The Pursuit of Ultimate Joy

The Pursuit of Ultimate Joy: Why My Daughter Chose the Path of a Buddhist Nun

When people ask me what my daughter does for a living, and I tell them she is a Buddhist nun, the reaction is almost always the same: a look of utter confusion. This is especially true for our relatives, family friends, and her former university classmates.

In Taiwan, popular culture often portrays those who enter a monastery as people who have "failed" at life—perhaps they suffered a heartbreak, lost their job, or fell into total despair. Because of these stereotypes, people find it hard to understand why a young woman with a Master’s degree, who had a bright future ahead of her, would choose such a life. Some even ask me, "Why did you waste money sending her abroad for her Master's if she was just going to become a nun?"

I usually just smile. I understand their perspective; many see children as a financial investment for the future. But they don't see what I see. They don’t understand that my daughter isn't running away from life—she is running toward the highest form of happiness.

The Different Levels of Happiness

We all want to be happy, but we often confuse "pleasure" with "joy." The Buddha taught that there are different levels of happiness, and my daughter has chosen to pursue the most stable and profound among them.

The Happiness of the Senses: This is what most of us chase—money, food, sex, and fame. While these feel good momentarily, they never truly satisfy us. The hunger only grows. Worse, this pursuit often has dark consequences. Look at the recent scandals involving figures like Jeffrey Epstein; the pursuit of sensory pleasure without moral boundaries leads to the destruction of oneself and others.
The Happiness of Stillness: A higher level is the joy found in meditation. This is self-sufficient. You don’t need to buy anything or go anywhere. By simply crossing your legs and calming the mind, you can experience a profound sense of physical and mental lightness. Unlike sensory pleasure, which ends as soon as the stimulus is gone, this peace can be accessed whenever you have the time to sit.
The Happiness of Insight: Higher still is the joy of seeing the truth. My daughter is like an "astronaut of the inner world," exploring the mechanics of the mind. She is practicing the Four Noble Truths—the Buddha’s profound realization that while suffering exists, it has a specific root cause in our own cravings and attachments. By understanding that suffering can be ended and following the systematic path to achieve that end, she is removing the "virus" of the ego at its source.
The Happiness of Compassion: In the Mahayana tradition, the highest joy comes from dedicating countless lifetimes to helping others find their own way out of suffering. This is the "joy of service" on a cosmic scale.

A Wise Choice, Not a Wasted Life

To an outsider, her life seems "bitter." She wakes up before 4:00 AM, eats simple food, and avoids eating after noon. But people don’t realize that this simple, disciplined life is what allows her to focus. Without the distractions of modern consumerism, her mind becomes a sharp tool for meditation and wisdom.

Furthermore, she found it difficult to work in the corporate world. It is incredibly hard to find a modern career that doesn't harm the environment or involve some level of deception for profit. She was unwilling to compromise her integrity for a paycheck. And as for marriage? We see so many examples where building a life on the foundation of a traditional family leads to immense stress and disappointment.

As a parent, I feel honored. My daughter is working with a community of like-minded partners toward the ultimate goal of human existence. She is learning how to be truly happy, and more importantly, how to help others be happy.

If we truly love our children, shouldn't we be proud when they choose a path of wisdom, non-harm, and ultimate freedom? To me, her Master’s degree wasn't a waste of money—it gave her the intellectual maturity to choose this path with her eyes wide open. She hasn't lost the world; she has finally found her place in it.

Luke Lin 2/4/2026