The Reality of Suffering--dukkha
The Pali word dukkha, in ordinary usage means 'suffering', 'pain',
'sorrow' or 'misery'. But in the context of the First Noble Truth,
dukkha also means 'imperfection', 'impermanence', 'emptiness',
'insubstantiality'. There are three kinds of suffering:
* Ordinary Suffering--dukkha-dukkha
* Suffering produced by Change--virapinama-dukkha
* Suffering as Conditioned States--samkara-dukkha
Ordinary Suffering--dukkha-dukkha
There are all kinds of suffering in life: birth, old age, sickness,
death, association with unpleasant persons and conditions,
separation from beloved ones and pleasant conditions, not getting
what one desires, grief, lamentation, distress--all forms of
physical and mental suffering.
Suffering produced by Change--virapinama-dukkha
Pleasant and happy feelings or conditions in life are not
permanent. Sooner or later they change. When they change they may
produce pain, suffering, unhappiness or dissappointment. This
vicissitude is considered viparimana-dukkha.
Suffering as Conditioned States--samkara-dukkha
An 'individual', an 'I' or a 'self' is a combination of
ever-changing mental and physical forces which can be divided into
five groups or 'aggregates' pancakkhandha. Suffering as conditioned
states is produced by attachment to these five aggregates:
* Matter--rupakkhandha
* Sensations--vedanakkhandha
* Perceptions--sannakkhandha
* Mental Formations--sankharakkhandha
* Consciousness--vinnanakkhandha
