The Secret to Happiness

Once, Lord Gautam Buddha was giving a sermon in a village. People came from far and wide to listen to his sermons. A very wealthy man lived in the same village. He had everything—wealth, prosperity, property, servants—yet he was deeply restless and unhappy.

When he heard Buddha's sermon, a question arose in his mind: "Why am I not happy despite having everything? What is the secret to always being happy?" But he didn't dare to ask this question in front of everyone, because he was a respected figure in the village. He felt it was beneath his dignity to ask this question in front of everyone.

The meeting ended, and everyone went to their homes.  Then the man slowly approached the Buddha, bowed at his feet, and said, "Lord, I have everything—wealth, prosperity, honor, prestige, and luxury—nothing is lacking. Yet, there is always an emptiness in my heart. Please tell me, how can I find true happiness? How can I remain eternally happy?"

The Buddha smiled and said, "Come with me, and I will tell you the secret to happiness."

The two set off toward the forest. As they walked, the Buddha picked up a large stone from the path and gave it to the man, saying, "Hold it and keep walking with me."

The man began walking with the stone. Initially, he experienced no discomfort, but after a while, his hands began to ache. Still, he said nothing and continued walking. After walking a little further, the pain became so severe that he could no longer bear it, and he said to the Buddha, "Lord, this stone feels too heavy now. My hands are becoming numb with pain."

The Buddha said calmly, "Then put it down." 

As soon as he put the stone down, he felt immense relief. A spontaneous smile appeared on his face.

Buddha smiled and said, "This is the secret to happiness."

The man was astonished and said, "Lord! I don't understand. What is the connection between this stone and my happiness?"

Buddha said, "Just as the longer you hold this stone in your hand, the more pain you will feel. If you hold it for a short while, it will be mild; if you hold it for an hour, it will be more painful; and if you hold it all day, it will be unbearable.

Similarly, when we carry the burden of sorrow, insult, anger, jealousy, and past events in our minds, we torment ourselves. The longer we carry these burdens, the more unhappy and depressed we become."

He continued, “The secret to happiness lies in learning to put down these burdens in time. True wisdom lies in letting go of the past. The sooner we let go of sadness and negative emotions, the lighter and more peaceful our minds will become.”

Giving an example, Buddha said, “People say, ‘He insulted me, I will never forget him.’ But the truth is, if you don’t forget, you are the one who suffers, not him. Carrying bitter memories and resentments in your heart is like carrying a heavy stone. Relief will come only when you put it down.”

The Buddha concluded, “Every moment is new. Instead of carrying bitter memories of past moments, it is better to enjoy the present moment to the fullest. Be content with what we have. Live life free from the burden of desires and sorrows. Only then is true happiness possible.”

Hearing this, the rich man became emotional.  He vowed to lay down all the stones in his mind—sorrow, jealousy, and ego—and live life with ease.

Lesson : - True happiness lies not in external objects, but in the peace of mind. Only when we learn to let go of past sorrows and find contentment in the present does true happiness come.

Read more : - The Price of Pride