RSS Feed
Twitter
When speaking on the topic of suffering, we need not think over the pessimistic aspect of Buddhism since the teachings of the Buddha does not only concern with pessimism. If we believe that only bad things will happen then Buddhism can never be true teachings of the Buddha. Due to lack of proper understanding many followers seem to believe in pessimism. By the way, more important aspect of Buddhism is not to value dark side of life rather it encourages the followers to have proper outlook of life’s vision through optimistic attitude.
Although life’s success is to be achieved from the view point of optimistic attitude, ultimately most things-tangible or intangible, seen or unseen would change causing unpleasant in its turn. This could be a reason for people to consider Buddhism as the teachings of pessimism. But most important aspect of Buddhist teachings is the relativity of cause and effect because of this relativity whatever decided by the force of kamma does not link pessimism only.
So, the main cause of suffering – the ultimate truth ‘whatever has the nature of arising has the nature of ceasing’ is to be realized. Whether this concept is based on the pessimistic aspect or optimistic aspect, the truth is the same as mentioned above. When volition thoughts arising to pursue one’s aims holding fast onto any object could lead to suffering and the main cause behind suffering could be considered desire or craving (tanha). Just opposite of ‘tanha’ if the intention was to accumulate merits by performing wholesome deeds (Kusala Kamma) then ‘tanha’ could be overcome by ‘kusala chanda’ (good wholesome intention). Whatever was done under the pressure of ‘tanha’ would cause unsatisfactory and suffering in the end. Whatever was done in the light of ‘kusala chanda’ would pacify the mind of doer and the satisfaction he had achieved was the satisfaction but not like that of ‘tanha’
Optimistic towards new vision of life is required for lasting happiness whereas pessimistic attitude could collapse hopes of life and frustration eventually. Happiness and satisfaction are not easily reached. The Buddhist followers must be clear about the teachings of the Buddha in order to achieve hope and success through practicing the Buddhist way of life and eventually reach lasting happiness in the true sense of life.
Although it could seem as if far beyond our capacity to reach true happiness, start working out for liberation diligently then one day we could come near the end of suffering. In another word the end of suffering means true happiness of life. From this view point of life we need to know firstly what suffering is and its main cause concealed by ignorance (Avijja). As explained in many discourses the first two noble truths are all about suffering and its main cause behind suffering which unless and otherwise studied properly we could never overthrow the problem created within the frame these two truths.
In relation to most problems created by excessive desires. Buddha has pointed out certain teachings to live simple and overcome difficulties of life. Contentment is very highly appreciated. To a certain extent when one is content one is happy. But it is quite hard to assure whether one is content and satisfied with one’s belongings that one has possessed since long time ago. Again the problem of excessive desires which might pretend him as if a rich person for his lovely house adorned with rich furniture, but in reality that entire he had possessed was the result of making efforts to satisfy him by annexing more and more over and over again. Not knowing simple way of life generally one would invite many troubles to safeguard what he calls ‘this is my property.’ However, contentment could be the main aspect of life that how one had conducted to delight family and seems in his lovely house. When contentment is absent the atmosphere of that rich house would change. So, contentment is worthy and more than anything else as it could have changed the atmosphere of even rich house if that family was content. Buddhism values content and happy life with one’s possession. Buddhism does not appreciate material things if a family or consumers are lost in reaching contentment and happiness by utilizing them improperly.
It is true Buddhism never denies the benefits that are achieved from proper utility of possession. In this context what is given more importance is that whether a person is able to satisfy oneself by increasing one’s property more and more, whether a person has enough time to think over how he has put his mind to work. Is the mind working for the wellbeing of many people or for the cause of oneself (selfishness) or just in terms f business policy ?
By nature suffering comes into existence and remains to bring another kind of suffering before passing away the earlier suffering. Suffering links suffering and one who is under the pressure of suffering might not find out the way to get out of it. If we do not know the main cause of suffering and not making any effort to reduce the cause behind suffering; problems could normally escalate giving rise from one problem to another and thus we might be failures in seeking the truth. Eventually peace would become only illusion for not reducing desires that had caused many more problems than solution.
