Yeah. :) That's my little contribution to Buddhist terminology. Maybe it's not a good idea. It's usually translated as "suffering" of course. However, this automatically raises the question - how are really pleasant experiences suffering? Because the Buddha did say that *all* conditioned things are dukkha. Which just leaves nirvana as the exception. But being in a really blissful state, say... this is suffering? Sure doesn't seem like it. And in fact there are high meditative absorptive states which are free of any trace of what we normally call "suffering." They are, nevertheless, dukkha.
This is because "dukkha" apparently has a wider meaning than just the English word "suffering." Walpola Rahula in "What the Buddha Taught" does a great job of explaining all this. I'm really just repeating his observations on this. So here's what he says: "The conception of dukkha may be viewed from three aspects: 1) dukkha as ordinary suffering (dukkha-dukkha) 2) dukkha as produced by change (viparinama-dukkha) and 3) dukkha as conditioned states (samkhara-dukkha)." So I came up with "not ultimately satisfactory" as a compromise attempting to cover all aspects. I *knew* this was a test. :) Ian >On 4/26/05, Ian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Empty of self, empty of permanence, empty of ultimate satisfaction. > > (anatta, anicca, dukkha, respectively). > >Since when is dukkha 'ultimate satisfaction'? ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Has someone you know been affected by illness or disease? Network for Good is THE place to support health awareness efforts! http://us.click.yahoo.com/UwRTUD/UOnJAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi. New or used at: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1570622280/ref=ase_actionheroesc-20/002-4507763-9442460?v=glance&s=books> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZenForum/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
