Definition of the Week (10) – Truth of Suffering

Maitreya:
“Suffering is to be known
The source to be abandoned
Cessation is to be attained
The path is to be practiced.”

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:
Truth of Suffering: A truth  characterised by being impermanent, misery, empty and selfless, and belonging to the completely afflicted side.

Gyaltsab Je:
We are mistaken with regards to the truth of suffering by grasping at purity, happiness, permanence and self. Understanding the four aspects of the truth of suffering, which are impermanence, suffering, empty and selfless, counteracts this.

Take the subject “suffering of suffering”,
it is impermanent – because it is generated adventitiously
it is misery – because it is powered by karma and afflictions
it is empty – because there is no separate controlling self
it is empty – because it is not established in the nature of an independent self.

Essentially, if it is generated under the control of karma and afflictions it is misery, and hence impermanent, empty and selfless, and therefore truth of suffering and to be abandoned. The key element seems to be misery.

Have a good week! (haha)