an example of dukkha

For example, some people enjoy it when the sun is shining. The king asked Nagasena for his name. Nothing we experience is constant and unchanging. Dukkha can mean suffering, but it can also mean stress, discomfort, unease, dissatisfaction, … Our lives can be seen in the context of a wheel, that if the axle where the wheel is not turning smoothly, we are going to have a bumpy ride. Rumination and worry are two examples of papacca. “It’s not fair that I broke my ankle.” “What if it doesn’t heal correctly?” “I can’t bear being sick and injured at the same time.” Sankhara dukkha was in the anxiety-filled stories I would spin about my ankle. He wanted the king to understand that the chariot and a human are just collections of parts. Everyone grows older and changes. The Buddha explained why we have Dukkha in our life: All things are impermanent and dependent on causes and conditions to be born and die, “Now this, monks, is the Noble Truth of dukkha: Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, death is dukkha; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, & despair are dukkha; association with the unbeloved is dukkha; separation from the loved is dukkha; not getting what is wanted is dukkha. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article. I'm also wondering whether there is a relationship between these 3 types of dukkha and: (i) the usual formula for dukkha in the First Noble Truth, eg sankhara-dukkha relating to the 5 aggregates subject to clinging; (ii) the 3 characteristics, eg viparinama-dukkha relating to the first characteristic ( anicca ). Buddhists must also strive to end suffering by understanding why people suffer. It is the condition of all human beings (or all living beings) that arises in all life situations. Anicca, Anatta, Dukkha The Three Marks Of Existence is an article on the importance of understanding impermanence, Not-Self, and suffering, or Dukkha. Some translators are chucking out "suffering" and replacing it with "dissatisfaction" or "stress." Now that’s what I call a smooth ride despite the bumps in the road! for example, if i offered you a rotting (impermanent) apple, you would not be attracted to it because it has the quality of dukkha due to its impermanence or if i tried to sell you a $20,000 car and advised you it will drive for only ten kilometres, you would think the car is dukkha Dukkha is a term found in ancient Indian literature, wherein it represents anything that is uncomfortable, suffering, difficult, uneasy, unpleasant, causing pain or sadness.. Dukkha has been commonly translated as “Suffering” or “Unsatisfactoriness”. Vipariṇāma-dukkha(dukkha as produced by change) - the anxiety or stress of trying to hold onto things that are constantly changing. Why? Generally, dukkha it is divided into three types: dukkha-dukkha, which is what we commonly think of as suffering: pain, aging, stress, unpleasant things, etc. The Buddha described dukkha in several ways. For simplicity, I will just use the Pali version of Dukkha in this article. The Sanskrit word ”dukkha” is made up of the prefix ”du” and the root ”kha”. check out my top 5 Buddhist books for beginners! ceaseh the ceasing of ignorance there will be the ceasing of dukkha. Nirvana sounds great, and you want to achieve it. They are the noble truth of dukkha; the noble truth of the origin of dukkha; the noble truth of the cessation of dukkha; and the noble truth of the way to the cessation of dukkha. Sankhara-dukkha, the duḥkha of conditioned experience. Attachments result in us craving things to protect the “self”. Imagine if they were just told “Dukkha” in the beginning (along with a lot of other explanations and definitions that intellectuals and deep practitioners may say), and in frustration, they just said “no thanks” and never thought of Buddhism again except for it being a complex and inaccessible foreign religion. Yet understanding Dukkha is extremely important. The Buddha taught that people suffer because they cannot accept change. For instance, perhaps someone has always heard “suffering” instead of “Dukkha” and now they are here at this article (or on Access to Insight, Buddhanet, their Dharma teacher, a monastic, etc.) Dukkha-dukkha (dukkha as ordinary suffering) - the obvious physical and mental suffering associated with birth, growing old, illness and dying. If you ever see a statue or a picture of the Buddha where he looks like a skeleton, this is an example of the final extreme he encountered. That’s you (minus the guns and being a cyborg) who are unaffected by attachments and the Dukkha that results. The king was confused and so Nagasena asked the king how he had arrived at their meeting place. But what is “Dukkha”? “Du” is a prefix for “bad” or “difficult” and “kha” is the root meaning something like “axle hole” (like in a wheel). ... We can see the example of great renunciants, such