When we experience suffering, we tend to place its cause outside of ourselves. It is a flu bug, it is the government, it is old age, it is unfair, it is wrong, you did this, you harmed me, it is a malicious supernatural being, or God is absent. If we are aware of the suffering of others, we tend to observe it dispassionately and emotionally remove ourselves from seeing the humanity of a suffering person. It is somehow their fault, that’s life, too bad, sorry.
However, if we stop, take a deep breath, and try to look at the world as it is, we see that we cause our own suffering by being attached to transitory objects and expectations. We want things because we believe acquiring them will make us happy and secure and we reject things because they cause us unease.
After obtaining enlightenment, the Buddha’s first teaching (c. 528 B.C.) became known as the Four Noble Truths. 1: Existence means suffering. 2: The origin of suffering is attachment. 3: The ending of suffering is obtainable. 4: There is an Eightfold Path that ends suffering.
There is a Buddhist phrase that asks us to “lean into the needles.” This means to inquire directly into the root of our suffering and not to try and avoid suffering by distracting ourselves. Slow down and look within. Examine why you want things and why you reject things. Then you can lessen your own suffering and the suffering of others.
No comments:
Post a Comment