Our attempts to achieve happiness in the past have generally been motivated by self-interest and self-protection. We have followed the path of desire and attachment. This path is chosen from ignorance and it has many liabilities. Our desire for happiness can never be separated from our fear and dislike of unhappiness. The compulsive search for pleasure always includes aversion to any pain or discomfort. When we say, “I want to be happy,” we are also saying, “I do not want to be unhappy.” Everybody is like this. We are all running after good things while running away from unpleasant things. It is this dilemma that we are trying to overcome with Mind Training.

-- Ringu Tulku Rinpoche