Neither the enjoyment of gross sensual pleasures, nor that of subtle extra-sensual pleasures, leads to lasting happiness. When pleasure of any kind comes to an end, the result is sorrow. And because every situation is impermanent, it is bound to change, to come to an end. When a pleasurable experience comes to an end, the mind struggles to regain it. This craving brings misery.
True happiness comes only from that which remains stable.
When we become used to observing with complete detachment, our faculty of observation can remain stable even if the objects of our observation keep changing. We do not become elated when we experience sensual or supra-mundane pleasures, nor do we cry when they pass away. In both situations we watch objectively, like a spectator watching a play. At the depths of the mind, as we observe the changing nature of even the most subtle sensations, right understanding arises about the profound truth of impermanence. We observe every changing situation with the same objective and impartial view.