Page 13 - Suffering

Understanding

the First Noble Truth of Suffering

idam dukkham,* “this is pain”

Not UNDERSTANDING this very first truth of Suffering

is likened to a person of ignorance** – not able to see
the nature of reality or life of human existence which
is incapable of satisfying, feeling unsatisfied, painful,
unhappiness, sorrow, grief, misery or stress and embodies
diverse aspects of unpleasant human experiences.
Human existence is all about the sensual world, that the
world spins around our senses, perceiving and acting on it.

Thinking over the vicissitudes of change – a change or
variation occurring in the course of something – as the
Buddha said that there is no singular, standalone condition
and that it is because of one condition arising, another
condition will follow through. Neatly put, the teachings of
the Buddha on The Eight Worldly Winds, to reflect upon
equanimity, accepting reality and setting our intentions to
achieve balance in turbulent and uncertain times.

The Buddha’s teachings on The Eight Worldly Winds (the
Lokavipatti Sutta) basically outline a set of four opposing
states which exist in our lives:
Pleasure & Pain, Gain & Loss,
Praise & Blame, Fame & Disrepute.

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