Buddhism and Suffering

A while back I wrote a blog On  Happiness where I summarised research that found that default level of happiness can be lifted with regular exercise and spiritualism. A big lesson for policy makers and practitioners. 

Now I want to look at the polar opposite of it, how can we reduce suffering? When the times are hard, everything seems to be meaningless and sad.  I have been listening a lot to Buddhist teachings.  And they teach a lot about how to deal with suffering and pain. I really liked one idea. We think that attachments and connections actually make us happy. Attachment to things, to people, to ideas, to ambitions. And that creates desire, sometimes so overpowering that it takes over our lives. And it starts making us unhappy. Attachment is an obstacle to happiness rather than a way to happiness. It is such a powerful thought. And letting go of attachments, we are letting go of suffering. When we lose our loved ones, it is our attachment to them that makes us suffer, and not our empathy or compassion for them. It is a lifelong lesson to learn – to let go of attachments. To not care about the outcome, but only focus on the present process. Enjoying the process of life one moment at a time rather than focusing on where it will lead us. Grief comes from attachment, sense of loss comes from attachment, fear comes from attachment… Let those go, and one becomes a really resilient person with tremendous inner strength. 

More on teaching of Buddhism to increase well-being and decrease suffering can be read here and here especially if you are going through major life changes such as the death of a loved one or major illness and disability. I do not research happiness and well-being, but if I ever do, it will be on these topics. 

First published on 01/09/2023