Yeah, if we have to wait for the entire planet to be sunshine and rainbows all day every day for everyone forever, then we’ll never find inner peace or be able to enjoy a moment of happiness. And neither can anyone else.
If we can allow ourselves to have those things despite the suffering in the world, then the amount of suffering in the world will be reduced drastically. Certainly not entirely, but by nature of the fact that everyone can find a moment or two each day to appreciate the little things, the compounding effects of suffering will be mitigated.
It’s called “the second arrow” in buddhism. The first arrow is the thing that makes you suffer. The second arrow is your internal response to the suffering, which only compounds the suffering even more without changing anything. It comes from clinging to a sense of “it shouldn’t be this way,” a refusal to accept reality on reality’s terms.
That’s not to say we should be callous. A common misperception is that buddhism says we should abandon the world. That’s not the case at all. True buddhist practice awakens the heart of compassion. You’ll feel the suffering of the world immensely if you’re doing it right; more than you ever thought you could. The difference is that you learn to feel that suffering, and acknowledge it for what it is, without resisting reality as it is. That actually increases your ability to respond to it with empathy, because you’re not burning yourself out emotionally.
Non-resistance in the buddhist sense isn’t passivity though. You can still take proactive measures to reduce suffering in the world, and you absolutely should. Buddhism encourages this. The difference is that “non-resistance” is an internal state-of-being in which you can feel the suffering of the world, and not let it break you. What you must accept is your own suffering: the pain you feel when you watch others suffer. To resist that is to be callous. It’s the “first arrow” that one must learn to welcome into one’s flesh, because to resist the first arrow is the second arrow itself.
We can hold space for the suffering of the world, and still enjoy a gentle breeze, or a warm cup of tea, or the smile of a loved one. To not allow ourselves these simple pleasures, is to not allow the world its simple pleasures either. That only increases suffering. Buddhism does not encourage such rigid asceticism, contrary to popular belief.
It’s not “accept pain and deny yourself pleasure.” That’s dogmatic masochism. This isn’t a Herman Hesse novel. It’s “let go of your attachment to pleasure, let go of your resistance to pain. Just let go.” The difference might be subtle, but it’s important.
Yeah, if we have to wait for the entire planet to be sunshine and rainbows all day every day for everyone forever, then we’ll never find inner peace or be able to enjoy a moment of happiness. And neither can anyone else.
If we can allow ourselves to have those things despite the suffering in the world, then the amount of suffering in the world will be reduced drastically. Certainly not entirely, but by nature of the fact that everyone can find a moment or two each day to appreciate the little things, the compounding effects of suffering will be mitigated.
It’s called “the second arrow” in buddhism. The first arrow is the thing that makes you suffer. The second arrow is your internal response to the suffering, which only compounds the suffering even more without changing anything. It comes from clinging to a sense of “it shouldn’t be this way,” a refusal to accept reality on reality’s terms.
That’s not to say we should be callous. A common misperception is that buddhism says we should abandon the world. That’s not the case at all. True buddhist practice awakens the heart of compassion. You’ll feel the suffering of the world immensely if you’re doing it right; more than you ever thought you could. The difference is that you learn to feel that suffering, and acknowledge it for what it is, without resisting reality as it is. That actually increases your ability to respond to it with empathy, because you’re not burning yourself out emotionally.
Non-resistance in the buddhist sense isn’t passivity though. You can still take proactive measures to reduce suffering in the world, and you absolutely should. Buddhism encourages this. The difference is that “non-resistance” is an internal state-of-being in which you can feel the suffering of the world, and not let it break you. What you must accept is your own suffering: the pain you feel when you watch others suffer. To resist that is to be callous. It’s the “first arrow” that one must learn to welcome into one’s flesh, because to resist the first arrow is the second arrow itself.
We can hold space for the suffering of the world, and still enjoy a gentle breeze, or a warm cup of tea, or the smile of a loved one. To not allow ourselves these simple pleasures, is to not allow the world its simple pleasures either. That only increases suffering. Buddhism does not encourage such rigid asceticism, contrary to popular belief.
It’s not “accept pain and deny yourself pleasure.” That’s dogmatic masochism. This isn’t a Herman Hesse novel. It’s “let go of your attachment to pleasure, let go of your resistance to pain. Just let go.” The difference might be subtle, but it’s important.