Stop Searching Outside – The Ultimate Truth is Within You
Discovering Truth: Not Outside, But Within You
You might have searched for peace, purpose, or meaning in the outside world in books, religions, teachers, or even through travels. But what if I told you that what you seek has always been inside you?
Let’s explore this profound truth step-by-step.
Rohitassa’s Journey: The God Who Ran in Vain
In the Rohitassa Sutta, a celestial being named Rohitassa approached the Buddha. In one of his previous births, he had possessed immense speed and lived an extraordinarily long life. With that ability, he thought he could reach the end of the world the edge where suffering ends.
He ran tirelessly, without rest, without eating, without wasting a moment. But he died before ever finding the end of the world.
Then the Buddha said something powerful:
"One cannot reach the end of the world by walking. But unless one reaches the end of the world, one cannot escape suffering."
He wasn’t speaking about geography.
He was talking about you—your inner world.
- Numbered Discourses 4.45
- 5. With Rohitassa
- Numbered Discourses 4.45
- 5. With Rohitassa
With Rohitassa
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Then, late at night, the glorious godling Rohitassa, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:
“Sir, is it possible to know or see or reach the end of the world by traveling to a place where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn?”
“Reverend, I say it’s not possible to know or see or reach the end of the world by traveling to a place where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn.”
“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing, how well said this was by the Buddha.
Once upon a time, I was a seer called Rohitassa of the Bhoja people. I was a sky-walker with psychic powers. I was as fast as a light arrow easily shot across the shadow of a palm tree by a well-trained expert archer with a strong bow. My stride was such that it could span from the eastern ocean to the western ocean. Having such speed and stride, this wish came to me: ‘I will reach the end of the world by traveling.’ I traveled for my whole lifespan of a hundred years pausing only to eat and drink, go to the toilet, and sleep to dispel weariness and I passed away along the way, never reaching the end of the world.
It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing, how well said this was by the Buddha.”
“Reverend, I say it’s not possible to know or see or reach the end of the world by traveling to a place where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn. But I also say there’s no making an end of suffering without reaching the end of the world. For it is in this fathom-long carcass with its perception and mind that I describe the world, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.
The end of the world can neverbe reached by traveling.But without reaching the end of the world,there’s no release from suffering.
So an intelligent person, understanding the world,
has completed the spiritual journey,and gone to the end of the world. A calm one, knowing the end of the world,does not hope for this world or the next.”
So, Are You Really Happy?
Let’s pause and ask the question we rarely ask ourselves honestly.
Are you happy?
Do you feel deeply content, often?
Or is there always something missing? A low hum of discomfort, stress, or confusion underneath all your busyness?
Think about:
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Your job. Are you doing it joyfully, or just to survive?
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Your kids. Are you deeply connected with them? Are you confident about their future?
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This world. Does it act according to your hopes? What about war, disease, crime, politics?
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Yourself. Is your health okay? Are you at peace, or do you constantly feel tired?
And time it just flies, doesn’t it?
You were a teenager yesterday, it feels like. And now you’re an adult running through tasks, paying bills, chasing goals. The question is:
Where are you going?
The Reality of Life: A Mirror We Avoid
People don’t like facing the truth. That’s just human nature.
We run from the tough realities of life, like:
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Sickness (cancer, chronic diseases)
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Aging
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Separation from loved ones
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Constant change
We distract ourselves with shopping, vacations, social media, TV series. We try to forget that nothing we have is permanent.
But have you ever lost someone dear? Or seen someone healthy diagnosed with cancer?
It hits different when it happens to you, right?
The Five Aggregates – What You Call “You”
Buddha pointed out that what we call “self” is made of five ever-changing elements:
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Form – your physical body
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Feeling – sensations you experience
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Perception – how you recognize things
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Mental formations – thoughts, intentions, emotions
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Consciousness – awareness itself
These five things are always shifting. Like clouds. Like waves.
So if “you” are built on change, where can stability be found?
The Six Sense Bases – The World Inside
Let’s break it down even more.
We experience the “world” through six doors:
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Eyes – see
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Ears – hear
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Nose – smell
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Tongue – taste
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Body – touch
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Mind – thoughts and feelings
Every pleasure, every sorrow, every problem enters through these six.
That’s the entire world. Right here.
You don’t need to travel to Paris or space to find the truth. It’s happening through your eyes, ears, thoughts…right now.
Why Are We So Tired? The Illusion of Fulfillment
Most people chase:
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Money
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Status
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Luxury
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Fame
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Sensual pleasures
But have you ever met anyone who said, “I’m completely fulfilled. I want nothing more.”?
No. Because it never ends.
One phone, then the next model. One house, then a bigger one. One praise, then more recognition.
Cravings are like fire. The more you feed, the bigger it gets.
Craving and Bondage: Are You Free or Tied Up?
Supreme Buddha said: “Craving is the root of suffering.”
We’re not just working for money. We’re chained by desire.
We don’t love others unconditionally. We’re attached out of fear or dependency.
We don’t live mindfully. We’re running, hoping the next moment is better than now.
Are you really free?
Lay Life and Awakening: A Balanced Path
You don’t have to give up everything and live in a cave.
The Buddha never said that awakening is only for monks.
Even while working, raising children, running businesses you can train your mind to see reality clearly.
The key is:
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Mindfulness
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Reflection
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Letting go of excess craving
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Understanding impermanence
How to Begin Looking Inward
You might ask: “How do I enter the truth from within?”
Here’s a basic starting point:
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Sit quietly for 10 minutes daily
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Watch your breath without controlling it
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Notice thoughts, feelings, and sensations
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Reflect on impermanence everything is changing
Ask yourself:
Who am I, truly?
What remains when everything changes?
Is chasing this or that really making me happy?
This Moment Is Your World
Every moment you’re alive is a miracle.
Stop waiting for “someday.”
The truth isn’t in heaven or some holy land it’s in your experience, right now.
The pain, the joy, the doubts it’s all part of the path.
All you have to do is look within, not outward.
The Meaning of Life? Realizing Truth
We often wonder:
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What’s the purpose of life?
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Is it just birth, struggle, and death?
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Is it money, fame, or pleasure?
And that’s found within this body, this mind not anywhere else.
Conclusion: Wake Up Before It’s Too Late
But the clock is ticking.
One day your body will give up. And what have you truly discovered?
Don’t wait until disease, death, or loss wake you up.
Wake up now.
Enter into the truth from yourself.
This isn’t depressing. It’s freeing.
It’s not about renouncing the world. It’s about living fully awake inside it.
Real peace, real meaning, is already in you. You just need to stop running and look.
FAQs
1. What does “enter into the truth from yourself” mean?
It means to look inward and realize the truth of life through your own body, mind, and experiences, rather than searching outside for answers.
2. How can I practice this in my daily life?
Start with mindfulness meditation, self-reflection, and observing how your senses and thoughts shape your experience. Be present and question your assumptions.
3. What did the Buddha say about the body being the world?
He taught that within this very body with perception and awareness the origin and end of the world can be understood. Everything you experience happens here.
4. Is this teaching only for monks or religious people?
No. The truth is accessible to anyone layperson or monk who sincerely investigates their inner world.
5. Why do people avoid thinking about impermanence and suffering?
Because it’s uncomfortable. People fear losing control or confronting painful truths. But understanding these realities is the key to true peace.
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