034-Suffering and pain - Buddhism in daily life

Suffering and pain are not the same thing, for example, we can
suffer without being in physical pain.


Pain is a complex sensory sensation sent to the brain mainly by
signals from the nerves. Suffering, on the other hand, refers to
everything that burdens a person physically and mentally. These
are primarily unfulfilled expectations or needs, loss and
separation, constraints, old age, illness and death. Of course,
one can also suffer from pain, such as chronic pain, but the word
"suffering" is aimed more at the mental component, whereas pain
has come to mean physical injury.


According to Buddha, we suffer, the philosophy of the great
teacher revolves around suffering as the source of our
dissatisfaction, of our hardship with ourselves, but also with
the environment. We begin to suffer because we realize that
nothing is permanent, we will lose everything, change will be the
only constant in life.


Nevertheless, there are greed, hatred and delusion in us humans,
which throw us completely off track, close us the true
connections. What is the use of being greedy when we will lose
everything again? What is the use of hating when all living
beings will perish? What is the use of being blinded, when we
clearly see old age coming, so we know what is coming.


Whether we suffer or not, that is first and foremost a decision.
It sounds very simple and it is very simple. If you decide right
now not to suffer anymore, no matter what may come, then you will
not suffer anymore. A close relative dies, you decide whether you
will suffer. Because one thing is certain, the relative had to
die, because all people die. You say: But not now, I miss him/her
so much. Well, but why suffer from it, dying is a natural
process. What is the use if you suffer "like a dog"? What would
change if you would adopt a neutral approach, something like
Buddha recommended to his followers? Nothing would change, the
world would continue to turn, your environment would be
unchanged, only you yourself, you would be much more comfortable.
After all, if you can't change anything, why fret about it?
Couldn't it be that by reaching "enlightenment" we could change
the matter a lot? And if so, how?


We cannot always avoid pain, but we can avoid suffering. Free
yourself from suffering, it's your choice.





Wise is he who comes to the complete annihilation of suffering in
relation to arising and passing away


- Buddha - honorary name of Siddharta Gautama - 560 to 480 before
the year zero





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