This book is an inquiry into the oneness of truth. It begins with the premise that suffering arises from a misunderstanding of oneself, which in turn leads to a misunderstanding of the greater truth. This then results in the discovery that we have been creating our own version of the truth. The two most prominent and opposing human emotions-happiness and unhappiness-exist simultaneously in the mind, much like two sides of a coin. As a result, unhappiness cannot be eliminated solely through the pursuit of happiness. The aim of this book therefore is not to show how to replace unhappiness with happiness, but to help readers understand the root causes of their suffering and unhappiness.
One of the major ideas explored in the book is that if happiness truly existed, it would be an inherent part of your being, and thus would be present at all moments, even in humans at the beginning of their evolution, or in newborn children who do not know who they are. Later, as we evolve from ignorant beings to egoic beings, where we presume to know ourselves, we still do not find happiness. In such experiences, many turn to human-constructed faiths and ideologies, but ultimately those do not fully remove suffering or provide lasting happiness.
The failure to find happiness has negative effects on the individual, but it also has implications on the global level. As people search for the meaning of life, they may find comfort in aligning themselves with the principles of philosophy, science, or religious belief. But staying in these comfort zones is a form of self-deception, similar to pigeons burying their heads in different pigeonholes. Consequently, even as many stay in their comfort zones, there is still extensive conflict, disagreement, violence, and animosity on the collective level. Until each individual stops clinging to the type of pleasure that is derived from their self-deceptive identity, no solutions will be found for our persistent global issues.