我們的追求，無論是物質方面還是精神方面，本質上都是對快樂的追求。快樂是生命的驅動力，因此追求快樂又是在追求生命的延續。由此可見，我們的追求就是透過生活的體驗，將自己與生命的本質相連結。所有生命都必須為生存而努力，我們活著就是為了更好地活下去，這是生命的根本目標。因此，無論我們為責任、奉獻、愛、友情或自身的成長而努力，本質上都是在追求快樂。痛苦並非我們所追求的，而是活著或追求快樂的代價。
歸根究柢，快樂與生存連結，而痛苦則與死亡有關。這兩種極端的感受，都是大自然對生命的引導。快樂引領著我們，痛苦激勵著我們，讓我們為了生存而遠離死亡。快樂與痛苦不僅是判斷是非的標準，也是選擇下一步行動的重要線索。兩者都反映出這種可能性：選擇帶來快樂的事物不一定正確，但選擇帶來痛苦的事物很可能是錯誤的。一旦感到痛苦，就意味著我們所追求的事物可能要付出生命。痛苦的出現，提醒著我們不要過度關注無法實現的欲望。
我們應該以生命的處境為標準，判斷自己所追求的目標，滿足的究竟是需要還是欲望。如果對所選的目標感到快樂，說明生命安全，我們所追求的是滿足需要。而如果感到痛苦，生命就處於危險之中，說明目標是欲望。例如，在追求財富的過程中，如果感到快樂，說明我們能夠獲取所需，目標是正確的。如果感到痛苦，說明我們有所損失，目標是錯誤的。獲得財富代表生命更加豐富，損失代表生命更加貧乏。相較於豐富，貧乏會令生命處於更大的危險之中。這是快樂與痛苦所能提供的最明確指引。不同於快感和痛感，快樂和痛苦均發自我們的內心。這表示我們必須關注內心的需要，才能了解生命的真實處境。
當面對選擇並感到茫然無助，我們可以讓快樂和痛苦作為指南，並做出相應的決定。如果我們對當前的選擇感到快樂，就表示該目標具有價值。無論途中將會如何，都值得我們朝這個目標進發。而如果我們對當前的選擇感到痛苦，則表示我們需要找出這種感受的原因，或改變方向，尋找一條新路徑。在面對艱難決擇的時刻，此類指南特別有用。
任何選擇都蘊含對未來的想像和預測。因此，在使用這些指南的時候，我們有必要長遠地想像和預測自己未來的情況，從而深入地理解快樂或痛苦帶來的信息。還有一點非常關鍵。我們所選的任何目標，一旦違背生命的根本目標，即使在短期內能使我們快樂，但長期來看必然會帶來痛苦。例如按習慣行事或逃避問題。因此，我們在選擇時必須保持清醒，謹守生命的根本目標。
快樂是我們成長的吸引力，痛苦是推動力。我們對快樂的記憶不及痛苦牢固，表明我們並不容易滿足於一時的快樂。我們傾向不斷追求新的快樂，從而獲得更大的成長。痛苦可以防止我們再犯同樣的錯誤。然而，痛苦雖然推動成長，但同時也是迫使我們改變的壓力。這種對生命的壓迫，可能會成為健康的隱患。因此，我們不應為任何目的而追求痛苦，包括對身體的傷害。相反，我們應該接受痛苦，並將痛苦轉化為促進成長的養份，從中吸取經驗和教訓，獲得一種意識成長的快樂。靈魂的成長發生在快樂中，因為快樂讓我們看見真善美，並活得更好、更有力量。
舉例來說，當我們準備學習一種技能，例如彈鋼琴，如果感到興奮和快樂，就可以勇敢地開始。在學習的過程中感到痛苦，我們可以審視自己的能力，決定是否繼續堅持下去。當我們暫時放下鋼琴，學習其他技能，如果感到痛苦，也可以重新選擇，甚至再次選擇鋼琴。當選擇確定後，我們以快樂的心態去學習，進步也會更快。
人生旅途中的每一刻都存在各種各樣的選擇，因此這些指南隨時可供使用。在某一刻我們選了一條路，走到某一點上，此時仍可選擇另一條路。只要帶著意識作出選擇，我們就能把握每一個成長的機會。在上述例子中，即使我們決定了長期學習彈鋼琴，這些指南也可以繼續發揮作用。當我們在學習某曲目時遇到困難、感到痛苦，我們可以暫時放下，轉而練習較為容易的曲目。可見，這些指南可以伴隨我們一生。當我們到達一個自由的境地，不再需要進行選擇時，才是將它們放下的時候。
人生必定有所追求。透過學習使用這些指南，我們更容易找到適合自己的目標。我們從出生開始就要面對疾病和危險，在追求快樂的過程中也必定會遇到困難和挫折。這表示我們無法完全避免痛苦。因此，從這些指南中，我們也可以看到人生的大方向∶我們不僅需要追求快樂，更需要追求解除痛苦，清除前進的障礙。實際上，我們最需要提升的能力，就是解除痛苦的能力。
99. 情緒低落是成長的重要時刻 (上一篇)
101. 在愛中感知彼此的真正需要 (下一篇)
The path to Tranquility (100)
Happiness and suffering are both guides to life
Our pursuit, whether material or spiritual, is essentially the pursuit of happiness. Happiness is the driving force of life, so the pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of the continuation of life. It can be seen that our pursuit is to connect ourselves with the essence of life through the experiences of living. All life must strive for survive. We live for better living, which is the fundamental goal of life. Thus, whether we strive for responsibility, dedication, love, friendship, or personal growth, fundamentally, we are pursuing happiness. Suffering is not what we seek, but the cost of living or pursuing happiness.
