On Misery

Swami Vivekananda on Misery:

All thought of obtaining return for the work we do hinders our spiritual progress; nay, in the end it brings misery.

Never will unhappiness or misery come through work done without attachment.

Misery comes through attachment, not through work.

As soon as we identify ourselves with the work we do, we feel miserable; but if we do not identify ourselves with it, we do not feel that misery.

With the sense of possession comes selfishness, and selfishness brings on misery.

If I set the wheel in motion, I am responsible for the result. And if I can bring misery, I can also stop it.

Reserve unto yourself the power of detaching yourself from everything, however beloved, however much the soul might yearn for it, however great the pangs of misery you feel if you were going to leave it; still, reserve the power of leaving it whenever you want.

Do not make the mistake of giving the heart to anything that is changing, because that is misery.

We think that we have helped some man and expect him to thank us, and because he does not, unhappiness comes to us.

The ideal of all religions, all sects, is the same — the attaining of liberty and cessation of misery.

All separations are misery. Naturally. Depending upon wealth for happiness? There is fluctuation of wealth. Depending upon health or upon anything except the unchangeable spirit must bring misery today or tomorrow.

There is no misery where there is no want. If there is no desire, there is no suffering.

***