苦 Dukkha (commonly translated as suffering)

I have been reading Saṃyukta Āgama recently and have some new thoughts on the nature of dukkha (or commonly translated as suffering) that are often discussed in Buddhism that I would like to share.


我最近在讀《雜阿含經》。在這當中，對佛學的「苦」有一些不同的想法跟大家分享。


The common Buddhism teaches that we suffer because life is transitory. One moment we are happy, the next we are sad. One moment, we are young and strong, the next we are old and decrepit. The common interpretation is that because happiness in life is transitory, then life is necessary suffering. But if you look at it from the glass is half-full perspective, you can say that life is happiness because suffering is transitory. Why are we placing more emphasis on suffering, and not on happiness?


一般對「苦」的說法是：我們有「苦」，因為一切都是無常的。
現在我們很高興，但也許等一下會難過，因為高興的時間過了。
以前我們年輕力壯，現在老而無用。
這是常見的解釋。
『 因為生活中的幸福是短暫，那麼生活就是苦的』。
但是我們為什麼要有這麼負面的想法呢？
如果幸福是短暫的，那麼苦也是短暫的。
一切都是無常的話，為什麼我們要認為生活是苦，而不說生活是幸福呢？
『因為生活中的苦是短暫的，那麼生活就是幸福。』


Just because "The Four Noble Truth" has dukkha as its element and is something we need to remove, it doesn't mean we need to do nothing but focus on impermanent dukkha in the past, now or the future.


在四聖諦中，佛陀要我們滅「苦」，不見得代表我們一直要纏著過去、現在和未來的無常苦吧！


While this interpretation is valid on some level, I believe that there are more to dukkha.


雖然這種解釋在某種程度上是對的，我還有另一個不同的看法。。


My thought here is that at one level, dukkha cannot be realized until one recognizes one's current self as compares to one's potential. One feels dukkha because one remembers he once were superman, but has forgotten how to become a superman again. It's more like grief than suffering.


當一個人知道自己跟自己潛力的差距，「苦」，才能真正被了解。
一個人覺得「苦」，是因為他記得他曾經是超人，但卻忘記如何成為一個超人了。
「苦」有點像悲痛。


A person who has lived in a cell all his life and has never ventured outside, would not think of living in an imprisonment is suffering because he never knows freedom. We, on the outside, pity him and cannot help but think that he is suffering because he does not know the freedom that we enjoy. Our view of the prisoner's dukkha is tinted with pity. Once the prison tasted freedom, he would understand that he is suffering.


一個一直生活在監獄裡頭，從未外出的人，也不會認為監禁的生活是「苦」，
因為他從來沒有自由。
我們在外面，可憐這個人，因為他沒有自由，認為他的生活是「苦」的。
可憐的「苦」，一旦嚐到自由，囚犯就會知道他一輩子都生活在「苦」 中。


Dukkha has two aspects.


「苦」是有兩面的


From the outside looking in, we pity the prisoner and think he is suffering; dukkha with pity.


從外面看，我們可憐囚犯，認為他在受「苦」，這是可憐的「苦」。


From inside looking out, the prisoner suffers because he cannot have freedom and grief; dukkha with grief.


從裡面看出去，囚犯因為他不能有自由而「苦」，這是悲痛的「苦」。


A person who has lost his legs remembers his freedom and feels grief.


一個人失去了他的腿，但還記得他以前的自由， 這樣很「苦」。


A person who has lost his eye sights remembers the beauty of the world and feels grief.


一個人失去了他的眼睛，但還記得世界的美麗再也看不到了，這樣也很「苦」。


A wealthy person who lost his fortune and is begging on the street remembers his past glories and feels grief.


一個有錢人在大街上乞討，他記得過去的輝煌，這也是「苦」。


A person who remember he once possessed the knowledge of the Truth, but has forgotten it, feels grief.


一個人忘記了真相，但記得他曾經貼近真相，這更是「苦」。


A person who has forgotten himself but knows that he was a better man suffers the ultimately grief.


一個人忘記了自己，但知道他以前是一個更好的人，這是最「苦」。


A person who knows the Truth, and see that people of the world are living their lives totally oblivious of the Truth, cannot help but pity the world and thinks the world is full of dukkha.


一個知道真相的人，看到世間完全不知真相的人，
不免可憐人民，認為世間人民都生活在「苦」海中。


Until you see a glimpse of the Truth, you won''t know what dukkha is. Once you know dukkha, you will do everything you can to get to the Truth as soon as you can.　


等您對真相有了一點瞭解，才會知道什麼是「苦」。
一旦您知道「苦」，您會竭盡所能的想要快點得到真相。


Right now, it's all only impermanence.


現在，一切只是無常。