The Three Basic Facts of Existence II: Suffering (Dukkha) - Buddhist ...

natthitā). But when a man sees the world’s origin as it actually is with right understanding thereis for him none of (what is called) in the world “non-existence”; and when he sees the world’scessation as it actually is with right understanding, there is for him none of (what is called) inthe world “existence.” Usually the world is shackled by bias, clinging and insistence; but onesuch as this (who has right view,) instead of allowing bias, instead of clinging, instead ofdeciding about “my self” with such bias, such clinging, and such mental decision in the guise ofunderlying tendency to insist, has no doubt or uncertainty that what arises is only arising ofsuffering, and that what ceases is only ceasing of suffering; and his knowledge herein isindependent of others. “Right view” refers to this. “(An) all exists” (sabbaṃ atthi) is one extreme;“(An) all does not exist” (sabbaṃ natthi) is the other extreme. Instead of resorting to eitherextreme, a Tathāgata expounds the Teaching (dhamma) by the middle way (of dependentorigination).” 74Now, as in the case of impermanence, so too the characteristic of suffering is not alwaysevident unless looked for. “The characteristic of suffering does not become apparent because,when continuous oppression (by rise and fall) is not given attention it is concealed by thepostures … However, when the postures are exposed by attention to continuous oppression, thecharacteristic of suffering becomes apparent in its true nature; 75 “When the postures areexposed” means when the concealment of the suffering that is actually inherent in the (four)postures (of walking, standing, sitting, and lying down) is exposed. For when suffering (pain)arises in a posture, the next posture adopted removes the suffering, as it were, concealing it. Butonce it is known, according as it actually is, how the suffering in any posture is shifted bysubstituting another posture for that one, then the concealment of the suffering that is in them isexposed because it has become evident that formations are being incessantly crushed out bysuffering.” 76Whether this general state, defined as suffering here, is taken as suffering per se, or conceivedas being (bhava), or equated with some other generalisation, it has always to be regarded asdestitute of aseity; for nothing, general or particular, can arise without an origin and it ceaseswith the cessation of its origin. A number of origins of suffering are given in one Sutta, namely,the “essentials of existence” (upadhi; i.e. craving and what is craved for), ignorance (avijjâ;particularly of the four Truths), formations, consciousness, contact (phassa), feeling, craving(taṇhā), clinging (as a condition for being), “initiative” (ârambha; i.e. if misdirected), nutriment(âhâra), and perturbation (iñjita). 77Suffering as a Noble TruthThe general aspect of suffering (insecurity, threat of pain) is otherwise described by the Buddhain his first discourse, given at Benares, as the first of the four Noble Truths (ariyasacca). “TheNoble Truth of Suffering is this: birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, sickness is suffering,death is suffering, sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering, associationwith the loathed is suffering, dissociation from the loved is suffering, not to get what one wantsis suffering: in brief the five categories affected by clinging are suffering.” 78 Elsewhere it isdescribed as follows: “What is the Noble Truth of Suffering? It can be termed the five categoriesaffected by clinging, namely, the materiality category affected by clinging, the feeling …perception … formations … consciousness category affected by clinging” 79 and “What is the74SN 12:15/S II 17.75Vism Ch. 21, p. 640.76Vism-þ 824.77Sn p. 139ff, Ch. III.12.78SN 56:11/S V 421.79SN 56:13/S V 425.43