Greetings,

Today, I would like to discuss a concept prominent within philosophy and religion: the nature of suffering. I'd like to share my view on this concept and would love to hear different perspectives, where others may agree or disagree, or point out my blind spots.

There seem to be three layers of suffering: inherent, literal, and mental. I shall delve into each of these in this post, to explain what I mean by these 'layers.'

1. Inherent suffering. Suffering seems to be inherent to life, as pretty much all life forms on this planet require energy from other life forms to survive, be nourished, and grow, with humans being no exception. (Plants might be exceptions, since they primarily require sunlight and water, but that is beside the point.)

Entropy — the natural state of the universe to dissolve into disorder, decay, and death — appears to be the dominant force in our reality. Life is fleeting and often a struggle for most animals and other life forms. Survival means struggling, competition can be brutal, we all grow older, weaker, and more fragile over time, and death is inevitable. Nobody actually knows why life is like this; it just is. We may ask God to come down here and explain the mess He has created, or point fingers at fate, karma, a cosmic governance, absurdism, aliens, or any other idea or concept you can come up with to explain how life works, yet the fundamental truth remains: life just is. Until it isn't.

As the Buddha taught us, accepting inherent suffering is crucial, because there is no way around it. Everyone we know will one day be gone. The only thing we can do (besides accepting this truth) is to bear and raise children, or to leave our legacy behind in some other manner, but these are fleeting as well. Many people have children due to their biological imperative, which is all too reasonable, yet we seldom question the deeper motives. Do people desire to have children to leave behind a legacy, or create purpose? My personal view on this is that having children should be a personal choice grounded in wisdom and hesitation, and that there is no 'right' or 'wrong' answer regarding the question of when or why you should (or should not) have children.

2. Literal suffering. Literal suffering mainly refers to pain or external events that literally harm you. If you get punched in the face, it will hurt, and you will suffer. Of course, you hold some influence over how much you suffer, since you do have some power in choosing how to respond to this event; however, the physical, factual event of getting punched in the face causes pain, and therefore literal suffering. The same holds true for most other forms of literal or physical pain.

This form of suffering seems inherent to living organisms. A rock would not feel pain when thrown, as this is obvious, but does a tree feel pain when it is being cut down? Animals can certainly feel pain - anyone who's stepped on their dog's paws by accident understands this - yet we aren't sure to what extent they experience it. A curious insight to remember is that looking at a physical wound or external bleeding amplifies the physical suffering, perhaps you've noticed this from personal experience? If you seriously injure yourself, then the amount of pain you feel can be amplified (or reduced) based on your awareness of this injury. Simply looking away, to no longer focus on the injury but to direct your attention elsewhere, actually reduces the pain you feel. Mind-bending, isn't it?

In a sense, literal suffering stems from evolution and biology, as a way for living organisms to avoid danger and to protect the physical body. Since evolution is about survival and reproduction, any tool, method, or strategy to help the organism survive will propagate itself and be passed on genetically. Pain has been a highly effective tool (or teacher) in helping organisms survive, which is why it still exists the way it does today. Fortunately, unlike inherent suffering, literal suffering can be partially managed by avoiding harmful behaviours and mitigating risks, although safety is never a guarantee.

3. Mental suffering. Unlike the other two forms of suffering, mental suffering is fully within one's control. Many philosophers have pointed out that it is not external events that cause suffering, but one's responses to it. If your partner passes away, you might become overwhelmed with grief and depression, yet the stranger living across the street will not lose sleep over it. Death is often viewed as negative and something to be avoided, while in truth it is part of the same cycle of life: it is inevitable and natural. Therefore, struggling to deal with the loss of a loved one causes mental suffering, but only in the amount and duration you choose. This is why some people are exceptional at 'moving on', while others struggle dealing with their grief for years.

Your judgements or attachments to events, both positive and negative, determine the amount of suffering or joy you experience from said event. I am not claiming you should be fully detached from all lived experiences, as if to become so enlightened that literally nothing fazes you until you die (although this is an option for a tiny minority), but to be fully aware of the truth that mental suffering is self-made. This is not to deny that other people can be nasty, cruel, or harmful, as activities like bullying or applying physical violence to others are certainly real in our world, but that the amount you suffer from these activities is within your control. Here in the West, we don't teach this to our children, as we instead teach others to not bully, or to rely on authority figures to solve problems. In truth, this enables weakness and a victimhood complex, and it leads to disastrous consequences like suicidal ideation in teenagers. Obviously, bullying is harmful and should not be encouraged. I'm simply stating the truth that there will always be people who will try to bring you down or harm you, and that avoiding them or placing responsibility elsewhere is nonsensical and futile. At the end of the day, you are the only botanist of your inner garden.

There is raw power here, within our reach. Despite all the chaos, injustice, and inherent suffering found in reality and our world, we always hold the ability to choose how to respond to whatever happens. The insight that mental suffering is entirely within one's control is profoundly liberating, and applying this wisdom to your personal life offers an immense amount of stillness and strength—virtues much needed in our world today (at least in my opinion).


Perhaps this topic is a little bit uncomfortable, as talking about heavy topics such as illness, suffering, and death can be unpleasant, and I am well aware of all this. Unfortunately, I am just a man who's had to endure a lot of suffering, even during childhood, and surely most people can relate. Life is rough sometimes. All of this more or less pushed me into philosophy, to gain a deeper understanding of life, the mind (and how to control it), and how to live with inner peace, stillness, and purpose in a world that often feels apathetic and cold.

Any insights or different perspectives are greatly appreciated, and thank you for reading.