The Eight Sufferings, Part One

The Buddha often spoke of the Eight Sufferings, which arise from contact with unpleasant things. 

The first suffering is birth. When the baby is still in the mother’s womb, it is very painful. When the mother swallows something hot, the baby feels the heat. When the mother swallows something cold, the baby feels that as well. When the mother eats too much, the baby feels like it a weight is pushing in on it.

The second suffering is aging. Everyone who undergoes aging suffers. When we want to see something, we cannot see clearly. Wanting to hear something, we cannot hear it well. When we want to eat, there are many foods we can no longer eat. Food we can eat doesn’t taste as good as it used to. When we want to walk, our legs are weak. We feel the heat and cold more than those who are younger. When the weather changes, our joints are painful.

The third suffering is sickness, which affects everyone. When we are sick, whether we are wealthy or poor, we suffer. We may have the best food, but we cannot eat it. We may have a wonderfully comfortable bed, but we cannot sleep. We have no energy. We are very uncomfortable and need to take much medicine. We may need medicine for pain, but not be able to afford it or not have any when we need it. From day to night, we may cry out for help, but no help comes. The Chinese say “even a brave hero fears sickness.” There is no way to avoid the suffering.

The fourth suffering is death. When we are dying, we want to speak but speech is often difficult and others cannot understand us. Our throat may be dry, or our mind may not be clear. We want to sleep but our sleep is erratic. We are in pain and cannot find comfort. We want to die, but although our breath is weak, we cannot die. When we see our loved ones, we feel such suffering.

These are four sufferings that as beings in the cycle of rebirth, we all encounter. Through our practice, we work to understand why suffering arises and how to end it.

What to Chant When a Pure Land Buddhist is Dying

Question: When a Pure Land Buddhist is dying should the Amitabha Sutra be recited or a tape of the sutra played or is it better just to nianfo due to simplicity?

Response: It is extremely difficult for us to concentrate when we are dying. Consider how difficult it is for us now, when we are healthy and not in pain or facing death.

The following is some excellent advice on supportive chanting from the Amitabha Pureland website:

According to Master Yin Guang, the thirteenth patriarch of the Pure Land school, the short chanting form of “Amituofo” should be used. This will help the patient to more easily register this name in the most subtle consciousness, at a time when both mind and body are very weak.

It would be wise to ask the patient which is preferred—“Amituofo” or “Namo Amituofo.” In this way, the patient can comfortably and silently chant along with the group. To go counter to the patient’s likes and habits may destroy his or her concentration. People should not chant too loudly so as not to use too much energy and shorten the time they can chant. On the other hand, they should not chant in too low a voice or the sound might not register in the patient’s mind. Also, they should not speak to one another while in the room.

Chanting should neither be too loud or soft, slow or fast. Each utterance should be clear and distinct, so it can be heard clearly and penetrate deep into the patient’s consciousness. One warning: if the patient is too weak or is in coma, he may have difficulty hearing the chanting. In such a case, someone should chant close to the patient’s ear to help the patient to keep a clear, steady mind.

The Metta Sutra

The following is the sutra that the monks of Burma were peacefully chanting as they walked through the streets.

Who seeks to promote his welfare,
Having glimpsed the state of perfect peace,
Should be able, honest and upright,
Gentle in speech, meek and not proud.

Contented, he ought to be easy to support,
Not over-busy, and simple in living.
Tranquil his senses, let him be prudent,
And not brazen, nor fawning on families.

Also, he must refrain from any action
That gives the wise reason to reprove him.
(Then let him cultivate the thought:)
May all be well and secure,
May all beings be happy!

Whatever living creatures there be,
Without exception, weak or strong,
Long, huge or middle-sized,
Or short, minute or bulky,

Whether visible or invisible,
And those living far or near,
The born and those seeking birth,
May all beings be happy!

Let none deceive or decry
His fellow anywhere;
Let none wish others harm
In resentment or in hate.

Just as with her own life
A mother shields from hurt
Her own son, her only child,
Let all-embracing thoughts
For all beings be yours.

Cultivate an all-embracing mind of love
For all throughout the universe,
In all its height, depth and breadth --
Love that is untroubled
And beyond hatred or enmity.

As you stand, walk, sit or lie,
So long as you are awake,
Pursue this awareness with your might:
It is deemed the Divine State here.

Holding no more to wrong beliefs,
With virtue and vision of the ultimate,
And having overcome all sensual desire,
Never in a womb is one born again.

~ Translated by Acharya Buddharakkhita

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Wish to be Happy? Give Daily

You wish to be happy? Loved? Safe? Secure? You want to turn to others in tough times and count on them? You want the warmth of true connection? You’d like to walk into the world each day knowing that this is a place of benevolence and hope? Then I have one answer: give. Give daily, in small ways, and you will be happier. Give and you will be healthier. Give, and you will even live longer.

Generous behavior shines a protective light over the entire life span. The startling findings from our many studies demonstrate that if you engage in helping activities as a teen, you will still be reaping health benefits sixty or seventy years later. And no matter when you adopt a giving lifestyle, your well-being will improve, even late in life. Generous behavior is closely associated with reduced risk of illness and mortality and lower rates of depression. Even more remarkable, giving is linked to traits that undergird a successful life, such as social competence, empathy, and positive emotion. By learning to give, you become more effective at living itself.

~ Stephen Post, PhD and Jill Neimark, Why Good Things Happen to Good People