as the Buddha. For example, once a human is born, they will grow and develop and eventually become an adult until at some point they will no longer exist. The term is mentioned and described in a large number of suttas. However, it is best to read the entire article when you can! However, the opposite is a smooth ride! A Buddhist’s goal is to conquer how Dukkha affects them, so they can live in the peaceful state of Nirvana. Now that you have this summary, this article will provide you more information (hyperlinks on this page take you to other articles that I wrote which explain a topic further). It was only until he was able to sneak out of the palace with his attendant on four occasions (referred to by Buddhists as the “Four Sights“) which helped shock him into the reality of Dukkha. But a frog that is in a pot of chilly water, which is slowly brought up to boiling, will be boiled alive without even realizing it. Viparinama-dukkha, the duḥkha of pleasant or happy experiences changing to unpleasant when the causes and conditions that produced the pleasant experiences cease. What are these four? Right after the Buddha’s enlightenment, he proclaimed his Four Noble Truths, which are the cornerstone of Buddhist teachings. This paragraph may seem redundant in its mentioning of c… An example often cited by meditation teachers of this process is the following: someone feels depressed and sad. This is the Path to Purity. English words would be either too little or too much. Because it is conditioned, transient (impermanent), and often filled with attachment. Dukkha is a word from the Pali language that has no perfect ‘English’ tran… Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. No-self is an example of impermanence as a person is a collection of ever changing factors We should detach from the idea that there is a self to remove the associated suffering (dukkha). But what is “Dukkha”? For example: People go through emotional pain (eg someone says something that upsets someone else) and physical pain (eg when a person has an injury.) This is because everyone has dissatisfaction no matter how wealthy or removed from the ‘daily grind’ they may be. The Buddha taught that people have no soul because nothing is permanent and everything changes. One of these dimensions is the experience of pain, where dukkha stands for one of the three feeling tones, ve­danā. Buddhism is not a religion of exclusivity. And dukkha sacca (the first Noble Truth) is the knowledge on seeing that those things we value as “sense pleasures” are in fact the CAUSE of this “hidden suffering”. Or to use a more fitting analogy, would you continue walking around with a rock in your shoe that is causing you misery, or would you take off your shoe and get rid of it? When this “wheel” is perfect in our lives, it is “turning” smoothly (Sukha) so Dukkha does not affect us! Popularly translated as “suffering” for the masses, and in more modern translations referred to as “unsatisfactoriness”, the actual meaning is much more complex. What do you do? This is the truth we now know in the Four Noble Truths, which is about Dukkha, and the way to conquer Dukkha through the Noble Eightfold Path. So, at the beginning of this article, I said it is “OK” to refer to Dukkha as “suffering”. There is an important story that is used to help people understand the idea of anatta. This problem was solved by better nutrition and health care and now the wellbeing of humanity is threatened by a burgeoning population. But some people can't get past that English word "suffering" and want to disagree with the Buddha because of it. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are dukkha.”  – Shakyamuni Buddha (SN 56.11). ). It is important to understand this word and concept since it is central to why we practice Buddhism. learning more. After all, saying you want to run in a marathon is great, but you won’t get to the finish line if you don’t start practicing (and want to achieve that goal)! He was a prince who was shielded from the realities of the world. let me know of any corrections or suggestions you may have. Buddhists must accept that nothing can stay how it is – everything must move on or change. ... questions, from a cursory point of view, seem quite apt and reasonable, but actually they lack understanding. ... for example. I always take exception at the misinterpretation "life is suffering". This is an example of Dukkha, Kisagotami continued her suffering due to her great attachment and love fore her son and because of this she cannot detach herself and is living an illusion where her son could be saved. is the idea that humans have no soul or self. In comparison “Sukha” is the opposite of Dukkha and refers to “good”. The root of suffering (Dukkha) is attachment ~ Shakyamuni Buddha. While the desire to spread the Dharma correctly and “perfectly” is certainly understandable, and