Those who got caught in the currents (ogha) would be flooded. Desire is a current, caught by this current would not be able to cross over the flood and would not see the right way to the destination that is free from all dangers. To reduce the flow of currents as said in the Alawaka Sutta, only ‘saddha’ (enlightened confidence) could help cross over the flood and ‘appamada’ (diligence) to cross over the ocean. Since one’s birth until to the last breath, life is not easy at all. Life without any efforts would not reach one’s intention. When stepping in the path of the Buddha ‘saddha’ is considered basis of wholesome deeds and ‘appamada’ guides ‘saddha’ towards proper understanding of the ‘dhamma’ and ‘viriya’ (effort) activates the intention put forth by saddha and appamada. So, viriya would solve the problems of suffering and wisdom purifies the mind. Why efforts are in need ? As in the Dhammacakka Sutta; “Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, association with unpleasant people is suffering, separation with pleasant people is suffering, wish not fulfilled is suffering, and in brief grasping the five aggregates is suffering.”
From this explanation the original suffering lies on one’s birth itself first. Although the new arrival (new born baby) could apparently be a gift of happiness to its parents; also suffering had already processed along with its arrival into the new world. Whether the baby would live its whole lifespan or not the process following after its birth would not leave it until the last breath of life. Although the process would not be clear to the naked eye we could never go beyond (transcend) the sequence of life (as mentioned above; birth, aging, sickness etc.) from birth to death in one life time and again the sequence would repeat in another world as decided by the power of accumulated karma. Suffering is not mere imagination. Being reality of life many efforts are to be made to overcome the problem of suffering which if not understood properly there could be no chance of getting rid of suffering.
Since we cannot foretell the nature of suffering we do not know exactly what could be the problem. The problem itself is a kind of an earlier outcome of suffering. Thus it is apparent that the problem of suffering is none other than the excessive desires which are so subtle that we have not perceived how things happen as a result of excessive desires. Suffering does not happen by accident since the main cause behind suffering is the second noble truth. It is not an easy task right here and now to reach the end of suffering as we do not have clear vision of life. We may observe the truth of suffering and the cause behind the truth which are interlocked and wisdom that plays an important role to resolve the conflict of these two truths.
Although life’s success is to be achieved from the view point of optimistic attitude, ultimately most things-tangible or intangible, seen or unseen would change causing unpleasant in its turn. This could be a reason for people to consider Buddhism as the teachings of pessimism. But most important aspect of Buddhist teachings is the relativity of cause and effect because of this relativity whatever decided by the force of kamma does not link pessimism only.
So, the main cause of suffering – the ultimate truth ‘whatever has the nature of arising has the nature of ceasing’ is to be realized. Whether this concept is based on the pessimistic aspect or optimistic aspect, the truth is the same as mentioned above. When volition thoughts arising to pursue one’s aims holding fast onto any object could lead to suffering and the main cause behind suffering could be considered desire or craving (tanha). Just opposite of ‘tanha’ if the intention was to accumulate merits by performing wholesome deeds (Kusala Kamma) then ‘tanha’ could be overcome by ‘kusala chanda’ (good wholesome intention). Whatever was done under the pressure of ‘tanha’ would cause unsatisfactory and suffering in the end. Whatever was done in the light of ‘kusala chanda’ would pacify the mind of doer and the satisfaction he had achieved was the satisfaction but not like that of ‘tanha’
Optimistic towards new vision of life is required for lasting happiness whereas pessimistic attitude could collapse hopes of life and frustration eventually. Happiness and satisfaction are not easily reached. The Buddhist followers must be clear about the teachings of the Buddha in order to achieve hope and success through practicing the Buddhist way of life and eventually reach lasting happiness in the true sense of life.
Although it could seem as if far beyond our capacity to reach true happiness, start working out for liberation diligently then one day we could come near the end of suffering. In another word the end of suffering means true happiness of life. From this view point of life we need to know firstly what suffering is and its main cause concealed by ignorance (Avijja). As explained in many discourses the first two noble truths are all about suffering and its main cause behind suffering which unless and otherwise studied properly we could never overthrow the problem created within the frame these two truths.