Ultimately, happiness is linked to survival, while suffering is associated with death. These two extreme feelings are nature's guidance for life. Happiness leads us, pain motivates us, and helps us stay away from death for the sake of survival. Happiness and suffering are not only standards for judging right and wrong, but also important clues for choosing the next course of action. Both reflect this possibility: choosing something that brings happiness is not necessarily correct, but choosing something that brings suffering is likely a mistake. Once suffering is felt, it means that what we are pursuing may come at the cost of life. The appearance of suffering reminds us not to overly focus on unattainable desires.
We should use the circumstances of life as a criterion to judge whether our pursuits satisfy needs or desires. If we feel happy about the chosen goal, it means our life is secure, and what we pursue is satisfying a need. If we feel suffering, a danger to life emerges, indicating that the goal is a desire. For example, in the pursuit of wealth, if we feel happy, it means we are able to obtain what we need, and the goal is correct. If we feel suffering, it means we have suffered a loss, and the goal is wrong. Acquiring wealth means life becomes richer, while loss means life becomes poorer. Compared to richness, poverty puts life in greater danger. This is the clearest guidance that happiness and suffering can provide. Unlike the sensation of pleasure and pain, happiness and suffering both come from our inner selves. This means that we must pay attention to the needs of our inner selves to understand the true circumstances of life.
When faced with choices and feeling helpless, we can let happiness and suffering serve as our guides and make decisions accordingly. If we are happy with our current choice, it indicates that the goal has value. No matter what happens on the way, it is worth moving towards this goal. And if we feel suffering about our current choice, it means we need to find out why we are feeling that way, or change direction and find a new path. This kinds of guides are particularly useful when facing difficult decisions.
Every choice implies imagination and prediction for the future. Therefore, when using these guides, it is necessary for us to imagine and predict our future in the long run, to deeply understand the information that happiness or suffering brings. There is a crucial point to consider. Any goal chosen, once goes against the fundamental goal of life, will inevitably bring suffering in the long run, even if it can make us happy in the short term. For example, acting out of habit or avoiding problems. Therefore, we must remain conscious when making choices and adhere to the fundamental goal of life.
Happiness is the attraction for our growth, while suffering is the driving force. Our memory of happiness is less lasting than that of suffering, indicating that we are not easily satisfied with momentary happiness. We tend to continuously pursue new happiness to achieve greater growth. Suffering prevents us from making the same mistake again. However, although suffering is a driving force for growth, it is also a pressure that forces us to change. This oppression of life may become a hidden danger to health. Therefore, we should not pursue suffering for any purpose, including harming our bodies. Instead, we should accept suffering and transform it into nutrients for growth, draw experience and lessons from it, and gain happiness from the growth of consciousness. Spiritual growth occurs in happiness, as happiness allows us to see the truth, kindness, and beauty, and live a better and more powerful life.
For example, when we are preparing to learn a skill, such as playing the piano, if we feel excited and happy, we can bravely begin. When we experience suffering during the learning process, we can examine our abilities and decide whether to continue persisting. When we temporarily put aside the piano to learn another skill, if we feel suffering, we can make a new choice, even the choice of the piano again. When the choice is determined, we can learn in a happy state of mind, and progress will be faster.
Every moment in the journey of life involves various choices, so these guides are available for use at any time. At a certain moment, if we choose one path and arrive at a certain point, we can still choose another path. By making choices consciously, we can seize every opportunity for growth. In the above example, even if we decide to learn to play the piano for the long term, these guides can still be useful. When we encounter difficulties and feel suffering in learning a piece, we can temporarily set it aside and practice an easier piece. Therefore, these guides can accompany us throughout our lives. When we reach a state of freedom and no longer need to make choices, it is time to put them down.
There will always be pursuits in life. By learning to use these guides, it will be easier for us to find the goals that are right for us. We have faced diseases and dangers since birth, and we are bound to encounter difficulties and setbacks in the pursuit of happiness. This means we cannot completely avoid suffering. Therefore, from these guides, we can also see the general direction of life: we not only need to pursue happiness, but also need to pursue the relief of suffering and remove obstacles to progress. In fact, the ability we need to improve most is the ability to relieve suffering.
On August 16, 2023
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