The Truth of Suffering

Buddhism's cornerstone teachings describe suffering, death, impermance, emptiness and the immutable laws of karma.   For this reason, Buddhism is often described as depressing, pessimistic and nihilistic.  From another perspective, these teachings cause great delight.  Nothing is more refreshing than looking at our world just the way it is.

Suffering is translated from the Sanskrit word dukha.  Dukha might be more appropriately translated as dissatisfaction.  The Truth of Suffering teaches our existence as pervaded by a feeling of dissatisfaction.  Such thoughts are not foreign to Western thought.   Classically, we have Thoreau "The mass of men  live a lives of quiet desperation."

Dissatisfaction takes many forms and many degrees.  It may be expressed as extraordinary suffering such as dying of cancer, starvation or losing a loved one.  It may be expressed in events that cause big disruptions such as the furnace breaking down, failing a course or getting laid off.  It may be as mundane as being short changed, stubbing your toe or it being too hot outside.

In any event, the world we attempt to secure for ourself, whether that world is physical, emotional or spiritual, is actually subject to decay. Our efforts to secure and solidify our existence are futile and yet we try again and again.  These futile efforts based upon deluded views of reality are the basis of our suffering, our dissatisfaction.

The Truth of the Origins of Suffering

Why does dissatisfaction arise?   We realize we suffer from deluded views and our efforts to prop them up, but where does that come from, what causes that?   The Truth of the Origins of Suffering teaches us that suffering arises from karma (the laws of cause and effect) and kleshas (the veils of conflicting emotions).

Karma is both easy and difficult to understand and assimilate.   The Second Law of Thermodynamics briefly states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.   The actions and reactions in our world become quite complex due to multiple simulatneous factors giving rise to such expressions as Chaos Theory and Complexity Theory.  Karma is like that.

When we do anything or think anything, those actions ripple out and have consequences.  Some consequences are apparent.  Some consequences elude our attention.  Regardless, the consequences take place and are inescapable.

Our current circumstances are a direct expression of our past actions.  From a Buddhist perspective, these past actions are not restricted to this life but over infinite past lives forming a swift river we are carried by.   It is critical to realize, we are not being rewarded or punished for past actions.  Rather, certain actions create certain consequences.  Both seemingly good fortune and bad fortune change and reverse.

We are all familiar with kleshas.  Generally, kleshas are emotions known as passion, aggression, ignorance, jealousy and pride.  They bear striking resemblance to the seven deadly sins.   The kleshas obscure our view of the world and color it to take on certain appearances.  Those appearances are a distorted version of reality.

As we view our world through kleshas, our style of relating with everything becomes colored.   We grasp (passion), push away (aggression), ignore (ignorance), covet (jealousy) and boast (pride).  None of these accurately express anything but we get caught up and dissatisfaction arises.

The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering

Having identified causes, the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering teaches that we need not suffer.   We create our suffering in every moment.  We construct the prison that we find ourselves in.   But how?  How do you cease believing that you can solidify your world to create a lasting castle of happiness.  How do you work with karma?   How do you avoid absorption in the conflicting emotions, in the seven deadly sins?

Training in meditation;  Training in the development of wisdom and compassion; Training in being fully present in each moment; all provide a means of cessation of suffering.

The Truth of the Path

The Truth of the Path teaches that there are methods for alleviating suffering.  We are not condemned to suffer but may train in the causes and conditions that give rise to an awake, clear and joyous mind.

The Eightfold Path lays out a framework of these methods.

Right View

Right Intention

Right Speech

Right Action

Right Livelihood

Right Effort

Right Mindfulness

Right Concentration