Life isn't Only About Suffering

When I sit around talking about Buddhism with my friends (like you do), they will say “We all experience things like not getting what we want, or worrying we will lose what we have. We all get stubbed toes. We all get sick. We all grow old. We all lose the people we love. That’s why life is suffering”. I don’t often think of it as the way out of suffering. I like to focus more on Buddhism as the cultivation of the six perfections, or as a series of practices designed to help us experience oneness or dissolve our delusions.

You've probably heard the rumor that "Life is suffering" is Buddhism's first principle, the Buddha's first noble truth. You might thinking that karma is a system of reward and punishment. We said the world affairs have no meaning in our existence, because The Buddha’s teaching is to get rid of attachment, especialy worldly attachment. Some people also could be too extreme to describe about death. If you read status, quotes or article, and listen to a talk by Buddhist practitioner, you'll see that that's what they teach. Now if that isn't pessimistic, I don't know what is. 

If you always say, life is suffering, we have to let go, death can come anytime or all that happens is our karma, then I would like to ask you to look back inside, do you say that with right view? Or ... you are already trapped in our pessimistic view? You should be careful. I’m not joking. Don’t trap yourself in that pessimistic views! Why shouldn't you expect life to be good?

Unfortunately, "life is suffering" doesn't really convey what the Buddha said. Let's take a look at what he did say. The Buddha said, “All I teach is suffering and the end of suffering.” And what is the insight? Suffering should be understood. So the direct path of the Buddha is saying: There is suffering. It should be understood. When people read or heard that "Life is suffering." They will think, Buddhism teaches that life is always miserable. I don't agree. The problem is that the Buddha, who didn't speak English, didn't use the English word "suffering." In Pali/Sanskrit, it translated as Dukkha. Dukkha can also refer to anything that is temporary, incomplete, or conditioned by other thing, also can be dissatisfaction or discomfort for a better translation.

The teachings are excellent teachings. They’re not dogmas or beliefs. et Buddhist literature is known for focusing much more on suffering than happiness. Its curious preference for morbid subject matter has led some to describe Buddhism as preoccupied with negativity.

They’re even stated in such a way as to encourage us to reflect with them rather than just to grasp them. People still grasp Buddhist teachings, of course, and become Buddhists rather than liberated enlightened beings. So people do become Buddhists by believing in Buddhism, but the actual practice the Buddha gave is a direct path of liberation here and now. That’s why, as you practise more and more, you find there is no suffering. The suffering the Buddha pointed to is through ignorance.

When The Buddha was talking about death, he was not trying to scared us. Really, that’s not the purpose of explain about death. His purpose when he was explaining about death is to encourage people to prepare for death by living mindful, clear-eyed lives. Many people, when talking about death, they saw it as a scary thing, they scare themselves. Sometimes, I met people and they reminds me about, ‘Life is suffering, death is so close, and so forth’. That sounds so negative.

I disagree to see The Buddha’s teaching in that way. I'm a bit dissatisfied with that approach, however.  I mean, it's true, death can come anytime, but ... it's too scary. I understand this view is to make us more diligence and  eager to prepare ourselves for the coming death. However, I would agree if we could change this scary reminder to be more positive. For example : Make people think that each day that we wake up and are still here, we have been given a second chance – at loving and caring more deeply, engaging in our spiritual practice with greater diligence, and being present to actually enjoy, appreciate, and embrace each moment as though it were our last.

When we motivate others to become better people, enjoy life, and do virtuous actions as often as possible, we indirectly prepare them for a death that can come at any time. How can a virtuous person will be afraid of death if he has lived his life right all the time? 

When the Buddha's explained about death is not for the sake of becoming fearful but to appreciate this precious lifetime during which you can perform many important practices. Rather than being frightened, you need to reflect that when death comes, you will lose this good opportunity for practice. In this way contemplation of death will bring more energy to your practice.

I could say, “Life isn’t just suffering. Sure, there are bad parts, but I drank a good coffee yesterday. And I had delicious breakfast this morning. There’s plenty of good things going on too.” And that’s true. There are awful things in life, but there are things to celebrate too. It sounds pretty good, right? So, why don’t I like it?