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A man asked Buddha, "I want Happiness, how do I get it?"

DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
edited February 2012 in Philosophy
A man said to the Buddha, "I want Happiness."
Buddha said, first remove "I", that's ego,
then remove "want", that's desire.
See now you are left with only Happiness.

Comments

  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    Short, but sweet. :)
  • zenffzenff Veteran
    edited February 2012
    Nice story!
    It reminded me of a similar story in koan 41 of the Mumonkan. It’s the one about Bodhidharma pacifying the mind of future second Patriarch Huike. I looked it up and found this description in good old Wikipedia.

    I think I see a pattern.
    When we ruthlessly investigate what the heart of the problem really is; the problem cannot be found. And then the bottom falls out.

    Legend has it that Bodhidharma initially refused to teach Huike and Huike stood in the snow outside Bodhidharma’s cave all night until the snow reached his waist. In the morning Bodhidharma asked him why he was there and Huike replied that he wanted a teacher to "open the gate of the elixir or universal compassion to liberate all beings". Bodhidharma refused, saying, “How can you hope for true religion with little virtue, little wisdom, a shallow heart, and an arrogant mind? It would just be a waste of effort.” [3]
    Finally, to prove his resolve, Huike cut off his left arm and presented it to the First Patriarch as a token of his sincerity at which point Bodhidharma accepted him as a student and changed his name from Shenguang to Huike (“Wisdom and Capacity”).[4] Without realizing that he had just self-amputated his left arm, Huike screamed in pain and the exchange went as follows:

    Huike said to Bodhidharma, “My mind is anxious. Please pacify it.” Bodhidharma replied, “Bring me your mind, and I will pacify it.” Huike said, “Although I’ve sought it, I cannot find it.” “There,” Bodhidharma replied, “I have pacified your mind.” [5]

    According to the Denkoroku, when Huike and Bodhidharma were climbing up Few Houses Peak, Bodhidharma asked, “Where are we going?” Huike replied, “Please go right ahead---that’s it.” Bodhidharma retorted, “If you go right ahead, you cannot move a step.” Upon hearing these words, Huike was enlightened.[3]
  • thickpaperthickpaper Veteran
    That's super:)
  • fakebuddhafakebuddha
    This is a joke right?
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    See now you are left with happiness like joke

    haha I gotcha
  • ddillonddillon
    Interesting! I remember from one of the Sathya Sai Baba videos I was watching, someone asked him how to obtain peace of mind. He replied: "by removing ego and desires." This post reminds me that truth is timeless ;)
  • ZendoLord84ZendoLord84 Veteran
    briliant quote
  • FenixFenix Veteran
    This is a joke right?
    maybe buddha was not all that smart that he was supposed to be. I dont know If Buddha realized, but that is just a play on words, pretty lame for a fully enlightened being, yes.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2012
    It's a story, not a direct quotation... i think you'll find it is not 'straight from the Buddha's mouth'.... :rolleyes:
  • ZendoLord84ZendoLord84 Veteran
    ur right federica...wrong use of words...

    precept brake *woop woop woop*
  • kaytankaytan
    @LeonBasin fantastic... tnx :D
  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    @LeonBasin fantastic... tnx :D
    Welcome!
  • minimayhen88minimayhen88 Veteran


    'Happiness is like a butterfly:
    the more you chase it, the more it will elude you,
    but if you turn your attention to other things,
    it will come and sit softly on your shoulder ~ Thoreau'
  • andyrobynandyrobyn Veteran
    edited May 2012
    Recently I have been watching this video from Venerable Ajahn Jayasaro - Talk on happiness ... he speaks of how searching for happiness in receiving will highlight our tendency for always wanting a little bit more - a mind in it's normal state always want more, how much is enough ?? Like an addict can understand well, one drink, chocolate, lover etc is too many and a million is never enough. Happiness which comes from giving does not have this same quality.
  • Floating_AbuFloating_Abu Veteran
    A man said to the Buddha, "I want Happiness."
    Buddha said, first remove "I", that's ego,
    then remove "want", that's desire.
    See now you are left with only Happiness.
    I think that's funny

    Thanks
  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    A man said to the Buddha, "I want Happiness."
    Buddha said, first remove "I", that's ego,
    then remove "want", that's desire.
    See now you are left with only Happiness.
    I think that's funny

    Thanks
    Welcome!
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