What is Happiness?

Rread this article from "Why is Faith Neccessary? Vol.1 by Daisaku Ikeda" on the way to work. I thought you might be interested, wanna share it with you.

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda once said, " The Reality of one's environment or surroundings is only a means to happiness. It is not the foundation of happiness itself. Actually, the source of one's happiness is found only within oneself. So even if you are plagued by suffering and sorrow, if you live a life in which you make every possible effort to express your fullest potential in the manner that best suits you, you will find supreme happiness. As you struggle to bring out this highest potential, no matter what difficult situations you may experience along the way, you without fail come to feel a true sense of fulfillment at being able to live a happy life. Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism alone enables one to express one's full potential and tap the ultimate, indestructible state of life or enlightenment."

My response to this article is what is happiness? I feel like we are surrounded so many things that make us happy. But, does it really make us happy? are those short term happiness? When those things leave us can you still be happy? Some may say that my current living is happy. I have a gf or husband I'm satisfied now, my life is fullfilled. Some may even say I'm financially blessed and have a nice family I'm very happy. I have a friend. He had a plan when he got his green card, he'd move to SG with his spounse. But sadly, that's didn't happen. His spounse recently passed away. Does it mean he also lost his life, his most precious happiness? I went to Introduction to Buddhism last Thursday. That's this really dejected 40+ gentleman, he's a new member. He asked the audience what do Buddhism concepts relay on suicidal? you know people that just can't find happiness in their life? They just want to end their lives.

Daisaku Ikeda says here, what is the foundation of happiness? The true happiness lays within yourself. Even if you lost that someone special or you're devestated but remember happiness is found within yourself. True happiness comes from years of building strong sense of confidence, compassion, and fulfillment. Death is not a good solution, we recycle our lives. Obstacles are always there. Challenge your obstacles and win over your battles this lifetime and lifetime after next. Create a domain, a domain that lays a life condition that never be destroyed by outside forces. A domain that fills with love and strong ichiren. As Ikeda said in the article, struggle something that makes u happy, brings out the full potential, no matter how difficult it is, you fail, you stand up again, you do better next time, without fail. A sense of fullfillment. A sense of happiness in your life. That's what I understand this passage.

What do you think of this passage? True Compassion, Mikey