True Happiness

Be happy and joyous because the bestowals of God are intended for you and the life of the
Holy Spirit is breathing upon you.

Bahá'í Writings

Health is the supreme possession. Contentment is the supreme wealth. A trustworthy friend
is the supreme relation. Nirvana is the supreme happiness.

Buddhism

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U nto Thee be praise, O Lord my God! I entreat Thee, by Thy signs that have
encompassed the entire creation, and by the light of Thy countenance that hath
illuminated all that are in heaven and on earth, and by Thy mercy that hath surpassed all
created things, and by Thy grace that hath suffused the whole universe, to rend asunder
the veils that shut me out from Thee, that I may hasten unto the Fountain-Head of Thy
mighty inspiration, and to the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation and bountiful favors, and
may be immersed beneath the ocean of Thy nearness and pleasure.
Suffer me not, O my Lord, to be deprived of the knowledge of Thee in Thy days, and
divest me not of the robe of Thy guidance. Give me to drink of the river that is life
indeed, whose waters have streamed forth from the Paradise (Ridván) in which the
throne of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, was established, that mine eyes may be opened,
and my face be illumined, and my heart be assured, and my soul be enlightened, and my
steps be made firm.

Thou art He Who from everlasting was, through the potency of His might, supreme over
all things, and, through the operation of His will, was able to ordain all things. Nothing
whatsoever, whether in Thy heaven or on Thy earth, can frustrate Thy purpose. Have
mercy, then, upon me, O my Lord, through Thy gracious providence and generosity, and
incline mine ear to the sweet melodies of the birds that warble their praise of Thee,
amidst the branches of the tree of Thy oneness.

Thou art the Great Giver, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

Bahá’u’lláh

O God! O God! This is a broken-winged bird and his flight is very slow—assist him
so that he may fly toward the apex of prosperity and salvation, wing his way with the
utmost joy and happiness throughout the illimitable space, raise his melody in Thy
Supreme Name in all the regions, exhilarate the ears with this call, and brighten the eyes
by beholding the signs of guidance.

O Lord! I am single, alone and lowly. For me there is no support save Thee, no helper
except Thee and no sustainer beside Thee. Confirm me in Thy service, assist me with the
cohorts of Thy angels, make me victorious in the promotion of Thy Word and suffer me
to speak out Thy wisdom amongst Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art the helper of the weak
and the defender of the little ones, and verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty and the
Unconstrained.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

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O Son of Spirit! Ask not of Me that which We desire not for thee, then be content
with what We have ordained for thy sake, for this is that which profiteth thee, if
therewith thou dost content thyself.
Bahá'u'lláh, Arabic Hidden Words

Verily I am Thy servant, O my God.... I have arrived at Thy gate, seeking Thy shelter. I
have found no contentment save in Thy love, no exultation except in Thy remembrance,
no eagerness but in obedience to Thee, no joy save in Thy nearness....
Bab

Happy is the man who hath recognized Thee, and discovered the sweetness of Thy
fragrance, and set himself towards Thy kingdom, and tasted of the things that have
been perfected therein by Thy grace and favor.
Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations

Is any larger bounty conceivable than this, that an individual, looking within himself,
should find that by the confirming grace of God he has become the cause of peace and
well-being, of happiness and advantage to his fellow men? No, by the one true God,
there is no greater bliss, no more complete delight.

Abdul-Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization

Happiness consisteth of two kinds: physical and spiritual. The physical happiness is
limited; its utmost duration is one day, one month, one year. It hath no result. Spiritual
happiness is eternal and unfathomable. This kind of happiness appeareth in one’s soul
with the love of God and suffereth one to attain to the virtues and perfections of the
world of humanity. Therefore, endeavour as much as thou art able in order to illumine
the lamp of thy heart by the light of love.

Abdu’l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peac

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 Joy & Pain
In this world we are influenced by two sentiments, Joy and Pain.
Joy gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener, and
our understanding less clouded. We seem better able to cope with the world and to find
our sphere of usefulness. But when sadness visits us we become weak, our strength
leaves us, our comprehension is dim and our intelligence veiled. The actualities of life
seem to elude our grasp, the eyes of our spirits fail to discover the sacred mysteries, and
we become even as dead beings.

