A Song of Misunderstanding About Happiness

On a rainy afternoon at the temple, a group of Buddhists from Central Vietnam came to visit. They asked permission to sing a song as a way of making offerings. A gentle guitar melody rang out, and then their voices rose in song: "No one in this world can give us joy, no one can give us happiness, and so we ourselves must find happiness and dwell within ourselves."

Their faces glowed as they sang with enthusiasm, as if they had just discovered a great truth. I sat listening, but a small doubt stirred in my heart. When the song ended, I stood up, looked at everyone, and said:

"Do you realize that this song misunderstands the Buddha's teachings (Dharma)?"

Everyone looked surprised. A middle-aged man spoke up: "Venerable teacher, we find this song very beautiful. It tells us to find happiness within our own mind/heart—isn't that meditative concentration?"

"It is true that we must maintain mindfulness and master our mind/heart, but the purpose is to dissolve the ego, not to strengthen it. If we believe that happiness exists only within ourselves and that we need no one else, that is selfishness—an ego dressed up in finer clothes."

I looked into each person's eyes and saw them reflecting. A young Buddhist asked: "Then, Venerable teacher, what is true happiness?"

"True happiness comes when we love and serve others. The Buddha's teachings (Dharma) teach non-self (anatta), but what is non-self (anatta) for? So that we can love more completely. If we only concern ourselves with dwelling within ourselves, that is selfishness, and it is a mistake."

The atmosphere in the main hall grew still. An elderly woman said slowly: "Venerable teacher, now I understand. I thought that practice meant only keeping my own mind/heart pure, but it turns out we must also care for others."

"That is right. Practice is to transform ourselves so that we can love more. Happiness is not something we find on our own; it arises when we give, when we share."

The group of Buddhists fell silent, then slowly nodded. They understood that although the song was beautiful, it had led them in the wrong direction. From then on, whenever they sang, they remembered the teaching: true happiness lies in love and in service, not in a selfish dwelling within oneself.

The Meaning of the Story

This story warns us about misunderstanding the Buddha's teachings (Dharma). Happiness is not something we seek alone in isolation; it is the fruit of love and of serving others. The Buddha's teachings (Dharma) teach non-self (anatta) to open our hearts, not to close them.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang.