Why is suffering such an integral part of human life ?

Question

with all the money in the world life is still so hard for so many.
People turn to religion to cope with family death and poverty but still they suffer. To live is to suffer it seems.

Answer 1

Without suffering, we would not apprecate the good and joy and abundance in our lives. We wouldn't know satisfaction. It is necessary to create a balance in life. Yin & Yang. Good & evil.

Answer 2

Some suffering is useful in forcing us to take action to protect ourselves, a thorn in the flesh, or a strained muscle are clear examples.
I would suggest that much emotional pain is also a symptom of something being wrong, the pain in a relationship could be an indication that the relationship is not working. Some remorse after a death is beneficial, but in many cases the suffering of the disease, or the poor consequences should the person have survived, can mean that death was really the best thing which could have happened.
Poverty is relative, in rich counties the struggle is money based and really means they cannot have the things which make live easier for those with more money, they are however still rich compared to the very poor in other countries.
Some of the very poorest people have a high fatality so people who cannot cope do not have to suffer for as long as if death hadn't called them.
Depression can be amoung the worse form of suffering, but some people who suffer from it also experience a much higher state than most people, and can be very creative.
Without suffering, our ability to be happy would be diminished greatly as happiness also is a relative state.
Arthritic type pain serves to let people know that something is wrong, currently this serves no useful purpose during their life because the faults cannot correct themselves, but even so it makes it easier for those surviving to cope with the suffer eventually dying.
Perceived suffering, allows other people to identify a problem and do what they can to help.

Wars, cause suffering because every thing loses its security, but even they help people not in a war situation to feel more secure.

Young children suffer when they can't have what they think they want. And parents suffer when their children become unreasonable, but this has lead to TV programes teaching people how to have happy contented children.

Suffering inspires great inventions, many of which serve the whole community.

People who make other people suffer, are propably suffering themselves, I imagine people must be pretty unhappy if they chose to make other people, or animals suffer.


Suffering helps all of us to do the right thing.

Answer 3

Well.. Suffering is such an integral part because thats the way this LIFE is designed. Budhist philosophy profounds the same.
Its but natural in THIS WORLD. Suffering is the other side of the coin. we dont know if there is another earth in which it works otherwise.
However, to live is not just to suffer, but there is no living without suffering. You have lot more than suffering - pleasures, happiness, addictions, likes, satisfactions (physical, psychological) etc. and thats the whole reason for Humanity continuing from centuries. But few people have more share of it (these are called un-lucky) than others :-(

If you are among the people, who dare to confidently accept this truth and dont dilute it in long-run owing to the pressures & pleasures of world (which are temporary) - then you should define your own way of leading the life - with twin targets :
1. To avoid the pain to some more humans/creatures, dont give birth to any more people on this earth and adopt kids if you want and teach them the same - in a way that they realize it but not by force.
2. Spend whatever time that you would be in this world to lead a satisfactory and healthy life. you can consider folloing the meditation or yoga (indian way) to lead such a discipled life.

Answer 4

This could only mean that there is some open end in the mind. That there is some window in the mind that opens up to unlimited, unknown and brilliant possibilities of things better still in an unknown world, things that are better than all that we have or could have with all that money, power, intelligence and knowledge – none of the things listed here guarantee happiness, or freedom from pain and suffering. But even if by some act of magic, we have all that we could ever wish for then we do not have time to enjoy, and the time we do have is running out fast, making us feel sad and dejected as everything changes around us, as we grow older. We find ourselves helpless, and yet our mind does not get used to it. It does not take this state of our normal being as normal.

There is something about human beings that is so perfect and immaculate in essence that it enables us to see imperfections in all things around us. We are never happy. We always want to have more and more of everything in life.

Scientists say that if in the entire universe there was but just one electron present then the charge of that electron could have been felt from one edge of the universe to the other; that any oppositely charged particle place anywhere in the universe would have been accelerated towards it.

Then we see that when a new child arrives in this world he or she cries. A child is innocent and therefore his little shrills of plight cannot be attributed to anything wrong in his character. Could this be true that before birth child has a universal existence? And upon waking up to its mind and seeing through senses a world so limited, he or she is shocked.

All our lives we live and grown into moulds and formations that not only allow us to develop into an adjustable and happy people but also we are contained. We set out to do things with great plans in our mind but then we realise that our great plans can only assume a realistic form if we cut down on this on that or on those etc. Our dreams become realities only after burning into the furnace of this world where various other purposes alongside our own are trying to find their own way through.