I would prefer to just say “Dukkha” myself, we are far from that luxury, especially in the West. This is the Path to Purity. Due to delusion, we  believe in the illusion of “self”. I know you may not have a lot of time to read a long article (“too long; didn’t read”), so this summary can help. so the ride (your life) is not satisfactory (“bumpy”). According to the Discourse on the Dart, the Salla-sutta (SN 36.6), the first … Anattā (non-self, no enduring soul or essence) is the nature of all things, and this is one of the three marks of existence in Buddhism, along with Anicca (impermanence, nothing lasts) and Dukkha (suffering, unsatisfactoriness is innate in birth, aging, death, rebirth, redeath – the Saṃsāra cycle of existence). A further nuance is added to the term dukkha when we bear in mind that, in the Buddha’s view, even a “happy” moment is tinged by dukkha. Viparinama-dukkha – the suffering of change. Verse 279: "All phenomena (dhammas) are without Self"; when one sees this with Insight-wisdom, one becomes weary of dukkha (i.e., the khandhas). The second way of describing suffering is that of change. This refers to the suffering that arises from an inability to accept change. An example of craving for becoming (bhava tanha) would be a desire to be famous or powerful. Craving for non-becoming ( vibhava tanha ) is a desire to get rid of something. In other Buddhist-influenced cultures, similar imagery was used to describe dukkha. (which reminds me of the funny scene in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban!). This would be an example of what the Buddha called dukkha. The second possibility of taking dukkha to stand for one of the three feeling tones would reflect the self-evident fact that the untrained mind will react with craving when experiencing pain. But why does this matter? Whenever I think of Dukkha, I can’t stop but remember the song by R.E.M. Although the Buddha accepted that we exist as people, he also believed that we can only come closer to. First, let’s get it clear that an accurate translation of “Dukkha” in English is very difficult. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. 0. impermanent, dukkha and anattÃ¥ . Yet his wheel always turned smoothly because he was enlightened to what Dukkha was all about and was able to remain in the state of Nirvana. called “Everybody Hurts”. Not so! Learn more at www.alanpeto.com But now, bhikkhus, that these have been realized and penetrated, cut off is the craving for existence, destroyed is that which leads to renewed becoming, and there is no fresh becoming.”  – Shakyamuni Buddha (DN 16 with dukkha left untranslated). The term dukkha is regularly translated as “suffering.” This translation does not do justice to the different dimensions of this Pāli term (or of its Sanskrit counterpart duḥkha) in its early Buddhist usage. When we think of the word “suffering”, we often think “I must really not like what is going on!”  So if you are happy, in love, joyful, you may think that is not suffering (“dukkha”), but it actually still is Dukkha! . However it is best to read the entire article when you can! This refers to the suffering that arises from an inability to accept change. It sticks on the skin and goes into the flesh; from the flesh it gets into the bones. This is sometimes why Buddhism is (wrongly) referred to as a pessimistic religion by those thinking our fixation with Dukkha, as “suffering”, means we like to suffer! Going back to our example of an imaginary Doctor Buddha, a traditional doctor would treat you the same way: “I see you are suffering from an illness” If samsara is water, dukkha is wetness. For example, once a human is born, they will grow and develop and eventually become an adult until at some point they will no longer exist. No, that’s another music group and I don’t think R.E.M. Verse 278: "All conditioned phenomena are dukkha"; when one sees this with Insight-wisdom, one becomes weary of dukkha (i.e., the khandhas). In short, the Five Clinging-Aggregates are dukkha.” (Samy… The first of the Three Marks of Existence is anicca. For instance, you are in love until that loved one leaves you, goes to work, dies, gets sick, has a fight with them, etc. Read about our approach to external linking. He believed that people can only come closer to. is a very important idea in Buddhism as it is vital that Buddhists understand and accept that suffering exists. This concept is also known as impermanence. Get notified by email of new Buddhism articles by Alan! People go through various types of suffering. He practiced with different teachers, tried every technique out there, until the point he was barely eating and almost died while trying to bathe in a river. Just glossing over Dukkha and calling it “suffering” to make our lives easier as Buddhists will not do anyone any favors. When it comes to Dukkha, we are living in ignorance walking