That's not how I read this passage, not in the context of the Buddha. If you have any doubts about this, just recall the last time you thought about that shrimp dip in the fridge and how long it remained there once the thought entered your head. Soon after, Christ must go to Jerusalem to fulfill his destiny. Buddha, however, will lead a long life full of teachings. Victory over oneself is better than that over others.
Mental activity is the supreme suffering.
When one has grasped this as it really is, nirvana is the supreme happiness. In the midst of worried men, we live free from worry. I will be the first to tell you that my own life is hardly free from worry. Like many of you reading this, I can't help but wonder what my next major depression will bring on and how I will respond. I know when it happens I will be alone, forsaken by both Buddha and Christ.