Introduction – What is Suffering?

The Buddha taught that the “suffering-free mind” (pabhassara citta) is hidden inside the mind of any living being. We are unable to get rid of the ten layers of “dirt” (saṁyojana) covering that “suffering-free mind” because of our “built-in false sense of joyful sensations” (“distorted saññā”) for sensory experiences. Thus, a root cause of suffering is not comprehending that our innate feeling/perception of “pleasurable things” is an illusion.

Revised June 6, 2021; re-written August 10, 2024

“Dukkha Sacca” Means “The Truth About Suffering”

1. “Dukkha sacca” (the latter pronounced “sachcha”) refers not only to suffering hidden in the rebirth process but also to how to eliminate it. 

  • Buddha never denied “pleasures to be had” in this world (even though they are a grand illusion that can only be uncovered by a Buddha, as explained below). 
  • But the problem is that ANY given sentient living being spends much more time in the four lowest realms (apāyās) than in the human, Deva, and Brahma realms (in the rebirth process.) For example, at the end of human existence, only a tiny fraction will grasp a “good existence” as a human or a Deva. Practically all of them will be reborn in the apāyās, including the animal realm. See “How the Buddha Described the Chance of Rebirth in the Human Realm.” 
  • Therefore, there is net suffering in the rebirth process by a HUGE margin.

2. Even though there is a palpable sense of happiness in the human or higher existences, any “living being” (or a lifestream)  spends a negligible amount of time in such realms compared to the time spent in the apāyās. Even that brief sense of happiness is mind-made! It can be compared to the fleeting happiness enjoyed while watching a magic show; see below.

“Neither the pleasures of the senses,                           “Yañca kāmasukhaṁ loke,
nor even divine happiness,                                            yañcidaṁ diviyaṁ sukhaṁ;
is worth even a sixteenth part                                     Taṇhakkhaya sukhassete,
of the happiness of craving’s end (Nibbāna).”           kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasin”ti.

  • While seeking a brief pleasure in the higher realms (itself an illusion, as discussed below), we acquire “bad kamma” to be paid back over long periods when born in the apāyās. 
  • That is the Noble truth about suffering!
A Missing Key Aspect of “Previously Unheard Teachings”

3. We are familiar with the following aspect of Buddha’s teachings: Kammic energies accumulated with actions based on greed, anger, and foolishness (ignorance) lead to corresponding rebirths, i.e., those associated with harsh suffering, like those experienced by animals.

  • In the same way, good deeds based on generosity, kindness, and wisdom (all in the mundane sense) lead to “good rebirths” where suffering is less and “significant pleasures” are present.
  • However, the above is not the complete explanation by the Buddha. The Buddha also explained that whatever “pleasures” living beings experience in the “good realms” are not real; they are “mind-made.” This critical aspect has been hidden for centuries and is not discussed in current texts.
  • Let us first discuss one sutta that explicitly states this idea. As indicated below, many other suttās provide details, which we have discussed in other sections on this website.
Sensual Experiences (Kāma Assāda) Are Illusions 

4. The Buddha described “saññā” as a mirage and the viññāṇa as a magician in the “Pheṇapiṇḍūpama Sutta (SN 22.95).” To modify the English translation in the link: “Suppose that in the last month of summer, at noon, a shimmering mirage appears. And a person with good eyesight would see it and contemplate it with wisdom. That person concludes that it is only a mirage and not water.” 

  • Thus, even if that person is thirsty, he would not run toward the mirage hoping to find water. 
  • On the other hand, an animal is incapable of realizing that it is a mirage and, thus, will chase it and die of thirst due to exhaustion.
  • That animal chases the mirage with joy, expecting its desire will be fulfilled soon. Yet, it will only get exhausted chasing the mirage.
  • In the same way, even intelligent humans perceive sensual experiences (kāma) as real. Only a Buddha’s highly-purified mind can discern that they are also illusions. This aspect of Buddha’s teachings has been hidden for many centuries, even though the teachings are evident in the suttās. 
The ‘Magic Show” is Based on “Distorted Sanna”

5. In the same “Pheṇapiṇḍūpama Sutta (SN 22.95)”, the Buddha compared viññāṇa to a magician as follows: “Suppose a magician was to perform a magic trick at the crossroads. And a person with wisdom would see it and examine it carefully. Upon close inspection, he will see the “trick” involved. A magic trick always involves an illusion.”

