Suffering

Suffering (Sanskrit: duḥkha) is the first of the four truths of the noble ones taught by the Buddha in his first teaching. It is the pain that accompanies birth, growing old, falling sick, and dying. It also includes the suffering of meeting the unpleasant and parting from the pleasant. Not finding what is being sought is also suffering. In short the five perpetuating aggregates are suffering. This is what we call suffering. (Lalitavistara Sutra)

In the above reference, eight types of suffering are identified; namely, the sufferings of:

(1) birth,

(2) old age,

(3) sickness,

(4) death,

(5) meeting what is unpleasant,

(6) parting from what is pleasant,

(7) not finding what is being sought, and

(8) the five aggregates.

The noble eightfold path, which is part of the truth of the path, is taught as an antidote to these eight types of suffering.

These eight types of sufferings can also be condensed into three:

(1) Suffering of suffering

(2) Suffering of change

(3) All-pervasive suffering of conditioning

Source: https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Suffering


Contemplation: The First Noble Truth describes the nature of life and our personal experience of this impermanent, ever-changing world. All beings desire happiness, safety, peace, and comfort. We desire what is satisfying, pleasurable, joyful, and permanent. However, the very nature of existence is impermanent, always changing, and therefore incapable of fully satisfying our desire. Inevitably, we experience frustration, anger, loss, unhappiness, and dissatisfaction. Life is in constant change, and changes such as birth, old age, sickness, and death can bring dissatisfaction or suffering. Suffering may arise from being associated with people or conditions that are unpleasant, from being separated from people we love or conditions we enjoy, from not getting what we desire, or from getting what we desire then losing it. Even our own thoughts and feelings are impermanent, constantly changing. Inevitably, all physical, emotional, and mental conditions will change.
Insight into the First Noble Truth: To overcome dissatisfaction and suffering, it is essential that we understand and accept the ever-changing, impermanent nature of life; we acknowledge the presence of dissatisfaction and suffering; we understand the very nature of suffering, and we embrace suffering compassionately, without fear or avoidance. (From The Heart of Dharma Collection)
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