There is no happiness, everything is empty. I feel like the real mistake is an attachment to happiness in the first place. Let go of the desire to be happy, there I wrote the article, stop worrying about whether or not your “happy” cause it’s not a real thing. Of course, easier said than done. But what do I know, I haven’t lived as a monk or studied zen for 20 years, and I’ve certainly never written an opinion peice for msnbc.
Like the word ‘god’ the word ‘happiness’ always means something different. This text (passed-on for a thousand years) may clarify what’s meant. Two phrases agreeing with you say: ‘Abandon attachment to all things. / And abide free of desire.’ And ‘When discouraged thoughts arise,/ Uplift your mind/ And meditate on the emptiness of both.’. You’re onto it.
https://atishacentre.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/bodhisattvas_jewel_garland_web.pdf
