..续本文上一页be as a senior monk has recently advocated, that the Buddha”s 1st Noble Truth is that of Happiness! Understandably, the fact of suffering is not palatable to many people; but if you think you will popularize the Buddha”s Dharma in this way then one is mistaken. This is contrary to the Buddha”s core teaching and the reason why so many people are caught in delusion. Whether we like it or not, we need to understand and be able to handle suffering to some extent, especially mental suffering, notwithstanding our inclination to acknowledge the fact of suffering or not.

　　Vipassana meditators are more likely to be compelled to work with the three kinds of suffering: ordinary suffering (dukkha-dukkha) such as emotional ups and down, and relationship difficulties. We all experience this ordinary suffering to some degree. But if you are skillful it need not be such a problem as you can work with this kind of suffering.

　　Then there is the suffering of change (viparinama dukkha) also known as the ”suffering of happiness”. Whether it is a change in circumstances or just a mind-state, nothing can remain the same for very long, everything, absolutely everything is subject to change. But if one is not so attached to things or relationships, then again, this type of suffering caused by change is manageable.

　　The third kind of suffering is not so apparent - it is conditioned or existential suffering (sankhara dukkha). Ordinary people are usually not even aware of it. It is the deep suffering stemming from the mental constructions (sankharas). It is experienced in the ”insight knowledges” (vipassana nanas) in Vipassana meditation, when the intelligence and wisdom is highly developed, that one sees that all mental and physical phenomena are unstable, unsatisfactory and are just an impersonal process - not me, not myself. The maturity of this insight brings about a deep transformation of consciousness that finally frees us from all suffering.

　　The purpose of Buddhist meditation, Vipassana or otherwise, is not just for curing physical diseases. If physical healing happens to occur then it is considered a byproduct of the practice, nothing more. A whole range of stress related physical illnesses such as stomach ulcers, angina, migraine, etc., could be alleviated by meditation practice. But meditation is not about miraculous cure - that is more of the nature of faith healing.

　　Healing and transformation is the outcome of the practice. All forms of suffering or mental pain, such as anguish, remorse, grief, etc., can be cured in Vipassana meditation, through the purification of the mind. That is the real miracle. Whether medical science can ultimately cure all physical disease is problematic, as it is the nature of the body to eventually break down. All phenomena have three phases: birth, life and death. Therefore, pain is inherent in nature. While we may or may not be able to cure physical disease, Vipassana meditation is tailored to cure mental suffering.

　　Nobody wants to suffer, and the underlying message of the Buddha Dharma is that suffering on all levels is unnecessary. We do not need to suffer. There is the fact of suffering, the cause of suffering, the ending of suffering and the practice path leading out of suffering. If we are suffering, it is because of ignorance - not knowing. What we usually experience is unnecessary suffering.

　　But we do not need to suffer mentally at all, as the compassionate Buddha has shown us that the way to be free of suffering is through wise attention that insights into the true nature of the mind and body, then we can finally be free from the burden of suffering.

《The Vipassana Retreat: 5· Working with Thinking and Pain in Meditation》全文阅读结束。