UNDERSTANDING SUFFERING (DUKKHA SACCA)

Buddhism begins with the recognition that life inherently involves suffering or "dukkha." This suffering can manifest in various forms, including physical pain, mental anguish, dissatisfaction, restlessness etc. People must understand suffering as an integral part of human existence.

Dukkha can be said where there is five khandhas or pañca-upādānakkhandhā (five aggregates), there is sufferings. What are these five aggregates or pañca-upādānakkhandhā? The Five aggregates are Form or matter (rūpa), Feeling or sensation (vedanā), Perception (saññā), Mental formation (saṅkhārā) and Consciousness (viññāṇa). These five aggregates together constitute what we call a body, individual or personality. They constantly arise and cease, so they are impermanent (anicca). Because they are impermanent, they are suffering (dukkha) and non-self (anatta). Hence, the five aggregates are empty (suññata).

Why this body of the Five khandhas are subject to suffering by being born, get sick, old and ultimately die? The five aggregates (pañca upādānakkhandhā) are subject to suffering (dukkha) because it is made up of four great elements (cattāro mahābhūtāni) – earth element, water element, fire element and air element, which are the fundamental constituents of matter. The solid parts of our body such as our head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bone, organs, etc. are of the earth element. The fluids in our body such as our blood, saliva, urine, sweat, etc. are of the water element. Our breath is of the wind element. Heat in our body is of the fire element. These four great elements are the cause and condition for suffering. 

Suffering is inherent to all living beings in this world. The Buddha awakened to the truth that birth is suffering. If people do not understand that birth is suffering and say opposite of that then it is called ignorance (avijjā). Birth is suffering (dukkha), the five aggregates (pañca upādānakkhandhā) are subject to suffering, birth, aging, sick & death with sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief & despair come into being. The five aggregates coming in association with the unpleasant, dissociation from the pleasant and not receiving what one desires are suffering. The five aggregates are conditioned phenomena, which are impermanent (anicca), they lead to suffering (dukkha) and there is no self (anatta) through ignorance, people cling to the five aggregates believing them to be “me”, “mine” and “I”.

The worldlings suffer various types of suffering due to existence of Miccha ditthi (wrong Views) and Miccha sankappa (wrong determination). As long as a sentient being holds false view and false determination, that sentient beings will suffer because of its ignorance and consequence of holding wrong views and wrong determination. Because of the suffering face by the sentient being in daily life, they act with wrong views and take wrong decisions so they suffer and continue to suffer those consequences.

Just as a blind person does not see the way, but only wanders around in imaginary consciousness and speculation in limited space as it is not at all possible for him to go on a long-distance journey. In the same way, people with wrong views suffer from birth and death in this world again and again without finding the way to the realization of Nibbāna.

The attributes of Noble Truths of Suffering (Dukkha) are Impermanence (anicca), Suffering (dukkha), Non-self (Anatta) and Emptiness (suññata). Impermanence (anicca) and suffering (dukkha) are interdependent as where there is impermanence, there is suffering. In short, the five aggregates (pañca upādānakkhandhā) are suffering.