Buddhism is a Joyful, Joyous Religion

[blossomingtree]

HaHa Just Kidding.

No, I'm not.

This is a semi-serious post where I wanted to address one of the first misconceptions I learnt of when I trained in Buddha Dharma.

I remember reading a book years ago where it said the Buddha taught that life is suffering (and that definitely didn't appeal to me ) but later I learnt that he never taught this.

Instead, the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths (and they do come as a collective). These include

There is dukkha
There is a path leading to the cessation of dukkha

Dukkha is commonly translated as "suffering" but it's actually a quite loose and misleading translation.

Dukkha actually refers to a wheel that is out of balance, and so it is a symbol that refers to the fundamental unsatisfactoriness of life, slight discomfort, or that inability to have an enduring peace and happiness. In the most obvious sense, it refers to life's suffering, and in lesser forms, just that constant "itch" and discontent even in happier circumstances.

Dukkha does not refer to pain. As someone or other said, pain is at times inevitable (try stubbing a toe with this body) but suffering is optional.

Back to the first sentence - I have found that Buddha Dhamma is a very joyful religion in outcome, perspective and in life's resonance. Sure, we come "through" suffering but as someone or other (again) said, the road out is the road in.

Thanks for listening!

BT

[blossomingtree]

"He showed me the brightness of the world."

That's how my teacher, Ajaan Fuang, once characterized his debt to his teacher, Ajaan Lee. His words took me by surprise. I had only recently come to study with him, still fresh from a school where I had learned that serious Buddhists took a negative, pessimistic view of the world. Yet here was a man who had given his life to the practice of the Buddha's teachings, speaking of the world's brightness. Of course, by "brightness" he wasn't referring to the joys of the arts, food, travel, sports, family life, or any of the other sections of the Sunday newspaper. He was talking about a deeper happiness that comes from within. As I came to know him, I gained a sense of how deeply happy he was. He may have been skeptical about a lot of human pretenses, but I would never describe him as negative or pessimistic. "Realistic" would be closer to the truth. Yet for a long time I couldn't shake the sense of paradox I felt over how the pessimism of the Buddhist texts could find embodiment in such a solidly happy person.

Only when I began to look directly at the early texts did I realize that what I thought was a paradox was actually an irony — the irony of how Buddhism, which gives such a positive view of a human being's potential for finding true happiness, could be branded in the West as negative and pessimistic.

Life Isn't Just Suffering

[sky]

Originally Posted by blossomingtree

"He showed me the brightness of the world."

That's how my teacher, Ajaan Fuang, once characterized his debt to his teacher, Ajaan Lee. His words took me by surprise. I had only recently come to study with him, still fresh from a school where I had learned that serious Buddhists took a negative, pessimistic view of the world. Yet here was a man who had given his life to the practice of the Buddha's teachings, speaking of the world's brightness. Of course, by "brightness" he wasn't referring to the joys of the arts, food, travel, sports, family life, or any of the other sections of the Sunday newspaper. He was talking about a deeper happiness that comes from within. As I came to know him, I gained a sense of how deeply happy he was. He may have been skeptical about a lot of human pretenses, but I would never describe him as negative or pessimistic. "Realistic" would be closer to the truth. Yet for a long time I couldn't shake the sense of paradox I felt over how the pessimism of the Buddhist texts could find embodiment in such a solidly happy person.

Only when I began to look directly at the early texts did I realize that what I thought was a paradox was actually an irony — the irony of how Buddhism, which gives such a positive view of a human being's potential for finding true happiness, could be branded in the West as negative and pessimistic.

Life Isn't Just Suffering

' Life isn't just suffering ' .... so true, life is what you make of it
When you think 🤔about it would there be happiness without suffering, I am trying to get to a point when I can just accept that ' It is what it is ' and leave out the judgment.




Free yourself from attachment.
Know the sweet joy of the way.
How joyful to look upon the awakened
And to keep company with the wise.
How long the road to the man
Who travels the road with the fool.
Buddha
Dhammapada.

[happy soul]

I agree with the points you're making, BT.

And I've read from teachers who I felt were wise that Buddha was optimistic.

I don't feel that it's 'pessimistic', or for that matter even negative, to observe or teach that there's a deep-seated dissatisfaction in people. I would simply say it's an honest and accurate observation.

The positivity and optimism in Buddhism are very apparent in the teaching that that dissatisfaction and suffering can be healed and transcended.

[blossomingtree]

Originally Posted by sky123

' Life isn't just suffering ' .... so true, life is what you make of it
When you think 🤔about it would there be happiness without suffering, I am trying to get to a point when I can just accept that ' It is what it is ' and leave out the judgment.

I thought of a teaching when I read this, sky123

It is called "suffering should be welcomed", by Ajahn Sumedho

Ajahn Chah taught:

"There are two kinds of suffering: the kind of suffering which leads to more suffering, and the suffering which leads to the end of suffering. The first is the pain of grasping after fleeting pleasures and aversion for the unpleasant, the continued struggle of most people day after day. The second is the suffering which comes when you allow yourself to feel fully the constant change of experience - pleasure, pain, joy, and anger - without fear or withdrawal. The suffering of our experience leads to fearlessness and peace.

First you understand the Dhamma with your thoughts. If you begin to understand it, you will practice it. And if you practice it, you will being to see it. And when you see it, you are the Dhamma and you have the joy of the Buddha."

[Alice_1]

Thank you for the post. Yes, in this life we ​​are going through a difficult path.