The Tree of Enlightenment

lives often brings us into contact with people and situations we
would rather avoid, such as a colleague or superior at work who
is antagonistic toward us. Such a situation can make our time
at our place of work a genuine torment. e suffering of contact
with what we despise can also take more extreme forms, such as
the experiences of flood, fire, famine, persecution, war, and other
natural and manmade disasters. Finally, most of us, some time
or other, experience the suffering of frustrated desires. We experience
such frustration when, for instance, we cannot obtain the
things we want, be it a job, a car, a house, or even a partner.
ese mental and physical sufferings are woven into the fabric
of our human existence. But what about happiness? Is there
no happiness at all in life? Of course there is; however, the happiness
we experience in the course of our lives is impermanent.
As long as we still enjoy youth and health, we may find happiness
in a comfortable situation or in the company of someone
we love, yet all these experiences of happiness are conditioned,
and therefore impermanent. Sooner or later, we will experience
suffering.
Now, if we really want to solve the problem of suffering,
reduce and eventually eliminate it, we must identify its cause. If
the lights go out and we want to eliminate the darkness, we must
identify the cause of the problem. Is it a short circuit, has a fuse
blown, or has the power supply been cut off? Similarly, once we
have recognized the problem of suffering, we must look for its
cause. Only by understanding the cause of suffering can we do
something to solve the problem.
What is the cause of suffering according to the Buddha? e
Buddha taught that craving is the great cause of suffering. ere
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