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The Way
On the Internet, you can often see this quote: “There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.” It is attributed to Buddha. But I have not seen it in any of the Buddhist literature I have read. Some people think that it is one of the many “fake Buddha quote.”
Frankly, I don’t particularly care if something is a fake Buddha quote so long as it is an interesting and thought-provoking in itself. Scholars often question whether Buddha, Jesus or Lao Tzu is a historical person. Authors in ancient times were more interested in telling interesting stories than reporting historical facts. In the Buddhist world, the Theravadins used to call the Mahayana sutras “not the true teachings of Buddha.” As a matter of fact, the source of the Mahayana sutra has remained unknown and mysterious.
But this does not really matter. For Buddha said, “Follow the teaching, not the speaker.” Buddha was not arrogant enough to assert that he has a monopoly on Truth. Buddhism also recognizes that there are numerous buddhas (or enlightened ones) before Gautama. For this reason, the distinction of what is an “authentic” Buddha quote and what is a “fake” one is a reflection of a small mind. Let us learn from the “fake Buddha quotes.” Let us celebrate them, so long as we can see truth in them.
There are multiple interpretations of this saying that “there is no path to happiness; happiness is the path.”…
