The post titled Where Suffering Stops Being About Religion and Starts Being About Cause and Effect is now up on Buddhism for All. Angela from the Buddhism.net team reflected on it, and invites you to do so too.
🌕 Angela’s Reflections:
The teachings highlight that suffering arises from a singular cause: craving. More specifically, taṇhā, which literally means thirst, but is often translated as craving. The tonality of taṇhā has a deeper sense of unease, grasping, desperation, compulsion and a sense of suffering. More importantly, what is implicit is that since suffering arises from causes, suffering is not inherent in the mind. How wonderful!
🌱 Journal Reflection Prompts for You:
- 📝 When does craving or taṇhā arise in your life? What were the outcomes of following craving or taṇhā? Were the outcomes absolute joy and happiness as you imagined?
- 📝 What feeling, emotions or physical sensations do you experience when craving or taṇhā arises in you? How can you start to cultivate mindfulness to be aware of craving or taṇhā when it arise?
- 📝 Why would recognizing and identifying craving or taṇhā when it arise, be important?
- 📝 If suffering is not inherent, what suffering are we really eliminating?
Featured image, source: https://giphy.com/gifs/season-15-the-simpsons-15×19-3orifcrH8BVs4wBtUA
