Desire & Sufferring: A Buddhist Quote

"A man once told Buddha,

'I want happiness.'

Buddha replied,

'First, remove 'I': That's ego.

Then, remove 'want': That's desire.

And now all you're left with is

Happiness.'"

Whether or not you practice Buddhism, the ideals of this philosophy are applicable to all sentient beings. This Buddhist quote is one of my favorite. It reminds us that happiness is attainable through two actions: Be selfless and remove desire. The idea of it is simple, and yes, not easy to perform. We're humans, and having desires and thinking about ourselves is instinctual. But, I have found, that when going through struggles in life, it often helps to remind myself of the Buddhist ideal of selflessness and lack of desire. Attempt to leave yourself with happiness.