Sufferings are integral part of our life as dreams are indispensable in the mind, and as our natural inclinations to live, and to live in a best possible form is to our nature, human nature. When we suffer we should know that either it is a consequence of our dreams, or it is a result of neglect, neglect regarding things we have in our life but we have forgot to value as much as we once did

Answer 5

According to the teachings of The Bhagavad Gita (the song of God) ,
this material world ( this universe) , is a place of suffering ,a place of death.

It is a place of cheating and the cheated. One is cheating, and the cheated is suffering.Not only to humans, but all living being in whatever body type one is residing in, suffers. The dog , the ant, the tree, the worm, the bird etc ... all are suffering.

We suffer because we came to this universe to be the supreme enjoyer, the master.
As soon as there is more than one master this causes distress and suffering.
In order for one to be the master, the other has to suffer,
has to be the servant, this most dont desire.There are billions of aspiring masters, and in order for them to climb the ladder of masterdom, others have to suffer.The one
who is the greatest cheater, most likely will get the highest
position.

THere are two worlds, the temporal material world of suffering ,and the eternal spiritual world, where the inhabitance are in full, knowledge and experience ever increasing bliss (joy).

So suffering is our own choice, we can choose to be in the world of suffering,
or in the world of peace and bliss.

The fact that everone is seeking to be always happy,
is a sign that such a place exist.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HighestLove/


servant of the highest love
errol

Answer 6

Sufferance is relative. Greed is also the primary factor, in my opinion. The only real reason we have to suffer would be to lack basic animal needs - food, water etc. The large majority of the world are far from lacking and therefore we create our own suffering by feeling we are impoveraged because we can't afford the latest designer item or fashion gadget. I do not suffer at all. I'm miserable sometimes and I sometimes want more that I can afford but I am in no way suffering.

Answer 7

Empathy: I think your own personal suffering helps you to understand what others are going through in a similar situation, and insha'Allah (God willing) gives you the caring qualities to want to help them if you can. Dependence on a Higher Being (God...Allah): Suffering makes you realise there is some Higer Being (God...Allah) in control of all this and our suffering has a higher purpose though at the time of suffering we perhaps can't appreciate that. Such a thought and knowingness gives you a maturity in that respect and acceptance and means to deal with it - insha'Allah. Also, in the Islamic tradition there is the concept that Allah may send an affliction your way in order to prevent another affliction that could be much worse for you. This is thus mercy in action. Insha'Allah this should help you to develop gratitude. Gratitude also comes out of believing you will get some spiritual rewards in the afterlife for suffering in this life. Alhamdulillah (all praises to Allah), Peace and Love.

Answer 8

Interesting but impossible to answer. We have to just accept that thats the way life is. I don't think 'suffer' is the right word - as not everybody has experienced poverty or family death. I'd say life wasn't mean't to easy - were supposed to struggle here and there. Thats how we are motivated, learn from our mistakes..etc
So when bringing a child into this world - you should accept that not all can be good. Your child will experience bad and good times.

Answer 9

It is part of what it means to be human. Even if your life is smooth sailing and you are well provided for... you still have compassion for others who are not so fortunate and that in itself is another form of suffering. But suffering is an engine of societal change. We strive to create a society that limits poverty and strife, but we are only partly successful, because of the fractious nature of human beings and their desire for control over others.
Human history is a catalogue of suffering. It always has been - it is integral with our very existence. That is why people have always needed something to turn to as a shield against it. Usually that something is religion.

Answer 10

If suffering was not a part of life, what would be the point of life?

Without sadness to compare it to, happiness means nothing.

The principal aim in anyone's life is surely the pursuit of happiness, either for themselves or a cause or person they love.
If hapiness is not a distinct emotion because of the lack of a fair comparison it becomes common place and hollow.

If there was no down, going up would be boring.

Without sadness and suffering mankind cannot know the true worth of hapiness.

Say, for example, losing a loved friend is your definition of suffering. If you knew you would never lose that friend would you appreciate your friend as much?
When you know that time is short and at any point that friend could be taken away, your time together is appreciated more.

Answer 11

It may be a matter of balance. If we don't have bad times, we're less likely to appreciate the good times. But it's true that some have more suffering than others. Many do turn to religion. If religion doesn't work for you, remember that there's more than one form of religion. Meditation and looking within yourself can be helpful. Good friends are essential. And if you can't find long-term release from suffering, look for that brief spark from a smile or a loving touch. And remember to help others which, in turn, helps you.