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Why Do You Search In Vain For Happiness Outside? – Swami Chidananda

The sages, being filled with universal love for all beings, did not want to keep their enlightenment to themselves.

They declared to all: “O mortals, striving and struggling upon this Earth plane, weeping, wailing, buffeted by the vicissitudes of life: we have come upon a great discovery.”


“ There is something beyond these appearances, these vanishing names and forms that go to make up this universe.”

“There is something beyond which is the very source and support of all these objects of the phenomenal world.”

Why do you search in vain for happiness outside? Come, come, happiness resides within.”

Swami Chidananda (1916-2008) president of Divine Life Society

Explanation:

"There is something beyond these appearances, these vanishing names and forms that go to make up this universe. The world as we see it, with all its diverse phenomena and fleeting entities, is but a transient reflection of a deeper, underlying reality. Each name and form we encounter is a mere temporary manifestation, subject to change and decay.

There is something beyond which is the very source and support of all these objects of the phenomenal world. This fundamental essence, often described by sages and mystics, is the eternal, unchanging foundation upon which the ever-changing world is built. It is the substratum that upholds and sustains all forms of existence, the core from which all diversity springs forth.

Why do you search in vain for happiness outside? Come, come, happiness resides within. In the quest for fulfillment, many turn to external possessions, experiences, and achievements, believing that these will bring lasting joy. However, true happiness is not found in the external world, which is impermanent and often illusory. Instead, it resides within the self, in the realization of one's own true nature and connection to the eternal source. Turn inward, for within you lies the boundless joy and peace that you seek."