  • We call a magic show good if it is hard to find the “trick” used by the magician. 
  • Nature’s magic show is the ultimate magic show. It is impossible to find the “trick” within the framework of this world. For example, no matter how many experiments scientists carry out, they cannot “find that trick.” 
  • The magic trick the magician viññāṇa uses is the “distorted or made-up saññā” ( a “mirage”), as explained in #4 above.
  • The closest English word for “saññā” is perception, but in this case, it is a “distorted perception.” With that “wrong or distorted perception,” a human feels joy upon seeing an attractive person, eating tasty food, etc. That compels them to engage in immoral deeds (akusala), which, in turn, bring further suffering.

6. The Buddha taught that the perception of a “tasty food” or a “beautiful woman” is built into our (physical and mental) bodies via Paṭicca Samuppāda. He explained the mechanism in various suttās, including the “Mūlapariyāya Sutta – The Root of All Things.” However, such suttās are in the uddesa (brief) version; a direct translation can only lead to confusion, and such suttās need detailed explanations. See “Sutta Interpretation – Uddēsa, Niddēsa, Paṭiniddēsa.”

  • That is why the “trick” cannot be uncovered by studying the physical body, as done in medical schools by experts in biological sciences. 
  • All studies on human suffering are focused on curing diseases/injuries/ailments associated with the physical body. 
  • But the Buddha showed that the root causes for all suffering (mental suffering in addition to suffering due to the physical body) are found in our minds!
  • Unless explained by a Buddha, we would never think in a million years that “mind-pleasing things” in this world are “not real” and are “made up” by our own minds!
  • Now, let us look a bit deeper to figure out how a defiled mind (“viññāṇa magician” ) causes us to chase a mirage of “pleasurable experiences” based on “distorted saññā.”
A Different Way of Explaining the Above

7. A “suffering-free mind” (pabhassara citta) is hidden inside the mind of any living being. It is covered by ten layers of defilements (“saṁyojana.”)

  • Those ten saṁyojanās fall into three categories: (i) sakkāya diṭṭhi, vicikicchā, silabbata parāmāsa are due to wrong views (diṭṭhi.) (ii) Kāma rāga and paṭigha are due to cravings (taṇhā.) (iii) Māna, uddhacca, and avijjā are due to “a sense of me/mine” (māna.) 
  • The fundamental reason for all those defilements is the “innate sense” that there are certain things in the world that are appealing: For example, beautiful women/handsome men, music, food, fragrances, and bodily touches.
  • Of course, many varieties are within those categories (sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touches). This “innate sense of pleasant sensations” is embedded in “saññā.” See “Saññā Gives Rise to Most of the Vedanā We Experience.” 

8. It is undeniable that certain foods are tasty, certain fragrances are appealing, and particular touches bring pleasurable sensations. Those three types are the “close contacts” available only in kāma loka. However, the most appeal is for bodily contact with the opposite sex. The desire for tasty food probably comes second; we also need food to sustain the physical body.

  • To further enjoy the “innate sense of sex appeal,” humans also use the other two physical senses (visuals and sound). They like to see “beautiful/handsome people” and hear their voices.
  • The first ten suttās in the “Aṅguttara Nikāya 1” explain that. You should read the subsequent suttās by clicking the “next” arrow at the bottom of the screen.
Kāma Assāda – Only “Pleasures” Known to Humans

9. The relevant point here is that people engage in immoral activities, seeking more of such “pleasurable experiences.” These are called “kāma assāda” or “pleasurable sensations in kāma loka.” In the absence of Buddha’s teachings, the only way humans know how to be “happy” is to engage in “sensory pleasures.”

  • In today’s society, even economies are built upon sex, dining, movies, music, and fragrances. People like to “own” things that provide pleasurable experiences, and that is “māna” or the sense of “me/mine.” 
  • With that sense of “me/mine,” they tend to attach to those things (taṇhā) and will do their best to acquire as much as possible in any way they can. 
  • Based on “māna” and “taṇhā,” they also generate various “wrong views” (diṭṭhi.) The most dangerous of such views is the “uccheda diṭṭhi,” or the denial of the rebirth process. If nothing survives the death of this physical body, then it is best to “enjoy life” by any means necessary, including killing, stealing, rape, lying, etc. Thus, one is capable of commiting dasa akusala. The Buddha explained how such actions lead to much suffering, especially in future lives. See “Ten Immoral Actions (Dasa Akusala).”
Kalahavivāda Sutta – Suffering Is not Restricted to Rebirths

10. However, we can see many “bad consequences” of acting with diṭṭhi, taṇhā, and māna in this life itself. Kalahavivāda Sutta logically explains how conflicts and disputes (including major wars) have their origin in diṭṭhi, taṇhā, and māna. Toward the end of the sutta, it also explains that “distorted saññā” is the root cause (nidāna) for diṭṭhi, taṇhā, and māna. 