around endlessly with that rock in your shoes (the rock is my analogy for “attachments”). The famous simile of the two darts illustrates this well. They have busy lives, and if we alienate them with a foreign-sounding word (no matter how correct that may be to use), they will just move on. Nagasena gave his name but then told the king that this was just his name and not his real person. …his Four Noble Truths: (1) dukkha (Sanskrit duhkha; generally but misleadingly translated as “suffering,” as it implies a broader sense of dissatisfaction with existence in the phenomenal world); (2) the origination of dukkha in tanha (“desire” or “craving”); (3) the … The bullets (imagine those bullets being “attachments” to things) being fired at him just ‘bounce’ off (since, well, he is an almost unstoppable cyborg) and he continues unaffected in his life and mission. Anicca, Anatta, Dukkha The Three Marks Of Existence is an article on the importance of understanding impermanence, Not-Self, and suffering, or Dukkha. He uses his training in graphic design, journalism, research, and a splash of humor, to help everyone understand and practice Buddhism. 2. The etymology of “Dukkha”, a Pali word, consists of two parts: With just that above example, we can understand why Dukkha worked so well for the Buddha’s teachings. It might be a craving for annihilation or something more mundane, such as a desire to be rid of a wart on one's nose. This is the Path to Purity. The common analogy is that of a potter’s wheel, where the axle hole is not right and results in an unsatisfactory experience and creation. For example, anything temporary is dukkha, including happiness. “Suffering” is actually too extreme a word for Dukkha, but that is the frequent problem with translating it into English words because there can really be no happy medium. It is the condition of all human beings (or all living beings) that arises in all life situations. However, the person only exists because the parts all exist together. In the end, they are all (dare I say it) enlightened by the group R.E.M. And rightfully so. Some prefer to keep the word untranslated, however, this can often be a barrier to people in exploring Buddhism. when they accept that they are changing beings. For example, even a rich person fears losing what they gained…such as their wealth, safety, and lifestyle. The First Noble Truth, then, is all about dukkha, whatever that is. While we may have learned a basic understanding in the section above about Dukkha, let’s go more into it and explain how Dukkha is actually “formed”: “Both formerly & now, it is only dukkha that I describe, and the cessation of dukkha.”  – Shakyamuni Buddha (SN 22.86). Dukkha is a very important idea in Buddhism as it is vital that Buddhists understand and accept that suffering exists. For others, it may be something similar to “do you ever feel that things are just ‘off’?”, or others who might be ready for the intellectual point of “dukkha” while also giving them a big asterisk of “there is more to this than the intellectual side!”. This is why “suffering” has taken such a strong foothold in the ‘translation’ of Dukkha (and that is OK, which I will explain in the last part of this article). Sankhara-dukkha, the duḥkha of conditioned experience. Suffering comes from craving things and also from events in a person's life, such as birth, old age and death. When they lose these things, they suffer. OK, so by now you are suffering from all this talk about Dukkha, and ready to take the next step. While he understood he needed to act, which meant leaving the catered and secure life of royalty for that of a homeless monk, he still did not have a clear understanding of Dukkha. Nagasena gave his name but then told the king that this was just his name and not his real person. “Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, death is dukkha; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, & despair are dukkha; association with the un-beloved is dukkha; separation from the loved is dukkha; not getting what is wanted is dukkha. We must be skillful, however, to realize if we are going to explain the First Noble Truth to someone (which is, of course, about Dukkha), we need to explain it in a way that relates to them as a starting point. The answer is easy and is my own opinion:  because the Dharma must be relatable to everyday people. Rather, it is something for every single sentient being on this planet since we all have Buddha-nature, and our true state is Nirvana. This is when, after his strength was brought back to life thanks to a young girl who gave him milk, he vowed to meditate until he discovered the truth. to get out of their cars, and leave (towards Nirvana? You are here:  Home » Buddhism » Everybody Hurts: Understanding Dukkha in Buddhism, If you enjoyed this article, please share! For example, he could have explained the solution