Question: “If i am Buddhist and i meditate and i do everything why do i still fail to reach complete happiness
You slightly answered your own question 🙂
Reach. This verb is sometimes used a lot when reading Buddhist topics. To the ordinary person, a verb is an action word; walk, run, jump, etc. But in Buddhism, it’s not an “action” word. It’s not something you reach out for, look for, or is a destination. So. Happiness isn’t something you can reach. It’s not a destination on a map or a lost treasure.
To the modern world, happiness is getting the new iPhone, buying a new car or house, being asked out on a date, or finding that lost shoe. These are temporary happinesses, they’re impermanent. They’ll eventually break, get lost, and fade away, and then you’ll be sad. So then where’s the happiness?
Happiness, true happiness, is coming to the realization that everything is impermanent. Happiness is accepting things as they were, are, and will become. It’s about finding happiness and contentness in hard times. Why aren’t you happy? Because you don’t have all the pretty things rich people do? Do you not have a roof over your head, food to eat, a computer or cell phone, and Internet access? Do you not have family and friends that love you and care about you? What’s there not to be happy about?
Have you not seen the poor, starving, and dying children in Africa? What about those whose families and friends died during the recent Haiyan typhoon in the Philippines? Do you think they’re unhappy because their neighbors goat is fatter than theirs? Or their friends got an extra bucket of water? These are things we should be unhappy about. We should be grateful and happy with what we have and then try to help others find their happiness.
Happiness isn’t a destination. It isn’t about having a boyfriend or girlfriend, or not having a large circle of friends, or not enough money. Happiness is being okay with that! Meditation helps. But you have to be meditating on the right thing. Meditating on impermanence and compassion is going to help you find true happiness with all things and situations.
Smile and be well!