The Samiddhi Sutra is the story of a young monk. Early one morning, Samiddhi went to the river to bathe, and as he was drying himself, a goddess (deva) appeared and asked him,

Our notions about happiness entrap us. We forget that they are just ideas.

But it is wonderful to return home and say, “Little boy or little girl, I am here for you. Don’t worry. I will take care of you.” This is the first step. You are the deeply wounded child waiting for you to come home. And you are the one who has run away from home, who has neglected your child.

Ask yourself, “Who can I make smile this morning?” This is the art of creating happiness.

If you take good care of yourself, you help everyone. You stop being a source of suffering to the world, and you become a reservoir of joy and freshness.

Practicing the Immeasurable Mind of Love extinguishes anger in the hearts of living beings.

Mindfulness is the energy that allows us to look deeply at our body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness and see clearly what our real needs are, so we will not drown in the sea of suffering.

The Buddha taught that it is possible to live twenty-four hours a day in a state of love. Every movement, every glance, every thought, and every word can be infused with love.

When you succeed in doing this, your suffering, sorrow, and painful mental formations will begin to transform.