Happiness is not being pained in body or troubled in mind.

The line defines happiness in negative terms: not as constant pleasure or achievement, but as the absence of two kinds of distress—physical pain and mental turmoil. It reflects a classical, Epicurean-inflected view in which the good life is marked by bodily ease and tranquility of mind rather than luxury, status, or intense sensation. Read this way, “happiness” becomes a practical, moderate condition: health, security, and inner calm are sufficient, and chasing excess can actually undermine happiness by producing anxiety and discomfort. The formulation also implies a balance between body and mind, suggesting that well-being is holistic and that mental agitation can be as destructive as physical suffering.