In relation to most problems created by excessive desires. Buddha has pointed out certain teachings to live simple and overcome difficulties of life. Contentment is very highly appreciated. To a certain extent when one is content one is happy. But it is quite hard to assure whether one is content and satisfied with one’s belongings that one has possessed since long time ago. Again the problem of excessive desires which might pretend him as if a rich person for his lovely house adorned with rich furniture, but in reality that entire he had possessed was the result of making efforts to satisfy him by annexing more and more over and over again. Not knowing simple way of life generally one would invite many troubles to safeguard what he calls ‘this is my property.’ However, contentment could be the main aspect of life that how one had conducted to delight family and seems in his lovely house. When contentment is absent the atmosphere of that rich house would change. So, contentment is worthy and more than anything else as it could have changed the atmosphere of even rich house if that family was content. Buddhism values content and happy life with one’s possession. Buddhism does not appreciate material things if a family or consumers are lost in reaching contentment and happiness by utilizing them improperly.
It is true Buddhism never denies the benefits that are achieved from proper utility of possession. In this context what is given more importance is that whether a person is able to satisfy oneself by increasing one’s property more and more, whether a person has enough time to think over how he has put his mind to work. Is the mind working for the wellbeing of many people or for the cause of oneself (selfishness) or just in terms f business policy ?
By nature suffering comes into existence and remains to bring another kind of suffering before passing away the earlier suffering. Suffering links suffering and one who is under the pressure of suffering might not find out the way to get out of it. If we do not know the main cause of suffering and not making any effort to reduce the cause behind suffering; problems could normally escalate giving rise from one problem to another and thus we might be failures in seeking the truth. Eventually peace would become only illusion for not reducing desires that had caused many more problems than solution.
Those who got caught in the currents (ogha) would be flooded. Desire is a current, caught by this current would not be able to cross over the flood and would not see the right way to the destination that is free from all dangers. To reduce the flow of currents as said in the Alawaka Sutta, only ‘saddha’ (enlightened confidence) could help cross over the flood and ‘appamada’ (diligence) to cross over the ocean. Since one’s birth until to the last breath, life is not easy at all. Life without any efforts would not reach one’s intention. When stepping in the path of the Buddha ‘saddha’ is considered basis of wholesome deeds and ‘appamada’ guides ‘saddha’ towards proper understanding of the ‘dhamma’ and ‘viriya’ (effort) activates the intention put forth by saddha and appamada. So, viriya would solve the problems of suffering and wisdom purifies the mind. Why efforts are in need ? As in the Dhammacakka Sutta; “Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, association with unpleasant people is suffering, separation with pleasant people is suffering, wish not fulfilled is suffering, and in brief grasping the five aggregates is suffering.”
From this explanation the original suffering lies on one’s birth itself first. Although the new arrival (new born baby) could apparently be a gift of happiness to its parents; also suffering had already processed along with its arrival into the new world. Whether the baby would live its whole lifespan or not the process following after its birth would not leave it until the last breath of life. Although the process would not be clear to the naked eye we could never go beyond (transcend) the sequence of life (as mentioned above; birth, aging, sickness etc.) from birth to death in one life time and again the sequence would repeat in another world as decided by the power of accumulated karma. Suffering is not mere imagination. Being reality of life many efforts are to be made to overcome the problem of suffering which if not understood properly there could be no chance of getting rid of suffering.
Since we cannot foretell the nature of suffering we do not know exactly what could be the problem. The problem itself is a kind of an earlier outcome of suffering. Thus it is apparent that the problem of suffering is none other than the excessive desires which are so subtle that we have not perceived how things happen as a result of excessive desires. Suffering does not happen by accident since the main cause behind suffering is the second noble truth. It is not an easy task right here and now to reach the end of suffering as we do not have clear vision of life. We may observe the truth of suffering and the cause behind the truth which are interlocked and wisdom that plays an important role to resolve the conflict of these two truths.
Read more about Mahayana and Thervada
0 comments:
Post a Comment