I am reading a Buddhist book about meditations, Meditations 1: the Dhamma Talks, and this one section jumps out at me as an essential truth:
"The whole idea that happiness has to consist either in doing things only for your own selfish motives or for other people to the sacrifice of yourself — the dichotomy between the two — is something very Western, but it's antithetical to the Buddha's teachings. According to the Buddha's teachings, true happiness is something that, by its nature, gets spread around. By working for your own true benefit, you're working for the benefit of others. And by working for the benefit of others, you're working for your own. In the act of giving to others you gain rewards. In the act of holding fast to the precepts, holding fast to your principles, protecting others from your unskillful behavior, you gain as well. You gain in mindfulness; you gain in your own sense of worth as a person, your own self-esteem. You protect yourself."
The idea that we are successful through serving others is a core tenant of free market economics: the spirit of entrepreneurship. We attain happiness through that service. Service itself is the reward, not material wealth. And society as a whole benefits.
