Living Through Suffering
Whether human or animal, we all seek happiness. But as we live our lives, we encounter sufferings. Sufferings can range from small annoyances to big difficulties. How can we deal with sufferings in our lives? How do they relate to happiness? How can we live a happier life? What is the path to happiness? Khenpo Sodargye discusses these questions in this talk.
Suffering Is a Teacher
Excerpt 1: To Understand the Nature of Suffering Is the Way to Stop Suffering
According to Buddhist sutras, it is not possible to pinpoint any experience of happiness in samsara. All sentient beings in the six realms, including human beings, are also said to be living on the tip of the needles. There are many other analogies that depict samsara—as a pit of blazing fire or a territory of Rakshasas, etc. These imply that there can be no peace and happiness in samsara, the essence of which is suffering. Even if one can encounter a little happiness, such experiences are impermanent, unstable, and not ultimate. Since the nature of everything in samsara is suffering, does it mean that whatever we do is useless and we can never change the suffering? It is not like this. If we can understand that although there is suffering, it is unreal and we can gradually overcome them. As such, we can face and accept suffering. So we should recognize the essence of samsaric life, which is mainly suffering.
Excerpt 2: Happiness Is the Cause of Suffering
Superficially, our life appears to have no pain. We mistake this as happiness. Such happiness is actually the cause of suffering.
Excerpt 3: Suffering Is a Teacher
It is very important for us to recognize suffering. No one can escape suffering or eliminate it instantly. We need to think about suffering carefully, and to contemplate its essence, cause and the effect. Suffering is actually not so terrifying and harmful. Many practitioners can transform suffering into Dharma practices. Although they also experience suffering, they are not harmed by such experiences. Suffering can be a good teacher as it provides a good learning opportunity for us to realize its nature.
Excerpt 4: How to Transform Suffering into Wisdom and Ultimate Bliss?
Suffering has no intrinsic existence. For example, when we experience severe pain in our daily life, we cannot find the pain externally nor internally. It is not in the past, and it is not in the future. The so-called present is just a split second. If we can observe and recognize the essence of the suffering when we feel it, it can be converted to wisdom. Then we will have no suffering and can obtain the supreme peace and happiness.
Excerpt 5: The Cessation of Suffering
According to Buddhist sutras, we need to understand suffering. To know the cause of suffering, we first need to comprehend “the truth of the origin of suffering”, which refers to karma and affliction. After we understand the cause of suffering, then by means of the non-dualistic wisdom of “the truth of the path to the cessation of suffering”, we can gradually understand that our mind is devoid of intrinsic existence, which is the ultimate truth. If we can realize it, we will not only obtain happiness, but also comprehend the nature of all phenomena. And this is called the actualization of “the truth of the cessation of suffering” in Buddhism, which may be unfamiliar to you. In brief, this cessation of suffering is a stable and ultimate happiness which can be generated in our mind stream. There are many such great beings in our life, who, after realizing the essence of suffering, eliminate not only their own suffering, but also lead many sentient beings onto the path of liberation.
Suffering Is a Teacher
It is very important for us to recognize suffering. No one can escape suffering or eliminate it instantly. We need to think about suffering carefully, and to contemplate its essence, cause and the effect. Suffering is actually not so terrifying and harmful. Many practitioners can transform suffering into Dharma practices. Although they also experience suffering, they are not harmed by such experiences. Suffering can be a good teacher as it provides a good learning opportunity for us to realize its nature.
How to Transform Suffering into Wisdom and Ultimate Bliss?
Suffering has no intrinsic existence. For example, when we experience severe pain in our daily life, we cannot find the pain externally nor internally. It is not in the past, and it is not in the future. The so-called present is just a split second. If we can observe and recognize the essence of the suffering when we feel it, it can be converted to wisdom.
“If we can observe and recognize the essence of the suffering, we can transform suffering into wisdom. Then we will not suffer and we can achieve supreme peace and happiness.”
