Unlike pleasure, genuine flourishing may be influenced by circumstance, but it isn’t dependent on it. It does not mutate into its opposite but endures and grows with experience. It imparts a sense of fulfillment that in time becomes second nature. Authentic happiness is not linked to an activity; it is a state of being, a profound emotional balance struck by a subtle understanding of how the mind functions. While ordinary pleasures are produced by contact with pleasant objects and end when that contact is broken, sukha—lasting well-being—is felt so long as we remain in harmony with our inner
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