Why suffering exists

When he has made her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, then the water that brings a curse will enter her and cause bitter suffering; her belly will swell, her thigh will shrivel, and she will become accursed among her people.

He is to have the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and it will enter her and cause her bitter suffering.

The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.

Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘On the day it was brought down to Sheol, I caused mourning. I covered the deep because of it; I held back its rivers; its abundant waters were restrained. I made Lebanon mourn for it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it.

If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which accomplishes in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we experience.

Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,

Previously, the Gemara discussed suffering that results from one’s transgressions. The Gemara shifts the focus and discusses suffering that does not result from one’s transgressions and the suffering of the righteous. Rava, and some say Rav Ḥisda, said: If a person sees that suffering has befallen him, he should examine his actions. Generally, suffering comes about as punishment for one’s transgressions, as it is stated: “We will search and examine our ways, and return to God” (Lamentations 3:40). If he examined his ways and found no transgression for which that suffering is appropriate, he may attribute his suffering to dereliction in the study of Torah. God punishes an individual for dereliction in the study of Torah in order to emphasize the gravity of the issue, as it is stated: “Happy is the man whom You punish, Lord, and teach out of Your law” (Psalms 94:12). This verse teaches us that his suffering will cause him to return to Your law.

A tanna taught a baraita before Rav Naḥman: When a person causes his father and mother suffering, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I did well in not dwelling among them, for if I had dwelled among them they would have caused Me suffering as well, as it were. Rabbi Yitzḥak says: Anyone who transgresses in private, it is considered as though he is pushing away the feet of the Divine Presence, i.e., he distances God from him, so to speak. As it is stated: “So says the Lord: The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool” (Isaiah 66:1). When someone sins in secret, he demonstrates that he thinks God is absent from that place, and it is as though he pushes His feet away from the earth.

Rav Yitzḥak bar Avdimi proceeds to explain this verse. “To the woman He said: I will greatly multiply [harba arbe]”; these are the two drops of blood unique to a woman, which cause her suffering, one the blood of menstruation and the other one the blood of virginity. “Your pain”; this is the pain of raising children. “And your travail”; this is the pain of pregnancy. “In sorrow you shall bring forth children”; in accordance with its plain meaning, i.e., the pain of childbirth.

And their Lord hath heard them (and He saith): Lo! I suffer not the work of any worker, male or female, to be lost. Ye proceed one from another. So those who fled and were driven forth from their homes and suffered damage for My cause, and fought and were slain, verily I shall remit their evil deeds from them and verily I shall bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow - A reward from Allah. And with Allah is the fairest of rewards

They said: We suffered hurt before thou camest unto us, and since thou hast come unto us. He said: It may be that your Lord is going to destroy your adversary and make you viceroys in the earth, that He may see how ye behave

Relent not in pursuit of the enemy. If ye are suffering, lo! they suffer even as ye suffer and ye hope from Allah that for which they cannot hope. Allah is ever Knower, Wise

Narrated ʿAli: Fatima complained of the suffering caused to her by the hand mill. Some Captives were brought to the Prophet, so she came to him but did not find him at home. ʿAisha was present there to whom she told (of her desire for a servant). When the Prophet (ﷺ) came, Aisha informed him about Fatima's visit. ʿAli added "So the Prophet (ﷺ) came to us, while we had gone to our bed. I wanted to get up but the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Remain at your place". Then he sat down between us till I found the coolness of his feet on my chest. Then he said, "Shall I teach you a thing which is better than what you have asked me? When you go to bed, say, 'Allahu-Akbar' thirty-four times, and 'Subhan Allah thirty-three times, and 'Al hamdu-li l-lah thirty-three times for that is better for you both than a servant

Narrated Ibn ʿAbbas: Regarding the Verse: "Because of the inconvenience of rain or because you are ill." (4.102) (It was revealed in connection with) ʿAbdur-Rahman bin ʿAuf who was wounded

Narrated ʿAisha: I asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about the plague. He said, "That was a means of torture which Allah used to send upon whom-so-ever He wished, but He made it a source of mercy for the believers, for anyone who is residing in a town in which this disease is present, and remains there and does not leave that town, but has patience and hopes for Allah's reward, and knows that nothing will befall him except what Allah has written for him, then he will get such reward as that of a martyr

Nature is the law that generates cause and effect; God is the source of all pleasure and pain.

This inner severance from the affliction of misery is spirituality. It should be practiced with determination and with a heart that refuses to be depressed.

The joys that spring from external associations bring pain; they have their beginnings and their endings. The wise person does not rejoice in them.

If one knows It here, that is Truth; if one knows It not here, then great is his loss. The wise seeing the same Self in all beings, being liberated from this world, become immortal.

Thou knowest, O Death, the fire-sacrifice that leads to heaven. Tell this to me, who am full of Shraddha (faith and yearning). They who live in the realm of heaven enjoy freedom from death. This I beg as my second boon.

Nachiketas said: There is this doubt regarding what becomes of a man after death. Some say he exists, others that he does not exist. This knowledge I desire, being instructed by thee. Of the boons this is the third boon.

suffering, suffering’s origin, suffering’s transcendence, and the noble eightfold path that leads to the stilling of suffering.