There is no human being untouched by these two influences; but all the sorrow and the
grief that exist come from the world of matter - the spiritual world bestows only the joy!
If we suffer it is the outcome of material things, and all the trials and troubles come from
this world of illusion. For instance, a merchant may lose his trade and depression
ensues. A workman is dismissed and starvation stares him in the face. A farmer has a
bad harvest, anxiety fills his mind. A man builds a house which is burnt to the ground
and he is straightway homeless, ruined, and in despair. All these examples are to show
you that the trials which beset our every step, all our sorrow, pain, shame and grief, are
born in the world of matter; whereas the spiritual Kingdom never causes sadness. A
man living with his thoughts in this Kingdom knows perpetual joy. The ills all flesh is
heir to do not pass him by, but they only touch the surface of his life, the depths are calm
and serene.

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Today, humanity is bowed down with trouble, sorrow and grief, no one escapes; the
world is wet with tears; but, thank God, the remedy is at our doors. Let us turn our
hearts away from the world of matter and live in the spiritual world! It alone can give us
freedom! If we are hemmed in by difficulties we have only to call upon God, and by His
great Mercy we shall be helped. If sorrow and adversity visit us, let us turn our faces to
the Kingdom and heavenly consolation will be outpoured. If we are sick and in distress
let us implore God's healing, and He will answer our prayer.

When our thoughts are filled with the bitterness of this world, let us turn our eyes to the
sweetness of God's compassion and He will send us heavenly calm! If we are imprisoned
in the material world, our spirit can soar into the Heavens and we shall be free indeed!
When our days are drawing to a close let us think of the eternal worlds, and we shall be
full of joy! You see all round you proofs of the inadequacy of material things - how joy,
comfort, peace and consolation are not to be found in the transitory things of the world.
Is it not then foolishness to refuse to seek these treasures where they may be found? The
doors of the spiritual Kingdom are open to all, and without is absolute darkness.

... I myself was in prison forty years - one year alone would have been impossible to bear
- nobody survived that imprisonment more than a year! But, thank God, during all those
forty years I was supremely happy! Every day, on waking, it was like hearing good
tidings, and every night infinite joy was mine. Spirituality was my comfort, and turning
to God was my greatest joy. If this had not been so, do you think it possible that I could
have lived through those forty years in prison?

Thus, spirituality is the greatest of God's gifts, and `Life Everlasting' means `Turning to
God'. May you, one and all, increase daily in spirituality, may you be strengthened in all
goodness, may you be helped more and more by the Divine consolation, be made free by
the Holy Spirit of God, and may the power of the Heavenly Kingdom live and work
among you.

This is my earnest desire, and I pray to God to grant you this favour.

`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks

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O Thou incomparable God! O Thou Lord of the Kingdom! These souls are Thy
heavenly army. Assist them and, with the cohorts of the Supreme Concourse, make
them victorious, so that each one of them may become like unto a regiment and conquer
these countries through the love of God and the illumination of divine teachings.
O God! Be Thou their supporter and their helper, and in the wilderness, the mountain,
the valley, the forests, the prairies and the seas, be Thou their confidant—so that they
may cry out through the power of the Kingdom and the breath of the Holy Spirit.

Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty and the Omnipotent, and Thou art
the Wise, the Hearing and the Seeing.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

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O lovers of His beauty! Turn the anguish of your separation from Him into the joy of an
everlasting reunion, and let the sweetness of His presence dissolve the bitterness of your
remoteness from His court....

Hear Me, ye mortal birds! In the Rose Garden of changeless splendor a Flower hath
begun to bloom, compared to which every other flower is but a thorn, and before the
brightness of Whose glory the very essence of beauty must pale and wither. Arise,
therefore, and, with the whole enthusiasm of your hearts, with all the eagerness of your
souls, the full fervor of your will, and the concentrated efforts of your entire being, strive
to attain the paradise of His presence, and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the
incorruptible Flower, to breathe the sweet savors of holiness, and to obtain a portion of
this perfume of celestial glory....

