The Truth Of Unsatisfactoriness
In this episode, I explore the first of the Four Noble Truths, the truth of unsatisfactoriness, also known as suffering. I explain that difficulties are a natural part of existence, not a personal failing, and that trying to eliminate all suffering is a source of self-inflicted pain. Key takeaways include understanding the difference between acute and all-pervasive suffering, recognizing that the problem isn't the existence of unsatisfactoriness but our resistance to it, and that attachment to our judgments, rather than the judgments themselves, causes problems. This teaching is relevant to everyday life, helping us accept the inherent difficulties in things like parenting, relationships, and careers, and to distinguish between natural discomfort and unnecessary, self-imposed suffering.
