Lately I've been thinking about the slogan, “Always maintain only a joyful mind” • at the same time, I've been haunted by the teachings that describe samsara, the nature of reality, as an ocean of suffering • if the world is marked by endless suffering, how can you be joyful? and if the world is fundamentally good and wholesome, how do you account for suffering? • the Buddha's earliest teachings on the Four Noble Truths — suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path — were presented as a liberating and joyful discovery • we recognize there are causes of suffering, and because of that, it's workable; because we can remove the causes of suffering, it's possible to free ourselves • whatever this joyful mind is about, it's not about pretending things are okay when they’re not • nor is it about closing off bad stuff so we can have a little island of good and hang out there • it's easy to feel that the only way we can show we care about this world and our fellow suffering beings is to feel bad all the time • but the quality of joy radiates; it actually affects the environment in a healing and a positive direction • without joy, things get very tight, more fixed, less visionary • I would go as far as to say that joy is an essential part of the heroic path of compassion.