Strip yourselves of every earthly affection, and hasten to embrace your Beloved.... In the
open radiance of His glory He standeth before you. His voice summoneth all the holy
and sanctified beings to come and be united with Him. Happy is he that turneth
thereunto; well is it with him that hath attained, and gazed on the light of so wondrous a
countenance.

Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah

Happy is the man who will arise to serve My Cause, and glorify My beauteous Name.
Take hold of My Book with the power of My might, and cleave tenaciously to whatsoever
commandment thy Lord, the Ordainer, the All-Wise, hath prescribed therein.

Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and
kindreds of the earth... It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country,
but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and
mankind its citizens.
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah

As to spiritual happiness, this is the true basis of the life of man, for life is created for
happiness, not for sorrow; for pleasure, not for grief. Happiness is life; sorrow is death.
Spiritual happiness is life eternal.
Abdu'l-Baha

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The happiness and greatness, the rank and station, the pleasure and peace, of an
individual have never consisted in his personal wealth, but rather in his excellent
character, his high resolve, the breadth of his learning, and his ability to solve difficult
problems.

Happy is the soul that shall forget his own good, and like the chosen ones of God, vie
with his fellows in service to the good of all....

I desire to make manifest among the friends in America a new light that they may
become a new people, that a new foundation may be established and complete harmony
be realized; for the foundation of Bahá'u'lláh is love....The people must be so attracted
to you that they will exclaim, "What happiness exists among you!" and will see in your
faces the lights of the Kingdom; then in wonderment they will turn to you and seek the
cause of your happiness.... I will pray for you that you may become the cause of
upraising the lights of God. May everyone point to you and ask, "Why are these people
so happy?" I want you to be happy... to laugh, smile and rejoice in order that others may
be made happy by you.
`Abdu'l-Bahá

If we are not happy and joyous at this season, for what other season shall we wait and
for what other time shall we look?...Be calm, be strong, be grateful, and become a lamp
full of light, that the darkness of sorrows be annihilated, and the sun of everlasting joy
arise from the dawning place of heart and soul, shining brightly.
`Abdu'l-Bahá

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F rom the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity give me to drink, O my God, and of
the fruits of the tree of Thy being enable me to taste, O my Hope! From the crystal
springs of Thy love suffer me to quaff, O my Glory, and beneath the shadow of Thine
everlasting providence let me abide, O my Light! Within the meadows of Thy nearness,
before Thy presence, make me able to roam, O my Beloved, and at the right hand of the
throne of Thy mercy, seat me, O my Desire! From the fragrant breezes of Thy joy let a
breath pass over me, O my Goal, and into the heights of the paradise of Thy reality let
me gain admission, O my Adored One! To the melodies of the dove of Thy oneness
suffer me to hearken, O Resplendent One, and through the spirit of Thy power and Thy
might quicken me, O my Provider! In the spirit of Thy love keep me steadfast, O my
Succorer, and in the path of Thy good pleasure set firm my steps, O my Maker! Within
the garden of Thine immortality, before Thy countenance, let me abide for ever, O Thou
Who art merciful unto me, and upon the seat of Thy glory stablish me, O Thou Who art
my Possessor! To the heaven of Thy loving-kindness lift me up, O my Quickener, and
unto the Daystar of Thy guidance lead me, O Thou my Attractor! Before the revelations
of Thine invisible spirit summon me to be present, O Thou Who art my Origin and my
Highest Wish, and unto the essence of the fragrance of Thy beauty, which Thou wilt
manifest, cause me to return, O Thou Who art my God!
Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the Most exalted, the All-
Glorious, the All-Highest.

Bahá’u’lláh

C reate in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O
my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-
Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my
desire! Through the power of Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy
holiness, O Source of my being, and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou
Who art my God! Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquillity on me, O my
Companion, and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except
Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine incorruptible Essence
bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of
the hidden!
Bahá’u’lláh