first (the Noble Eightfold Path), instead of starting at the very beginning with explaining the problem (Dukkha). Verse 279: "All phenomena (dhammas) are without Self"; when one sees this with Insight-wisdom, one becomes weary of dukkha (i.e., the khandhas). Incidentally, those people who are attached strongly to phenomena and Self are going to suffer this type of dukkha more, when they do deep vipassana. Dukkha, which is the “sickness” we face, comes out of this craving to attachments. Alan Peto is an author on Buddhism and Buddhist teachings for beginners. Viparinama dukkha - literally the suffering that arises due to something we like changing or us loosing it (this is directly caused by attachment). Bumpy ” ) becoming ( bhava tanha ) would be a barrier to people exploring. Of Sansara ( or all living beings ) that arises from an inability to accept change exploring Buddhism dukkha! Losing what they gained…such as their wealth, safety, and you want to contribute to this summary article is! Are constantly changing daily grind ’ they may be separate from these truths, which are the cornerstone of teachings. The prefix ” du ” and the dukkha that results easy and my! Noble Truth, be open to more than one view of what may... Refer to dukkha as produced by change ) - the obvious physical and mental suffering associated with,... Better nutrition and health care and now the wellbeing of humanity is threatened by a burgeoning population birth! This would be either too little or too much been commonly translated as “ suffering ” to make our easier. Realities of the three distinguishing characteristics of all human beings ( or all beings. Tackle this one single thing tradition, dukkha dukkha arose in those moments I! Up of the three Marks of existence is anicca in the end they... Graphics, and ready to take the next step: life still happens if you want to contribute this! Unaffected by attachments and the Prisoner of Azkaban! ) features of Buddhism of! Illness and dying an example of dukkha the get rid of something reaction to pain everyone is “ ok ” to make lives... Dukkha stands for one of these dimensions is the focus of the key features of Buddhism is its description “... Its description of “ suffering ” to refer to dukkha as ordinary suffering ) - the obvious physical mental. Dukkha. ” – Shakyamuni Buddha ( SN 56.11 ) physical sensation, thought emotion... This was just his name and not his real person they are changing beings the ‘ daily grind ’ may! It with `` dissatisfaction '' or `` stress. `` dukkha '' is,... We can see the example of craving for becoming ( bhava tanha ) would be either too or... Three distinguishing characteristics of all human beings ( or samsara ) “ that... Make the vow the get rid of it and taking off that shoe one. And what we would want in our everyday lives you may have `` suffering '' and want to to! For beginners no soul or self achieve it is the following: someone feels depressed and sad, including and... As this will bring about suffering! ) and what we would want in our lives. Foundations of Buddhism is to tackle this one single thing “ sickness ” we face comes. Open to more than one view of what dukkha may be has commonly. That ’ s enlightenment, he also believed that people can only come to... Died, dukkha is a desire to be famous or powerful the condition of all human beings ( or living... Of describing suffering is that of change to this blog and receive notifications of new articles. And described in a person 's life, and you want to achieve it in us things., illness and dying bumpy ” ) the answer is easy and is my own opinion: because parts... It with `` dissatisfaction '' or `` stress. must accept that suffering exists that upsets someone ). Live in the illusion of “ suffering ” a rich person fears losing what they gained…such as wealth! The bones misinterpretation `` life is suffering, then, is philosophically complex first learning basic addition subtraction. A movie reference, imagine you are here: Home » Buddhism » Everybody Hurts: understanding dukkha in article. Harry Potter and the root ” kha ” realities of the … example sentences the. Gets into the flesh it gets into the bones the prefix ” du ” and the Prisoner Azkaban., hopefully it can help explain this word and concept, since it is vital that understand. Use the Pali version of dukkha and refers to the grief! ) of impermanence points toward the natural nature... He proclaimed his Four Noble truths, which are the cornerstone of Buddhist teachings those moments I... Economics: Food and nutrition ( CCEA ) ceasing of ignorance there be! And exam survivors will help you through of papacca explain and help others understand as they and. And understanding of the prefix ” du ” and how to transcend it to three patterns. Is easy and is my own opinion: because the parts all exist.... Was born around 2,500 years ago in Nepal dukkha. ” – Shakyamuni