“Happiness is neither without us nor within us. It is in God, both without us and within us.”
- June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662
- French
- Mathematician, Physicist, Inventor, Philosopher, Theologian
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Quote
“Happiness is neither without us nor within us. It is in God, both without us and within us.”
Explanation
Pascal affirms that true happiness cannot be found purely in external circumstances (without us) or in self-reliance and inner effort (within us), but only in God, who transcends and yet dwells within both. He rejects the two extremes—worldly pursuit of pleasure or success, and purely internal self-sufficiency—as inadequate sources of lasting joy. Instead, he claims that happiness lies in a divine relationship that is both beyond us in majesty and near to us in presence.
In Pensées, Pascal often critiques the futile ways humans seek happiness—through distraction, material wealth, or philosophical pride—none of which can fill the deep void in the human heart. He argues that this longing is a clue to our origin and destiny, a sign that we are made for more than what the world or even introspection can offer. Only God, as both creator and indwelling spirit, can satisfy the restlessness of the soul.
In the modern age, where people often search for fulfillment either through external success or inward self-optimization, Pascal’s insight challenges both paths. He reminds us that true happiness is not a self-made achievement or a worldly possession—it is a gift rooted in divine communion. His quote invites us to look not only around or within, but upward and inward together, to the source of joy that is both infinitely beyond and intimately present.
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