Source of suffering
Sources:
Experts across various podcasts offer diverse perspectives on the source of suffering:
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Jay Garfield explains in the that suffering in Mahayana Buddhist tradition has three kinds: evident suffering (physical pain and hardships), suffering of change (good things turning bad, aging), and suffering of pervasive conditioning (interconnectedness causing events outside our control to affect us) 1.
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Nicolas Gregoriades discusses on the that suffering is seen as a dense source of information. Suffering, misery, and fear contribute significantly to the human experience because such experiences provide valuable information. Free will is also mentioned as a fundamental reason for the existence of suffering 2.
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Deepak Chopra on outlines five causes of suffering, including not knowing who we are, misunderstanding reality, clinging to transient experiences, confusing ourselves with our ego identity, and fearing death. He emphasizes understanding reality and practicing self-awareness to alleviate suffering 3.
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Duncan Trussell clarifies on the that the Buddhist concept is "there is suffering" rather than "life is suffering." Suffering includes fundamental dissatisfaction, akin to a wobbly wheel, driven by desire, aversion, and ignorance 4.
These perspectives highlight suffering's complex nature, rooted in physical pain, change, existential conditions, interconnectedness, ignorance, and fundamental human desires.
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