--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: it is impossible to build one's own…" description: "\"it is impossible to build one's own happiness on the unhappiness of others. This perspective is at the heart of Buddhist teachings.\" — Daisaku Ikeda" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/daisaku-ikeda-1472_buddhist_it-is-impossible-to-build-one-s-own-happ_1423106.png" --- # it is impossible to build one's own happiness on the… ![“it is impossible to build one's own happiness on the unhappiness of others. This perspective is at the heart of Buddhist teachings.” quote by Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/daisaku-ikeda-1472_buddhist_it-is-impossible-to-build-one-s-own-happ_1423106.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/daisaku-ikeda-1472_buddhist_it-is-impossible-to-build-one-s-own-happ_1423106.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/daisaku-ikeda-1472_buddhist_it-is-impossible-to-build-one-s-own-happ_1423106.png) > “it is impossible to build one's own happiness on the unhappiness of others. This perspective is at the heart of Buddhist teachings.” [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True happiness cannot be built on others' suffering; ethical foundations are essential. **In simple terms:** Happiness must be ethical. Key Takeaway Cultivate compassion and fairness. Themes ethics compassion well‑being Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - leadership - policy making - personal relationships Key Concepts Buddhist teachings interdependence Questions to Reflect On - How can you support others' happiness? - What injustices do you witness? 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They assign us ranks and place considerable pressure upon us to fulfill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/the-institutions-of-human-society-treat-us-as-parts-of-a-machine-they/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [“Sometimes you're trying so hard to get your life together and still it's not enough, everything is falling apart. What to do, you're asking.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asper-blurry/sometimes-you-re-trying-so-hard-to-get-your-life-together-and-still/) [Asper Blurry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asper-blurry/) > [Why should we build our happiness on the opinons of others, when we can find it in our own hearts?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/why-should-we-build-our-happiness-on-the-opinons-of-others-when-we/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Passively accepting your sadness is the same as forgetting to build your own happiness. Happiness is more than a mood. It's a long-lasting state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/passively-accepting-your-sadness-is-the-same-as-forgetting-to-build/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Happiness or unhappiness is often a matter of choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-or-unhappiness-is-often-a-matter-of-choice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The fact that there is always a positive side to life is the one thing that gives me a lot of happiness. This world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-fact-that-there-is-always-a-positive-side-to-life-is-the-one/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/if-you-don-t-enjoy-getting-up-and-working-and-finishing-your-work-and/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Happiness and unhappiness are not primarily created by the material world or the physical body. First and foremost, they are decisions of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/happiness-and-unhappiness-are-not-primarily-created-by-the-material/) [Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/) ## More by Daisaku Ikeda > [Dialogue and education for peace can help free our hearts from the impulse toward intolerance and the rejection of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/dialogue-and-education-for-peace-can-help-free-our-hearts-from-the/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/i-firmly-believe-that-the-mission-of-religion-in-the-21st-century/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Prayer is the way to destroy all fear. It is the way to banish sorrow, the way to light a torch of hope. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/prayer-is-the-way-to-destroy-all-fear-it-is-the-way-to-banish-sorrow/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [The differences between people need not act as barriers that wound, harm and drive us apart. 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This is the chance that I've been waiting for!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/come-on-obstacles-i-ve-been-expecting-you-this-is-the-chance-that-i/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Like the ocean that remains calm in its depths even when waves rage over its surface, and like the sun that continues shining on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/like-the-ocean-that-remains-calm-in-its-depths-even-when-waves-rage/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Never be shaken, no matter what happens or what others may say. Never be flustered; never lose confidence. This is the way we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/never-be-shaken-no-matter-what-happens-or-what-others-may-say-never/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [What our world most requires now is the kind of education that foster love for humankind, that develops character-that provides an intellectual basis for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/what-our-world-most-requires-now-is-the-kind-of-education-that-foster/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [“Human wisdom has advanced to the point where man can construct satellites. And yet man in his wisdom cannot find a way to rescue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/human-wisdom-has-advanced-to-the-point-where-man-can-construct/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Men and women who know the brutal reality of war, who know that war strips people of their very humanity, must unite in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/men-and-women-who-know-the-brutal-reality-of-war-who-know-that-war/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [But I think we need to remember that democracy everywhere is by its nature incomplete, a work in progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/but-i-think-we-need-to-remember-that-democracy-everywhere-is-by-its/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Life can unfold unlimitedly as long as we have a heart of appreciation and an undefeated mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/life-can-unfold-unlimitedly-as-long-as-we-have-a-heart-of/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Humanity's collective mission in the cosmos lies in the practice of compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/humanity-s-collective-mission-in-the-cosmos-lies-in-the-practice-of/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) [Explore all 237 Daisaku Ikeda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) ## More Buddhist quotes > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiah?" "No," answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No," Buddha replied. "Then are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-of-his-students-asked-buddha-are-you-the-messiah-no-answered/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/for-fear-of-causing-terror-to-living-beings-mahamati-let-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Be lamps unto yourselves. Be refuges unto yourselves. Take yourself no external refuge. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Hold fast to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/be-lamps-unto-yourselves-be-refuges-unto-yourselves-take-yourself-no/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Humility simply means that you do a great job at everything and it isn't really a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/humility-simply-means-that-you-do-a-great-job-at-everything-and-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Speak only the speech that neither torments self nor does harm to others. That speech is truly well spoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/speak-only-the-speech-that-neither-torments-self-nor-does-harm-to/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [I don't look at anything. Every person whether he is Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist, he is my brother, my sister. I think we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-don-t-look-at-anything-every-person-whether-he-is-hindu-muslim-or/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [My family is Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist and Catholic. I don't believe in man-made religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/my-family-is-jewish-buddhist-baptist-and-catholic-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [I'm working at trying to be a Christian, and that's serious business. It's like trying to be a good Jew, a good Muslim, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-m-working-at-trying-to-be-a-christian-and-that-s-serious-business/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Even my Buddhist friends have been feeling despair and when they go bad, you know the end is nigh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/even-my-buddhist-friends-have-been-feeling-despair-and-when-they-go/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [He who causes suffering shall suffer. 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They recognized his enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-buddha-gave-his-first-talks-and-three-or-four-ascetics-became-his/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 1,479 Buddhist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "it is impossible to build one's own happiness on the unhappiness of others. 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