PSC 126 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Dukkha
● 83-92
○ Physical & mental pain is bad & we try to avoid / prevent it
○ Solution - develop physical & mental immunity
○ How to discover joy in the face of suffering
■ “So much of our unhappiness originates within our own mind and heart --
in how we react to events in our life” - pg 83
○ Mental immunity
■ Dalai Lama, “ mental immunity is just learning to avoid the destructive
emotions & to develop the positive one “
● “One must develop the mind over time & cultivate mental
immunity”
○ Takes time to develop
○
■ “If your mental health is sound, then when disturbances come, you will
have some distress but quickly recover. If your mental health is not good,
then small disturbances, small problems will cause you much pain and
suffering”
■ Best solution to our suffering is mental immunity
○ Rational level - accept that this is a serious problem that we have to deal with
○ Emotional level - able to keep calm
○ In the ocean, the rational level is like the waves on the surface, & emotional level
is the calm water deep down
○ “I think we’ve got to accept ourselves as we are” - Archbishop
■ Then, hope to grow
■ Learn what triggers us
■ Not be ashamed of ourselves
○ Dealing w/ obstacles to joy
■ 1. Accept the reality of suffering
○ Dukkha - stress, anxiety, suffering, or dissatisfaction
■ Mental & physical suffering that occurs in life, illness, & aging
■ Stress & anxiety that arise from the attempt to control what is
impermanent & unable to be controlled
● Wanting things to be different than they are
○ Sukha - happiness, ease, or comfort
○
● 101 - 108
○ Archbishop had car cut infront of him
■ “There are some truly amazing drivers on the road!”
■ “Perhaps the ddriver was on his way to the hospital because his wife was
giving birth, or a relative was sick”
○ Dalai Lama
■ “Where there is fear, frustration will come”
■ “Frustration brings anger”
Document Summary
Physical & mental pain is bad & we try to avoid / prevent it. Solution - develop physical & mental immunity. How to discover joy in the face of suffering. So much of our unhappiness originates within our own mind and heart -- in how we react to events in our life - pg 83. Dalai lama, mental immunity is just learning to avoid the destructive emotions & to develop the positive one . One must develop the mind over time & cultivate mental immunity . If your mental health is sound, then when disturbances come, you will have some distress but quickly recover. If your mental health is not good, then small disturbances, small problems will cause you much pain and suffering . Best solution to our suffering is mental immunity. Rational level - accept that this is a serious problem that we have to deal with. Emotional level - able to keep calm.
