When the instructed noble disciple is touched by a painful feeling, however, he does not worry, grieve or lament; he does not beat his breast or weep; nor is he distraught. He experiences only one feeling–a bodily one and not a mental one. It is as if a man were pierced by a dart, but was not pierced by the second dart. So it is with the instructed noble disciple. Having been touched by that painful feeling, he neither resists nor resents it. Therefore, no deep tendency for resistence or resentment comes into being. Hence, in consequence of the painful feeling, he does not proceed to enjoy sensual happiness. Why not? It is because he knows of an escape from painful feeling other than by enjoying sensual happiness. Then, in not enjoying sensual happiness, no deep tendency to lust for a pleasant feeling comes into being. He knows as it really is the arising and ending of those feelings, their satisfaction, their danger, and the escape from them. Knowing this, no deep tendency to ignorance as to neutral feelings comes into being. Therefore, whether he feels a pleasant, painful or neutral feeling, he feels it as one free from it. He is free from birth, old age and death, and from sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. He is, I declare, free from suffering.
–Samyutta Nikaya IV, 207

Living Happily

Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was staying near Alavi, lodging on the leaf- strewn ground of a cattle track in a simsapa grove.
At that time, Hatthaka of Alavi passed by. When he saw the Blessed One, he approached, saluted the Blessed One, and sat down at one side. So seated, he spoke to the Blessed One thus:
"Pray, Venerable Sir, does the Blessed One live happily?"
"Yes, Prince, I live happily. Among those in the world who live happily, I am one."
"But, Venerable Sir, the winter nights are cold, and this is a week when there is frost. Hard is the ground trampled by the hoofs of cattle; thin is the spread of leaves; sparse are the leaves on the trees; thin are the saffron robes; and the wind blows cold. Yet the Blessed One says that he lives happily and that he is one of those in the world who live happily."
"Now, Prince, I shall put a question to you about this, and you may reply as you think fit. What do you think? Suppose a householder or a householder's son has a house with gabled roof, plastered inside and out, protected against the wind, with fastened door bolts and windows closed. In the house there is a couch, spread with a black, long-fleeced, woolen rug a bed-spread of white wool, a coverlet embroidered with flowers, and an exquisite antelope skin. This couch has a canopy overhead and scarlet cushions at each end. There is a lamp burning, and his four wives attend on him pleasantly. What do you think, Prince? Would that man live happily or not?"
"He would surely live happily, Venerable Sir. He would be one of those in the world who live happily."
"Well, what do you think, Prince? Might there not arise in that householder or householder's son distress of body or mind, caused by greed, so that, bothered by that, he would live unhappily?"
"Yes, Venerable Sir, that is possible."
"Now, Prince, that greed, which could cause distress of body and mind in that householder and disturb him, has been abandoned by the Tathagata, cut off at the root, made like a palm-tree stump, unable to grow again, unable to arise in future. That is why I live happily.
"Again, what do you think, Prince? Might there not arise in that householder or householder's son distress of body or mind, caused by hatred or delusion, so that, bothered by that, he would live unhappily?"
"Yes, Venerable Sir, that is possible."
"Now, Prince, that hatred and that delusion, which could cause distress of body and mind in that householder and disturb him have been abandoned by the Tathagata, cut off at the root, made like a palm-tree stump, unable to grow again, unable to arise in future. That is why I live happily."
Anguttara Nikaya III, 4, 34

In Savatthi, the Kosalan King Pasenadi, came to see the Buddha, who asked him:

"What do you think, O King? Suppose a loyal and trustworthy man were to come to you from the east and say: ‘Your majesty, you should know that I have come from the east and that there I saw a great mountain as high as the sky, moving forward, crushing all living creatures in its path. Do whatever you deem right, sire.'

"And then suppose a second man were to come from the west . . . a third from the north . . . a fourth from the south and say: ‘Your majesty, you should know that I have come from the south and that there I saw a great mountain as high as the sky, moving forward, crushing all living creatures in its path. Do whatever you deem right, sire.'

"When such a mighty peril threatens, O King, when a great danger of terrible destruction to human life approaches, and considering that a human birth is so difficult to obtain, what could you do?"

"When such a mighty peril threatens, Lord, when a great danger of terrible destruction to human life approaches, and considering that a human birth is so difficult to obtain, what else could I do but practice Dhamma, live calmly, do good, and make merit?"

"I tell you, O King, I put it to you: old age and death will come upon you. Since old age and death are coming, what is it you can do?"

"Since old age and death are coming upon me, what else can I do but practice Dhamma, live calmly, do good, and make merit?"

Samyutta Nikaya III 3,5