This is a thought I have when reading Self-learning by Nguyen Duy Can.
The Buddha on his way seeking true happiness, he found true contentment is the liberation from everything, and even liberation from true happiness. Some people find it happy in stupidity, like the sheep. They happily gaze on weed, until they are killed for wool or meat. One sheep seeks true happiness, but it is going to fight against the herders, the believes ingrained the other sheeps, and may not even find true happiness.
I doubt the Buddha ever found true happiness. It’s out of the human reach.
However, the sheep seeking liberation though went through hardship, found the journey true happiness.