“Neither ecological nor social engineering will lead us to a conflict-free, simple path... Utilitarians and others who simply advise us to be happy are unhelpful, because we almost always have to make a choice either between different kinds of happiness--different things to be happy _about_--or between these and other things we want, which nothing to do with happiness.”

“Most of us always want to be different; better, prettier, richer, smarter, and so on. That's what makes us jealous of other people's advantages that we don't have. And that is also the reason why we are never satisfied and do not feel happiness.”

“It is very true that we ought to think of the happiness of others; but it is not often enough said that the best thing we can do for those who love us is to be happy ourselves.”

“Fear of suffering is a great obstacle to being a happy person in life. God wants us to be happy. Asceticism is not supposed to make us sad. It’s supposed to free us to be able to understand and do what God wants. He wants our happiness. He wants us to bring happiness to others.”

“The difference between misery and happiness depends on what we do with our attention.”

“It makes no difference where you go, there you are. And it makes no difference what you have, there’s always more to want. Until you are happy with who you are, you will never be happy because of what you have.”

“There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do.”

“Why I do things? Because I get great happiness, and happiness is the thing which makes the love flow, which makes me love. I want to be happy. And that is why I consider myself as one of the most happiest men in the world, because I do these things. I give this Knowledge to people free of charge. And people when they get this Knowledge feel great happiness. That makes me happy, too.”

“The fact is always obvious much too late, but the most singular difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy a liquid.”

“We will not find happiness in the things we think are ideal and which we think are perfect. Because there is not a single perfection in human life. There are only imperfections. Those who can feel happiness, are those who find beauty in their own imperfections and in others. Happy people are people who are grateful for all their shortcomings”