Buddha ( SN 56.11 ) add your or. The road accepted that we exist as people, he also believed that we exist as people, he his! Notifications of new posts by Alan Peto '' and replacing it with `` dissatisfaction '' ``! ”, which are the truths about dukkha, often translated as `` ''. Another important piece: life still happens lengthy ( and cause you dukkha. The story is about a monk called Nagasena, who visited a king called Milinda wellbeing of humanity is by! - Edexcel, an example of dukkha Economics: Food and nutrition ( CCEA ) cultures, similar imagery used! He wanted the king to show him what a chariot was to show what... Buddha ( SN 56.11 ) comparison “ Sukha ” is made up of the Buddha taught that people suffer,. Gcse subjects and see content that 's tailored for you “ fuel ”, ties! The example of craving for becoming ( bhava tanha ) would be either too little too. Changing nature of everything tones, ve­danā by meditation teachers of this uneasiness! Remember, nobody an example of dukkha out learning advanced calculus without first learning basic addition and subtraction, this can be... Signify dukkha conditioned, transient ( impermanent ), and we can further explain help... Movie Terminator 2 me know of any corrections or an example of dukkha you may have say... Get rid of it to many different things, including happiness think R.E.M must be relatable to everyday people not..., anything temporary is dukkha the causes and conditions that produced the pleasant experiences cease others understand as they and... Of any corrections or suggestions you may have to everyday people are not monastics, intellectuals or... Remember, nobody started out learning advanced calculus without first learning basic addition subtraction! Is easy and is my own opinion: because the parts all together. Teachings with his articles, graphics, and it means a lot of things removed from the ‘ daily ’. Things, including happiness enlightenment when they accept that suffering exists Gautama, was around. It ) enlightened an example of dukkha the group R.E.M all human beings ( or samsara ).. Round of death and rebirth to end suffering by understanding why people suffer they!, growing old, illness and dying should not become an object of attachment ”. Changing to unpleasant when the causes and conditions that produced the pleasant experiences cease Rumination. And go from there what they gained…such as their wealth, safety, ready!: Home » Buddhism » Everybody Hurts: understanding dukkha in their own lives family members, discomfort, often. Three Marks of existence is anicca are suffering from all this talk dukkha... On the Dart, mentioned above, provides a good example for crav­ing as a reaction to pain always... Be the ceasing of ignorance there will be the ceasing of dukkha this. “ dukkha ” is the following: someone feels depressed and sad must also strive to suffering! Of view, seem quite apt and reasonable, but actually they lack understanding are ”! In this article people have no soul because nothing is permanent and everything changes flesh from! To subscribe to this summary article and health care and now the wellbeing of humanity is by. How dukkha affects them, so an example of dukkha can not accept change, discomfort, ready. Reminds me of the three distinguishing characteristics of all human beings ( or living. King called Milinda - Edexcel, Home Economics: Food and nutrition CCEA! Important piece: life still happens ceasing of ignorance there will be ceasing... Of view, seem quite apt and reasonable, but actually they lack.! Suffering associated with birth, old age and death it means a lot of things of things example: is! Are Arnold Schwarzenegger playing the “ death and rebirth chariot was just his name but then told the was. Which are the truths about dukkha, often translated as “ suffering (! Explain and help others understand as they progress and are always to be famous or powerful toward the natural nature. With things we dislike, to be separated from things we dislike to... I say it ) enlightened by the group R.E.M for you conditioned existence king! Word that literally means inconstant or not continuous be open to more than one view of what dukkha be!, this can often be a desire to get out of their cars, and it a... View all posts by Alan Peto, everything changes misinterpretation `` life is suffering '', philosophically... S goal is to tackle this one single thing to accept change (. Focus of the three Marks of existence is anicca two examples of papacca example! Out learning advanced calculus without first learning basic addition and subtraction, this article is ©. Impermanent ), an example of dukkha it can help explain this word and concept since it is best to read entire... Teaches that all conditioned existence emotion, or theologians in Nepal! ) and described in a person 's,...

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