Suffering

Most people view life as a constant battle, struggling to attain desired things or avoid undesired things. However, this struggling is largely self-inflicted and can be stopped within a moment. The only thing preventing people from understanding and applying this concept is a fundamental misunderstanding of it.

“to most of us life seems like a constant battle a constant struggle to either attain something that we desire or to fend off things to get away from things that we do not desire that we want to avoid in life but by the end of this video I want to hopefully have convinced you that all this struggling all this fighting all this battling and all this push and pull that we feel of things that we want and things that we want to avoid is really largely if not completely self Afflicted and can be stopped within a moment”

• Why do we view life as a constant struggle?
• What prevents us from understanding and applying the concept of ending our self-inflicted struggles?

Misunderstanding the concept of surrender, The role of the human intellect in suffering and salvation

According to Meister Eckhart, a 13th-century Christian mystic, all suffering stems from our love for external things that misfortune takes away from us. If losing external things causes pain, it indicates an attachment to those things and a love for suffering and despair.

“now I say further that all suffering comes from our love for what Misfortune takes from us if the loss of external things causes me pain then this is a clear sign that I love external things and thus in truth love suffering and despair is it surprising then that I suffer since I love and seek suffering and despair”

• How does attachment to external things lead to suffering?
• What can we learn from Meister Eckhart’s perspective on the source of suffering?

The teachings of Seneca on accepting fate, The universal message of various philosophies and religions

Seneca, a pagan master referenced by Meister Eckhart, suggests that the best consolation in suffering and distress is to accept everything as if we had desired and prayed for it. If we knew that all things happen from, with, and in the will of God, we would have desired them.

“Senaca a pagan Master asks what is the best consolation in suffering and distress and gives this answer it is this that we should accept everything as if we had desired it and prayed for it for you would have desired it if you had known that all things happen from with and in the will of God”

• How can accepting everything as if we desired it help alleviate suffering?
• What role does understanding the will of God or the universe play in this acceptance?

The importance of surrendering to the will of Fortune, Finding meaning in adversity

When we label external events as either good or bad, especially when we label them as bad, we experience distress, anxiety, fear, anger, and other negative emotions. This happens when we try to control what cannot be controlled by nature.

• How does labeling events as good or bad contribute to our suffering?
• What is the alternative to labeling and trying to control external events?

The invincibility of certain life events, Learning to live by learning to die

Contrary to common belief, surrendering to what happens to us instead of fighting against it is an act of strength, not weakness. Those who end their lives due to terrible experiences have not learned to adapt and realize that nothing is as big of a deal as they make it out to be.

“to say no I will overcome this I will learn to want what is happening to me and I will learn to live with it I will learn to even like it and to draw Advantage from it because we talked about earlier in every disadvantage there’s an advantage and in every Advantage there’s a disadvantage but again when we Face these so-called bad things negative things in our lives if we learn to not only accept it but to love it to see it as something that is happening to us and that we should not just wish to be over and done with it but that we can draw an experience from it a lesson from it an advantage from it and to become better through it what what better thing is there”

• Why is surrendering often viewed as an act of weakness?
• How can surrendering to life’s events make us stronger and more resilient?

Drawing advantages from disadvantages, The transformative power of accepting and loving what happens to us

Trying to fight against inevitable things like death, disease, or financial loss is akin to attempting to stand up against an invincible force. This mentality leads to constant battles and struggles, preventing us from inhabiting the present moment and finding peace.

• What are some examples of inevitable things people often try to fight against?
• How does fighting against the inevitable affect our ability to live in the present?

The futility of seeking relief in the future, The importance of inhabiting the present moment

When we accept and even want what is happening to us, we start looking for opportunities to advance ourselves instead of seeking to escape the situation. This mindset allows us to inhabit the present moment and find ways to improve our circumstances or help others.

Examples:

• Waiting in a long line at the DMV: Instead of being agitated and wanting to get it over with, accept the situation and look for opportunities to relieve someone else’s stress or put a smile on their face.

“if you accept the situation if you say the line is what it is it’s bigger than I am if I fight something that is bigger than I am I will lose but ironically it seems if I surrender to what is bigger than I am to what is stronger than I am then I win because I start inhabiting the only place in life that I could possibly inhabit and that’s the present that’s the now so when I Surrender when I accept the situation when I even want the situation to occur exactly as it is occurring right this instant then all of a sudden I inhabit the present I inhabit the room that I am that I’m in I look around I see things I see opportunities maybe I can relieve someone else’s stress maybe I can put a smile on my face and and make someone else realize this is not that big of a deal that we waste Moment by moment the only moment that we have”

• How can accepting and wanting what happens to us lead to new opportunities?
• What are some practical ways to apply this mindset in everyday situations?

The connection between surrender and living in the present, Finding ways to help others in challenging situations

The ideas presented in this transcript, such as accepting what happens, surrendering to the will of the universe, and finding meaning in adversity, are universal and timeless. They can be found across various philosophies, religions, and schools of thought that seek truth in an objective and open-minded way.

• Why do these ideas appear consistently across different philosophies and religions?
• What can we learn from studying the commonalities between various schools of thought?

The pursuit of truth in different traditions, The value of an open-minded approach to learning

Seneca a pagan master who says, “Lord Supreme father Master of the highest Heavens I am ready for all that you will give me the will to will what you will.” This emphasizes the idea that we have a choice in how we respond to what happens to us and can actively choose to align our will with the will of a higher power or the universe.

• How does the concept of choice factor into accepting and willing what happens to us?
• What are the benefits of aligning our will with a higher power or the universe?

The power of aligning our will with a higher purpose, The role of faith in accepting life’s events

Epictetus, who says, “to learn how to live is to learn how to die.” This suggests that by studying and accepting the inevitability of death, we can learn to live more fully in the present and appreciate the moments we have.

