RE: I Want & Happiness Are Not Compatible
It is a paraphrase I think. I also think provided that you consider the great wheel of karma that all paths do lead up the mountain. Life is a series of lessons. It is through our karma and coming into it that we reach the dharma. My main point is that desireless is; moksha or liberation, that desire is often a construct of the ego and its sort of Maslowvian up bringing. Many people die little deaths along the way on their paths and that leads to little bits of enlightenment. Much like the addict who hits rock bottom and finds compassion for themselves and grows to love themselves and others. The only time that we have is now. It is in each moment that we have to be conscious as we can. We cannot address unintended consequence ie best intent worst possible outcome. We can only choose how we see things. Our pronouncement of good or bad. These tie us to suffering. Life is our path, it is the curriculum of karma. There is a little bit of a trick to this. If you strive not to want you still are wanting. It is only when it becomes a state of beingness that we are liberated. You can want to be happy. You have to be happy. Or you suffer endless circling on an asymptotic curve. Wanting to be happy is only the approximation of being happy. Principally I am saying that happiness comes from within.
moksha definition:
release from the cycle of rebirth impelled by the law of karma.
the transcendent state attained as a result of being released from the cycle of rebirth.
The 'quote' does not approximate any of the teachings of the Dharma. When the Buddha was asked if there is a self or not, he refused to answer. Which is not to be confused with the principle of not-self, i.e. identifying with functions of the self, as the self, for example consciousness and feelings.
The Buddha said that even to be born human with the ability to be able to practice is an extremely rare privilege.
The Buddha's last words were I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness! The 6th of the Noble Eightfold Path is Right Effort. Progress on the path is not just going to happen, it needs a decision, commitment and it needs active effort.
To understand the Second Noble Truth that all desire is the cause of suffering, is a misunderstanding. What it really means is a selfish clinging, with identifying with transient phenomena as yourself, that is the cause of suffering or stress. So to have a motivation, to want something in itself, is fine, what matters is the outcome that is wanted, and the way in which it is wanted. In other words, if the aim is to alleviate suffering to self and / or others, and there is not a selfish identification or clinging to the goal, then that is positive and in fact it should be part of the Path. For example, the Bodhisattva's vow to delay their own Nirvana in order to be reborn, to liberate all sentient beings. This is something that is wanted, it is a completely noble thing to want, and whether it actually happens or not is not another something that the ego clings to.
Tell me, do you have a practice, do you meditate, do you follow the Precepts?
I sit regularly. Mine is a path of service for the most part.
Good, see if you can improve it to sitting every day. This is the best book on meditation that's ever been written, IMHO. Strive with earnestness!