Q: Ashin, could you please kindly tell us what the term, Dukkha is?
A: Of course,actually, we’ve embraced the term, “Dukkha” that includes very well-known vocabularies: stress, depression, anxiety, loneliness, boredom hopelessness and so on in mind and diabetes, hypertension, stroke, finally cancer and death in body since we were born. How can we run away from the Dukkha? So we just need to learn how we should wisely and skillfully live and cope with them in everyday life.
Actually, Dukkha is not Buddhist term but it is ancient Indian language. Dukkha is not the word to believe in because you are Buddhist but it is the word to understand by observing whatever arises and passes away within us and around us. Of course, if we classify the term, Dukkha in a scholarly approach, we will find there are three types of Dukkha: (1). Dukkhadukkha, (2). Sankhāradukkha and (3). Viparināmadukkha taught by the Buddha.
(1). Dukkhadukkha means the pain or suffering when you are cut, wounded, injured, headache, toothache, stomachache, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heartache and so on. Diseases that can be cured by certain medications are called dukkhadukkha.
(2). Sankhāradukkha means your body and mind themselves because these physical and mental phenomena called ourselves are making us trouble every moment by telling us that they are not permanent and they can sometimes be pleasant, sometimes be unpleasant, sometimes be happy, sometimes be unhappy, sometimes be angry, sometimes be pleased, sometimes be disappointed, sometimes be disliked and so on. These type impermanent states of mind and body are called Sankhāradukkha. For Sankhāradukkha to understand all the conditioned things, we must learn “Mindfulness-Based Vipassanā” meditation and practice it properly.
(3). Viparināmadukkha means neutral feeling that doesn’t make you feel pleasant or unpleasant and happy or unhappy. Whenever you feel neutral, it is called Viparināmadukkha. These things are very closely connected with us; there is nothing to to do with Buddhism to understand the term, Dukkha because Dukkha can be discovered and experienced within us every moment. Of course, the Buddha taught us to see them clearly how we should wisely and skillfully live and cope with them in everyday life. I hope you you get.
A: Well, definitely, Sir. Thank you so much indeed.
Q: You’re welcome.