  • It is a good idea to carefully read “Kalahavivāda Sutta – Origin of Fights and Disputes” and the references therein.
  • This is a critical point to understand. All our immoral actions are rooted in a “false sense of pleasant sensations.” I call it “distorted saññā.”
  • What I described above has not been explicitly explained (using the concept of “built-in distorted saññā“) by anyone in recent years. However, the concept is described in many suttās in the brief or “uddesa version.” Those suttās (such as the Mūlapariyāya Sutta, Sanidāna Sutta, Madhupiṇḍika Sutta, etc.) must be explained in detail. In that context, it is critical to understand that most “deep suttās” are in summary (“uddesa”) form and need to be explained in detail: “Sutta Interpretation – Uddēsa, Niddēsa, Paṭiniddēsa.”
The Second Key Point About Suffering

11. Most of us are aware of the following aspects of Buddha’s teachings: (i) Immoral actions (akusala kamma) can bring their results (vipāka) in this life and also in future lives. A dangerous outcome of the latter is rebirths in the lowest four realms (apāyās.) (ii) Most akusala kamma (lying, stealing, killing, raping, taking bribes, etc.) are done to enjoy sensory pleasures of sex, food, etc. (iii) The Buddha explained (with Paṭicca Samuppāda) how akusala kamma (based on abhisaṅkhāra) bring about “suffering-filled rebirths” as well as suffering during lives.

  • However, the second aspect of Paṭicca Samuppāda has not been pointed out in current texts, even though the concepts are clearly stated in many suttās.
  • That second aspect can be stated as follows: The false “innate sense of happiness” for specific sensory experiences is built into our bodies via “upādāna paccayā bhava” and “bhava paccayā jāti” in Paṭicca Samuppāda.
  • We will discuss that in upcoming posts.

12. The implications of “distorted saññā” leading to “mind-made pleasures” are enormous. 

  • Previously, one needed to make a great effort to “control one’s desire for sensory pleasures.” Thus, controlling “kāma rāga” and attaining the Anāgāmi stage was very difficult.
  • However, once one starts understanding that our physical and mental bodies arise (via Paṭicca Samuppāda) with built-in “distorted saññā,” it becomes much easier to control kāma rāga or the “desire to enjoy sensual pleasures.”
  • As the Buddha explained in the Pheṇapiṇḍūpama Sutta (SN 22.95), people like to enjoy magic shows. A magic show is appealing only if it seems “real.” If one can figure out the “trick” the magician uses, the “magic show” becomes useless. Since the “distorted saññā” is built into our bodies, it is impossible to uncover the “trick.” Only a Buddha can figure out that trick with his highly purified mind. See “Fooled by Distorted Saññā (Sañjānāti) – Origin of Attachment (Taṇhā).”
  • The second part of the “truth about suffering” is understanding how that “distorted saññā” is built into our bodies via Paṭicca Samuppāda. We suffer in two ways: (i) We spend countless time and effort to make money via legal/moral or illegal/immoral ways, and (ii) all such efforts will not get us any closer to the “suffering-free mind” but will only move us away from it (in addition to bringing their adverse consequences or vipāka.) Our efforts are useless, just like the efforts of an animal chasing a mirage. Those efforts will only move us away from the “suffering-free state of mind.”  
Wisdom (Paññā) about the True Nature of the Mind Leads to Nibbāna

13. Another way to state the basic idea of #12 above is as follows: A “suffering-free state of mind” (pabhassara citta) is hidden underneath ten layers of “bonds of rebirth process” or “saṁyojana.” See “Dasa Samyōjana – Bonds in Rebirth Process.”

  • All ten layers are further strengthened by our efforts to seek “more sensory pleasures.” That is why “avijjā paccayā saṅkhāra” comes at the start of Paṭicca Samuppāda. Our actions seeking illusory pleasures only help strengthen the ten layers of “dirt” covering the “suffering-free mind.”
  • That is why the Buddha taught that Noble Persons (Ariyās) perceive sensual pleasures as suffering! 

“What others say is happiness                          “Yaṁ pare sukhato āhu,
the noble ones say is suffering”                        Tadariyā āhu dukkhato”

  • See “Dvayatānupassanā Sutta (Snp 3.12).” In the above verse, “Tadariyā” is shortened for “tad Airya” (where Ariya is a Noble Person), and “pare” refers to “others.”

14. All ten layers of “dirt” can be removed by comprehending that “distorted saññā” is the root cause of rāga, dosa, moha, or (to express differently) taṇhā, diṭṭhi, and māna. That wisdom (paññā) will lead to uncovering the “suffering-free state of mind.” That is Nibbāna!

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