The Shape of Suffering – A Study of Dependent Co-arising by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Dependent co-arising—paticca samuppada—is the Buddha’s most complete analysis of the conditions leading to suffering, together with the conditions leading to suffering’s end. A passage in the Canon states that this was the topic he contemplated on emerging from his first week of meditation after his Awakening. From the book:
The problem is that the bewilderment often guides the search, leading to more suffering and stress. To resolve this dilemma, the Buddha devoted his life, after his
Awakening, to showing a reliable way to the end of stress. In summarizing the whole of his teaching, he said:
“Both formerly & now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress.”
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Shape of Suffering
Suffering as a core concept of Buddhism
Buddhism’s understanding of suffering, or “dukkha” in Pali, is a fundamental concept and forms the core of the Buddha’s teachings. The concept of suffering in Buddhism is multi-dimensional and can be understood in several layers:
- The Three Types of Suffering:
- Dukkha-dukkha: The suffering of suffering. This is the most obvious kind of suffering, including physical and emotional pain, sickness, injury, old age, and death.
- Viparinama-dukkha: The suffering of change. This refers to the distress that comes from the impermanent nature of things. Even pleasurable experiences are ultimately unsatisfactory because they are subject to change and loss.
- Sankhara-dukkha: The suffering of conditioned states. This is a more subtle form of suffering that arises from our attachment to desires and aversions, even in the absence of immediate pain or change.
- The Four Noble Truths: Buddhism’s central teachings revolve around the Four Noble Truths, which explain the nature of suffering and the path to its cessation:
- The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha): Recognizes that suffering exists in life.
- The Truth of the Cause of Suffering (Samudaya): Identifies desire or craving as the root cause of suffering.
- The Truth of the End of Suffering (Nirodha): Suggests that eliminating craving can lead to the cessation of suffering.
- The Truth of the Path to the End of Suffering (Magga): Prescribes the Eightfold Path as the means to end suffering.
- The Role of Attachment and Ignorance:
- Buddhism teaches that ignorance about the nature of reality and attachment to impermanent things are the primary causes of suffering. This ignorance leads to craving and aversion, which in turn lead to suffering.
- Impermanence (Anicca):
- The understanding that all things are impermanent and subject to change is central to the Buddhist view of suffering. Attachment to things that are naturally impermanent leads to suffering.
- No-Self (Anatta):
- The concept of Anatta, or not-self, teaches that the idea of a permanent, unchanging self is an illusion. Clinging to this false notion of self is seen as a source of suffering.
- Mindfulness and Meditation:
- Practices like mindfulness and meditation are key in Buddhism for understanding and transcending suffering. They help to cultivate insight into the nature of reality and reduce attachment and aversion.
Buddhism, therefore, views suffering not just as an inevitable part of life but as a pivotal element that can lead to spiritual growth and enlightenment through understanding and transformation.