Chapter V
Knowing The Suffering
What is Suffering?
Suffering is the negative states of the body and mind.
I.e. the states of anger, fear, jealousy, doubts, sickness, etc.
To put it simply, suffering is a state of unhappiness.
As long as you’re experiencing any form of unhappiness, you are suffering!
What is the Cause Of Suffering?
When we look outward for the cause of our unhappiness, we may start to blame external events or people—like a rude remark or a failed job interview—as the source of our suffering.
But the deeper causes of suffering are not outside of us.
They can only be found by turning our awareness inward—into the world of the Self. That is the true origin from which all suffering arises.
That is why we develop Self-Knowing–To learn about the deeper causes of our sufferings even more, which will guide us to uncover truer solutions.
The deeper you know the cause to a problem, the deeper solutions you will find.
For example, let’s say the floor keeps getting wet. You can keep wiping it dry. But if you don't investigate the cause–a leak in the wall–the problem will keep coming back.
In the same way, if we don’t uncover the deeper causes of our suffering, all our efforts may be in vain — like trying to fight fire by attacking the flames instead of extinguishing it at the source.
Extinguish your Sufferings at the source so that it will not ignite again!
So realize the importance of developing Self-Knowing.
Start practising meditation today!
Through meditation, you will be able to know more about yourself and realize how suffering begins within your mind.
Here's a guide that you can use to realize your own truth.
The Creation Of Suffering
Suffering grows like a tree.
It begins with a seed, spreads into roots, and eventually manifests as leaves of possibilities.
Negative Idea (The Seed)
All suffering begins with an idea.
Realize that we are in essencethe Mind–The consciousness that is infinite in potential.
"I am what I believe.”
Suffering arises when this truth becomes distorted—through attachment to self-limiting beliefs.
These distortions are known as Negative Ideas—ideas that promote self-rejection.
Examples:
- “I am a horrible person if I’m selfish.”
- “He is a bad person because he’s arrogant.”
- “I look too fat to be liked.”
These beliefs can be simplified into ideas that begin with:
- “It is not okay…”
e.g.
“It is not okay to be selfish.”
“It is not okay to be fat.”
“It is not okay to be imperfect.”
When we become attached to Negative Ideas, we are declaring that only certain parts of our Infinite Self are acceptable.
This state of rejecting oneself will create ripples of Distortions in the Consciousness.
The Distortions—or Confusion—are experienced as different forms of Suffering throughout the levels of The Self.
Negative Thoughts/Emotions (The Roots)
These Negative Ideas drive negative thoughts and emotions, such as anger, fear, judgment, worry, shame, etc.
For example:
The Negative Idea— "It is not ok to be lazy" will promote negative thoughts towards oneself.
i.e. "I should not be lazy."
And also towards Other Selves.
i.e. "That Person should not be lazy."
The more we become attached to our Negative Ideas, the more negative our reactions will become.
And by declaring that "It is not ok to be lazy", The Self will also begin to fear being judged by others for being lazy.
Negative Ideas thus distort one’s reality, making it more negative.
Negative Physical Manifestation (The Leaves)
Negative emotions and thoughts eventually manifest in the physical body.
You might feel:
- Sweaty palms
- A racing heartbeat
- Tension in the chest or gut
- Heat in the face
- Confusion, restlessness, or chronic stress
Even subtle emotional reactions create physiological responses. Without the self-awareness developed through meditation, we may remain unaware of these reactions and live under their influence.
Over time, chronic stress and emotional tension can even lead to physical illness and mental exhaustion.
Now, what do we do with all this information?
Next time you encounter suffering—i.e. fear, stress, anger—you can ask:
“What am I not okay with in this experience?”
This question helps you uncover the Negative Ideas that are driving your suffering experiences.
For example, you may discover:
- “It’s not okay for him to be rude.”
- “It’s not okay to be embarrassed.”
- “It’s not okay for me to fail.”
This is how you begin to discover the true source of your suffering!
And the more you know about your sufferings, the less powerless and overwhelmed you’ll feel — because it’s no longer a mystery, no longer an unsolvable puzzle.
Now, let’s explore the steps to transform our suffering!
