Dukkha and Meditation

Suffering is something that everyone experiences and there are ups in downs that occur in every day life. What is astonishing is that suffering is something that is created by the human mind. By having control over the mind one can reduce unnecessary pain and suffering created by an overactive mind. Even though suffering occurs in daily living it is amplified by the mind. In Buddhism they call this dukkha, which is defined as the state of suffering. Mediation is a tool that can help reduce this suffering and is common among many religious traditions. It is essentially a way of life in Buddhist traditions. When one hears the word meditation the first thing that comes to mind is someone in a seated position siting in silence. Meditation is something that is difficult to understand unless it is an activity that is actively participated in. It is seen as something spiritual when really it is simply an exercise to help one have control over their mind. One is then able to stop thinking and have moments of peace. Researchers called this state of tranquility mindfulness. In this paper I will prove that suffering is only something that is created the mind; through meditation one can achieve a shift in consciousness known as mindfulness to reduce this burden of self-created suffering.

Dukkha is a Pali term that is loosely translated as “suffering” or “sorrow,” but can also be translated as “dissatisfaction” or “disease” (Molloy 133). The first noble truth of Buddhism is that there is dukkha present in everday life. Dukkha ranges from situations that cause obvious pain and sorrow such as a death of a loved one, to any sort of negative emotion that arises as a response to an event. The event itself is not the problem but the reaction to the situation is the problem. No matter what type of suffering that occurs there is one commonality. It is all something that is created by the mind. As stated by the Buddha:

When an untaught worldling is touched by a painful (bodily)...