Hunger is the worst illness, conditions are the worst suffering. When one has known this as it is, extinguishment is the ultimate happiness.

Intention is the leader of things; intention is first, they’re made by intention. If with corrupt intent you speak or act, suffering follows you, like a wheel, the ox’s foot.

“All the suffering that originates is caused by choices. With the cessation of choices, there is no origination of suffering. Knowing this danger, that suffering is caused by choices; through the stilling of all choices, and the stopping of perceptions, this is the way suffering ends when one has known this as it is. Rightly seeing, knowledge masters, the astute, understanding rightly, having thrown off Māra’s yoke, do not proceed to a future life.” “‘Could there be another way?’ … And how could there be? ‘All the suffering that originates is caused by consciousness’: this is one contemplation. ‘When consciousness has faded away and ceased with no residue left behind, there is no origination of suffering’: this is the second contemplation. When a mendicant meditates in this way they can expect enlightenment or non-return.” Then the Teacher went on to say: “All the suffering that originates is caused by consciousness. With the cessation of consciousness, there is no origination of suffering. Knowing this danger, that suffering is caused by consciousness, with the stilling of consciousness a mendicant is hungerless, quenched.” “‘Could there be another way?’ … And how could there be? ‘All the suffering that originates is caused by contact’: this is one contemplation. ‘When contact has faded away and ceased with no residue left behind, there is no origination of suffering’: this is the second contemplation. When a mendicant meditates in this way they can expect enlightenment or non-return.” Then the Teacher went on to say:

“All the suffering that originates is caused by instigating activity. With the cessation of instigation, there is no origination of suffering. Knowing this danger, that suffering is caused by instigating activity, having given up all instigation, one is freed with respects to instigation. For the mendicant with peaceful mind, who has cut off craving for continued existence, transmigration through births is finished; there’ll be no more future lives for them.” “‘Could there be another way?’ … And how could there be? ‘All the suffering that originates is caused by sustenance’: this is one contemplation. ‘When sustenance has faded away and ceased with no residue left behind, there is no origination of suffering’: this is the second contemplation. When a mendicant meditates in this way they can expect enlightenment or non-return.” Then the Teacher went on to say: “All the suffering that originates is caused by sustenance. With the cessation of sustenance, there is no origination of suffering. Knowing this danger, that suffering is caused by sustenance, completely understanding all sustenance, one is independent of all sustenance. Having rightly understood the state of health, through the ending of defilements, one who makes use after appraisal, firm in principle, a knowledge master cannot be reckoned.”

“Mendicants, the eye is suffering. The cause and reason that gives rise to the eye is also suffering. Since the eye is produced by what is suffering, how could it be happiness? The ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is suffering. The cause and reason that gives rise to the mind is also suffering. Since the mind is produced by what is suffering, how could it be happiness? Seeing this … They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”

Falsehood and corruption cause terrible suffering. All the religious robes and social classes look just like dust. Whoever is born, continues to come and go. O Nanak, only the Naam and the Lord's Command are eternal and everlasting. ||4||11||

First Mehl: Worldly possessions are obtained by pain and suffering; when they are gone, they leave pain and suffering. O Nanak, without the True Name, hunger is never satisfied. Beauty does not satisfy hunger; when the man sees beauty, he hungers even more. As many as are the pleasures of the body, so many are the pains which afflict it. ||2||

Aasaavaree, Fifth Mehl: You are the Creator, the Cause of causes. I cannot think of any other. Whatever You do, comes to pass. I sleep in peace and poise. My mind has become patient, since I fell at God's Door, O my mind. ||1||Pause|| Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I gained perfect control over my senses. Ever since I rid myself of my self-conceit, my sufferings have ended. He has showered His Mercy upon me. The Creator Lord has preserved my honor, O my mind. ||1||

The people suffer from famine because of the multitude of taxes consumed by their superiors. It is through this that they suffer famine. The people are difficult to govern because of the (excessive) agency of their superiors (in governing them). It is through this that they are difficult to govern. The people make light of dying because of the greatness of their labours in seeking for the means of living. It is this which makes them think light of dying. Thus it is that to leave the subject of living altogether out of view is better than to set a high value on it.

To know and yet (think) we do not know is the highest (attainment); not to know (and yet think) we do know is a disease. It is simply by being pained at (the thought of) having this disease that we are preserved from it. The sage has not the disease. He knows the pain that would be inseparable from it, and therefore he does not have it.

Favour and disgrace would seem equally to be feared; honour and great calamity, to be regarded as personal conditions (of the same kind). What is meant by speaking thus of favour and disgrace? Disgrace is being in a low position (after the enjoyment of favour). The getting that (favour) leads to the apprehension (of losing it), and the losing it leads to the fear of (still greater calamity):—this is what is meant by saying that favour and disgrace would seem equally to be feared. And what is meant by saying that honour and great calamity are to be (similarly) regarded as personal conditions? What makes me liable to great calamity is my having the body (which I call myself); if I had not the body, what great calamity could come to me? Therefore he who would administer the kingdom, honouring it as he honours his own person, may be employed to govern it, and he who would administer it with the love which he bears to his own person may be entrusted with it.