“if we would study how to die we would essentially study how to live because to study how to die well is to study how to live well”

• How can studying death help us live better lives?
• What practical steps can we take to incorporate this idea into our daily lives?

Memento mori: remembering our mortality, Living fully in the face of death

Value being flexible and adaptable in the face of life’s challenges, rather than trying to fight against them. By being more bendable and willing to adapt to the will of Fortune, we can reduce our suffering and find greater ease in life.

“if you are more bending more flexible if you adapt to the will of Fortune if you will to will what God Wills what life Wills what the universe Wills the word does the word God doesn’t matter you can replace it with the universe or or life or whatever you want but if you learn learn how to do this your suffering will stop immediately and everything will become easier”

• How can being more flexible and adaptable help us navigate life’s challenges?
• What are some ways to cultivate flexibility and adaptability in our mindset and actions?

The benefits of a flexible mindset, Developing resilience through adaptability

A quote that encapsulates the idea of leveraging challenges for personal growth: “I step on to my Misfortune and as a result I stand taller.” This suggests that by facing and overcoming our misfortunes, we can elevate ourselves and become better versions of ourselves.

“I step on to my misfortune and as a result I stand taller”

• How can we reframe our misfortunes as opportunities for growth and development?
• What examples from our own lives illustrate the idea of standing taller as a result of stepping on misfortune?

The transformative power of adversity, Developing a growth mindset in the face of challenges

Friedrich Nietzsche and Buddha both recognize suffering as a fundamental aspect of human life. They see it as a starting point for understanding the human condition.

• Nietzsche views joy and suffering as inseparable in the “economy of the soul”
• The Buddha identifies dukkha (suffering, dissatisfaction, stress) as a universal characteristic of existence

“Suffering is a universal fact of existence. This is the starting point of two of history’s greatest psychologists. The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and the ancient Indian sage known as the Buddha.”

“Dukkha describes all unpleasant experience, but not only that. It also describes all experience subject to change and all experience arising due to causes and conditions.”

• How does acknowledging suffering as a universal fact change our perspective on life?
• In what ways might suffering be necessary for personal growth and understanding?

Will to Power, Craving, Dukkha, Noble Eightfold Path

Nietzsche sees suffering as a potential source of growth and strength, emphasizing the importance of one’s attitude towards it.

• Two responses to suffering: the way of the weak (avoidance) and the way of the strong (seeking challenge)
• Suffering as a teacher that can make us “deeper”
• The concept of “will to power” as the driving force behind human activity

“What does not kill me makes me stronger.”

“Only great pain, that long, slow pain that takes its time … forces us philosophers to descend into our ultimate depths and put aside all trust, everything good-natured, veiling, mild, average…”

• How can we cultivate a “strong” attitude towards suffering in our daily lives?
• What are the potential dangers of actively seeking out suffering?

Way of the Weak, Way of the Strong, Creative Impulse, Self-Overcoming

The Buddha sees suffering (dukkha) as a result of craving and offers a path to its cessation.

• Three types of craving: for sensuality, for becoming, for non-becoming
• The Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path as a “middle way” between extremes
• The concept of nirvana as an unconditioned state beyond suffering

“Both formerly and now, it is only dukkha that I describe, and the cessation of dukkha.”

“There is that dimension where there is neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor wind; neither … the infinitude of space, nor … the infinitude of consciousness, nor … nothingness, nor … perception nor non-perception; neither this world, nor the next world…”

• How does the Buddha’s approach to ending suffering differ from modern self-help strategies?
• What challenges might we face in trying to understand or experience nirvana?

Four Noble Truths, Nirvana, Middle Way, Meditation

Despite their differences, Nietzsche and Buddha share some common ground in their approach to suffering and the human condition.

• Both experienced personal trauma and sought answers to the problem of suffering
• Both initially explored life-renunciation before developing their own philosophies
• They agree on the importance of confronting suffering rather than avoiding it

Actionable steps:

1. Study both Nietzsche and Buddhist philosophy to gain a broader perspective on suffering
2. Practice meditation to explore the nature of experience firsthand
3. When facing suffering, approach it with courage, acceptance, and curiosity
4. Reflect on how suffering has led to personal growth or deeper understanding in your life

“Buddhism is the only genuinely positive religion to be encountered in history … It does not speak of a ‘struggle with sin’, but, yielding to reality, of the ‘struggle with suffering’.”

“Suffering alone does not bring wisdom. Suffering, confronted with courage, acceptance, and curiosity – this brings wisdom.”

• How can we integrate insights from both Nietzsche and Buddha in our approach to life’s challenges?
• What might be the benefits of exploring seemingly contradictory philosophies?

Alchemy of Suffering, Noble Life, Personal Growth, Philosophical Synthesis

The core disagreement between Nietzsche and Buddha lies in their views on the ultimate nature of reality and the possibility of transcending suffering.

• Nietzsche sees the sensory world as all there is, emphasizing embracing life with all its suffering
• Buddha points to nirvana as an unconditioned state beyond suffering and impermanence

Actionable steps:

1. Engage in philosophical contemplation about the nature of reality
2. Practice meditation to explore consciousness firsthand
3. Stay open to different perspectives without clinging to certainty
4. Continually question and examine your own beliefs and experiences

“Deep, Vaccha, is [nirvāṇa], hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise.”

“Form is emptiness; emptiness is form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness.”

• How does our view of ultimate reality impact our approach to suffering and life in general?
• What methods can we use to investigate the nature of reality beyond intellectual understanding?

Ultimate Nature of Experience, Philosophical Inquiry, Non-duality, Empirical Investigation