27 February 2012

My problem with the third truth of Buddhism

Just in case you forgot the first two, they are, in my words:

1.  Life is Awry
2. Grasping and craving create suffering

Number 3 seems almost anti-climactic:  You can get rid of suffering.

Sounds great huh?  Everyone would love to have a life with no problems, no suffering.

But....

Is it really possible?

Not is it possible for someone who spends their life pursuing that goal, but is it possible for someone who merely wants to live their own life in the best way that they can.

Words are difficult, and this is where many of you will lose patience with me and my need to make fine distinctions between things that often seem the same, but to understand my own train of thought here I have to come to a good understanding of what the word suffering means and how to communicate that idea to others in a way that actually expresses what I intend it to.

I'm going to be working on that throughout the next week or so.

                                  Here's what this cat thinks of your suffering:

I, however, do care.  For those of you so inclined, what does that word, suffering, mean to you?  I'd love to hear what you think.
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2 comments:

  1. VioletitaPorfavorMarch 22, 2012 at 2:26 PM

    There is the type of suffering that I experience when I lose when I see my father in pain due to his illness. There is the type of suffering when I have have to make a choice between paying rent or buying food. Rent always wins because, well, because I don't want to suffer the experience of being homeless. There is the type of suffering that I experience when I see my son feel sad and then there is the suffering I experience when my son whines and cries and tries to argue with me. There is also the suffering I have experienced physically like a migraine or a toothache. I don't know if those should be in the Pain category of if suffering is just another word for pain or vise versa.

    I'll have to think on this.

    Take Care,

    Vi

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  2. Anh NguyenApril 26, 2012 at 11:04 PM

    I suffer when my heart doesn't listen to my mind in major decisions. I suffer when my laziness overcome autonomy. I suffer when I saw other people work hard because of me ... Birth, ageing, diseases, death are elements of life. People are born while they are crying (mostly) and pass away in others crying. Therefore, "You can 'not' get rid of suffering" unless you are monks, whose minds are 'trained' to be out of norms.

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