.html
“When you get right down to it, does material wealth assure happiness? Does fame? Does living in a big house? The answer is an emphatic “no.” All the time we see people embroiled in bitter battles over money; people plunged into misery when onetime fame and popularity disappears; people ruining their own lives when they let fame and power go to their heads; and people living in large luxurious homes where family members cannot stand one another and a cold and hostile atmosphere pervades.
Such things as money, fame and material possessions offer a fleeting, transitory kind of satisfaction, something which can be called “relative happiness.” However, when we transform our lives internally, when we develop within ourselves a brilliant inner palace, then we can be said to have established “absolute happiness.” If we develop a state of mind as vast and resplendent as a magnificent palace, then nothing–no matter where we go or what we may encounter in life–can undermine or destroy our happiness.”