I have become increasingly aware of the subtle dukkha that pervades every aspect of life. It has been interesting for me to note that this baseline unsatisfactoriness is not something alien to conditioned existence but part and parcel of it. And yet it feels at times as if I am responsible for it and that I am somehow being ungrateful by not meeting every moment with joy and appreciation. So, where is the middle ground here? How does one see the dukkha without wallowing in it? Not having the wisdom to see and understand the best I can do now is bring awareness to the tension and try not to cause more suffering around it.
Posted by: Michael | 05/16/2014
Just Suffering
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Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
I love Shantideva’s quote:
‘If it can be fixed; why worry?
If it can’t be fixed, what’s the point of worrying?’
It’s great because it puts an end to worry but also it suggests that we can take action to change our circumstances, maybe not al the time but it’s worth investigating. I sometimes wonder whether that pervasive suffering is there to wake us up to our negative patterns and lead us to virtue and eventual enlightenment. It is a great motivator when we can learn to listen to it’s hidden messages and use it to transform our minds.
Thanks for your thoughts on this topic. It’s certainly one we all familiar with!
By: annaj on 05/17/2014
at 10:58 am
Thank you for your thoughts. For me, this awareness of ever-present yet subtle dukkha has been a real motivation to practice. Every good blessing to you!
By: Upāsaka on 05/17/2014
at 2:20 pm