Dukkha, Lesson Three: Skillful Experiencing of Discomfort
We explore, through our own contemplative experience, the so-called "noble truths" about suffering and its causes, and methods for engaging with them more skillfully. Buddhist truths about suffering and liberation are not just ideas, not just intellectual knowledge, but a given in our direct experience, manifested in everything we experience right now.
There are several types, or "layers," of suffering that can manifest in any given moment.
Sometimes a moment is pure and free from all forms of suffering. Do I have time to recognize this, rest in it, and experience the taste of profound satisfaction inherent in the absence of suffering?
Sometimes, suffering manifests as something obviously or subtly unpleasant, uncomfortable. In this practice, we learn to interact more skillfully with such discomfort—we learn to do what leads to a reduction in existing suffering without adding new ones.
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Recording of an open class held on December 14, 2022.
The class schedule, as well as other materials, can be found on the Active Presence Telegram channel: https://t.me/actofpresence
Many materials, translations, and articles can be found on the website: https://victorshiryaev.org/
Author's newsletter: https://victorshiryaev.substack.com/