Reply: Well, you may stop searching for causeless peace by simply taking up drinking wine and boozing. Does that mean you awoke?
You can also stop searching out of frustration or out of a sense of (hidden) despair. Does that mean you awoke?
You can also stop searching because your life situation is now your main interest. Does that mean you awoke?
You can also stop searching because you believe that you have arrived to an epiphany. Does that mean you awoke?
The question is What is it to awaken?
Awakening refers to the established realization of causeless happiness. Meaning you are happy for no reason and this happiness is no longer disturbed by events and conditions.
You are at ease and the sense of angst and concern is no longer on board no matter what the circumstances are.
You may stop searching prematurely and that is a major vasanas for many people along the path.
If you have not arrived at the certainty of causeless happiness in your life and you stop prematurely, it is like stopping at a rest stop along your journey and building your home in the rest stop rather than by the ocean.
There is nothing better than now if now is peace and happiness. There is better than now is now is misery and the sense of lack.
The teachers who say: ‘There is nothing better than now’ or ‘all there is is now’, if they are stuck with these mantras without having realized happiness are teaching a neo-happiness.
Neo-happiness does not cut it.