Search results for: "Suffering"

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  2. Here Be Tigers
     … What can you do minimize the amount of unnecessary suffering you’re causing yourself? When the Buddha taught the four noble truths, he put this problem—the suffering caused by craving, suffering caused by the mind itself—as the top problem. This is the number-one priority. This is the problem that needs most attention. Once you’ve solved this problem, then nothing else … 
  3. Victory
     … to comprehend suffering, to abandon its cause—when you see that your craving is causing you suffering; it’s nothing outside. Then you realize the cessation of suffering by developing the path. So there’s work to be done, and it’s to be done with heedfulness—in other words, realizing you can’t put it off. You’ve got to do it now … 
  4. Asalha Puja
     … That’s the suffering. The third level of knowledge is when you know that you’ve completed the duty: In this case, you’ve comprehended the suffering *fully. *Now, that level of knowledge doesn’t come until you’ve completed the duties for the other three noble truths as well—in fact all of them come together at that point. The second noble truth … 
  5. Clinging, Addictions, Obsessions
    Clinging, Addictions, Obsessions December 27, 2015 As the Buddha said, suffering is the clinging-aggregates. The aggregates themselves are related to the way we feed, and clinging is related to the way we feed as well. The word for clinging—upadana—can also mean sustenance and the act of taking sustenance from things. Of course, we don’t usually think of feeding as suffering … 
  6. Mental Movements
     … suffering and the end of suffering. As we approach the practice, we have to realize that these are the big issues in life. In particular, the suffering we cause ourselves are the big issue. And when the Buddha talks in terms of the four noble truths, that’s the suffering he’s focusing on, where there’s clinging to the five aggregates: clinging to … 
  7. Beyond Nature
     … If you do this with ignorance, you suffer. If you can learn how to do it with knowledge, you can turn these processes of fabrication into the path. This doesn’t mean that when you’re on the path you don’t suffer. It’s simply a different type of suffering. It’s a suffering that leads to the end of suffering, the kamma … 
  8. Overcoming Delusion
     … Because the whole problem with an unskillful action is that even though it’s causing suffering, it’s causing stress, it’s causing harm in one way or another, we don’t see it. Either we don’t see the connection—we know that we’re suffering but we don’t know why. Or we accept the level of suffering and say, “Well, that … 
  9. Inner Authorities
     … Many people have pointed out that that’s two things, unless you decide that accepting suffering is the end of suffering. But the Buddha never said, “one thing and one thing only.” What he said was, “All I teach is suffering and the end of suffering.” Two things. So, we have a choice. Which do you want? Do you want to keep on suffering … 
  10. Appropriate Attention
     … When you have a sense that you’re suffering, he doesn’t simply say that there is suffering. He says that suffering is something that you’re doing. You’re clinging to the five aggregates of form, feeling, perceptions, thought fabrications, and consciousness. And why are you doing that? Because of craving. Now, that right there is pretty radical. Most of us, when we … 
  11. Respect for Heedfulness
     … And that’s why Buddhism focuses on suffering and stress: to give rise to the kind respect for heedfulness that will take us beyond suffering. Some people accuse Buddhism of being very pessimistic and negative, focusing only on suffering and stress as if it were denying that there is any pleasure in life. But the Buddha never denies pleasure. He talks about it very … 
  12. Proving the Teachings
     … He said, there is suffering in life—in the way we cling to the aggregates—and it comes from craving. We tend to blame our suffering on people outside, situations outside, but actually, whatever the situation is, the reason it makes the mind suffer is because of the way the mind relates to it. Think of all the effort we put into trying to … 
  13. The Equanimity of a Victor
     … We suffer but we don’t understand our suffering. When the Buddha says suffering is the five clinging-aggregates, our immediate reaction is “What? What does that have to do with my suffering?” It seems abstract, far away, technical. But it really has to do with what you’re doing. Because the aggregates are activities. They’re actions. Even form is something you actively … 
  14. Refuge for All Beings
     … He taught an end to suffering—not only for people who deserved not to suffer but for everybody, whether you “deserve” your suffering or not. It wasn’t a matter of deserving or not deserving; it was simply a matter of discernment—realizing that if you could find true happiness within, it would be for everybody’s good. That was the kind of goodwill … 
  15. The Power is in Your Hands
     … The craving that causes suffering is not somebody else’s craving; it’s your own craving. I know of one Dhamma teacher who objects to this, saying that actually craving comes from suffering, and then he leaves it right there: Craving is natural because suffering is natural. He doesn’t explain where suffering comes from. But what purpose does that solve, and what problem … 
  16. A Path Rooted in Desire
     … Here our desire is to put an end to suffering, to act in a way that, instead of causing suffering, will actually bring about its end. So. Try to understand: What is suffering, how is it caused, and what would be required to put an end to it? That’s right view. Then you realize that the various truths of right view—suffering, its … 
  17. Equanimity & Exertion
    We meditate to put an end to the causes of suffering and stress. And as the Buddha said, there are two kinds. Which means you need two kinds of meditation or two aspects to the meditation. The first kind is the kind of suffering or stress whose cause goes away when all you do is just look at it with equanimity. In other words … 
  18. Mindful of the Buddha’s Shoulds
     … So, No, you should try to comprehend your suffering. You comprehend it by seeing that the suffering itself is something you might not expect. The Buddha gives examples: aging, illness, and death are suffering, not getting what you want is suffering, having to be with what you don’t like, having to be separated from what you do like. These things are all suffering … 
  19. Stubborn Clinging
     … pointing out first that our clinging is suffering. This is the essence of all the mind’s sufferings: its ways of clinging to the five aggregates. The recognition of this suffering—the stress, the pain you’re causing yourself—and the recognition that it’s not necessary: Those are the only things that are going to get you out of those really stubborn mind … 
  20. The Dhamma Wheel
     … Yet the Buddha’s saying that if we go for the craving that causes these things, it’s going to cause suffering. He’s saying some counterintuitive things. Feeding is suffering. The desire to take on an identity so that you can feed is a cause of suffering. Yet for most of us, this is where we find our pleasure. Then there’s the … 
  21. Make a Difference
     … Here you have to have compassion, because if you act in ways that are harmful, even without ill-will, you’re going to suffer as a result. So you have to think about the well-being of those who might be suffering. And again, if there’s anything you can do to help them end their suffering, you’d be happy to help. Try … 
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