“ Hector had been longing to ask a question, and now he took the plunge. ‘The first time we...

“
Hector had been longing to ask a question, and now he took the plunge. ‘The first time we met, you said to me: it’s a mistake to think that happiness is the goal. I’m not sure I understand.’

‘I was referring to the goals which you in your civilisation are so good at setting yourselves, and which incidentally allow you to achieve many interesting things. But happiness is a different thing altogether. If you try to achieve it, you have every chance of failing. And besides, how would you ever know that you’d achieved it? Of course one can’t blame people, especially unhappy people, for wanting to be happier and setting themselves goals in order to try to escape from their unhappiness.’

‘Do you mean that the same lessons don’t apply to everybody?’

The old monk looked at Hector and said, ‘Do you tell all your patients the same thing?’

Hector thought for a moment and said that he didn’t, that it depended on their character, on whether they were young or old, on whether they’d experienced true unhappiness or not.

‘There you are, you see,’ the old monk said. ‘It’s the same thing.’

***

That could be another lesson: Be very attentive towards others.

Hector wondered whether this wasn’t another lesson: Take time to observe the beauty of the world.
”

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