Can There Be Happiness Without Sadness or Peace Without War?

Yes, it is possible to find peace without war, and happiness without sadness or pleasure without pain. War is a human-made conflict that disrupts our natural state of peace. Conversely, happiness is an inherent state of being, albeit one that can be clouded by misunderstanding and ignorance. Pain serves a biological function to warn us of damage, but suffering is a self-inflicted condition. By ceasing to create suffering in addition to pain, we can achieve contentment and happiness.

A Buddhist Perspective on Suffering and Emancipation

From a Buddhist viewpoint, the question of whether true happiness and peace can coexist with sadness and pain is somewhat misguided. The essence of the Buddhist teaching, as encapsulated in the concept of Dukkha, is that true emancipation from suffering lies not in the absence of these elements, but in the cessation of the desire that perpetuates them.

Dukkha, often translated as suffering, arises from desire but cannot be equated with it. The differentiation between Tanha (desire) and Chanda (will) is crucial. The true path to enlightenment involves transcending the duality of opposites, not simply removing them. Buddhists emphasize the importance of living in the present moment without letting past experiences or future expectations bind us to the constraints of time.

The Middle Path and the Liberation from Time

The term "Middle Path" (or Magan-gama) signifies living a balanced life between extremes. By focusing on the present moment, one can experience the true nature of reality without the preoccupation with opposites. This is achieved by recognizing the emptiness of contradictions and divisions within oneself and the world around us, leading to an release from the oppressive nature of time.

The liberating pathway leads to a state known as "Adukkha-asukha," which means neither pain nor pleasure. This state is not one of indifference, but a cessation of the force of choice, desire, and will. Here, one is neither controlled by the pleasure inherent in desire nor by the pain of its absence. Instead, one expands into a blissful state of liberation. This experience is referred to as Samadhi.

The Transformation of Awareness and Experience

Through this process of knowledge and detachment from forms, one gains insights into the essence of things (tathata). This transformation in awareness means that the answer to questions about the nature of the world is neither 'this' nor 'that,' but rather 'neither this nor that.' This concept, known in philosophy as the tetralemma, challenges the binary thinking of either this or that. When one has followed this path, seemingly perplexing texts like the Heart Sutra can be understood as states of knowing rather than accounts of objects of knowledge.

Living the Brahmacharya, or the holy life, involves suspending the separation created by forms and concepts. One transcends the oppositions and contradictions of the world to move towards a state of continuous bliss and peace, undisturbed by the cyclical nature of desire and suffering. This is the essence of the Buddhist path, which leads one to a deeper understanding of oneself and the world.