Part I — The Pain We All Share
Suffering is often seen as the most hated and unfortunate aspect of human life. Nobody desires it, nobody welcomes it, and yet every living person must face it. It brings pain, fear, and helplessness. It breaks one’s patience, challenges one’s knowledge, and often tears apart the very structure of one’s life. In such moments, suffering does not seem like a mere aspect of existence but a curse that haunts our being.
From childhood, we are taught to seek happiness and avoid pain. We chase comfort, success, and pleasure while running away from everything that hurts. But life, being unpredictable and vast, does not bend to our wishes. Sooner or later, everyone meets pain, in loss, in failure, in separation, in death. It may come quietly or suddenly, but it never misses anyone.
We might be tempted to believe that suffering is an error in existence, a mistake that shouldn’t be there. Yet, if no one can avoid it, perhaps it is not an error but a part of life’s deeper design. It shapes us, breaks our illusions, and forces us to confront what we truly are.
Despite this truth, people continue to resist pain. Every modern effort, comfort, technology, wealth, is a way to escape suffering. We work tirelessly to reduce discomfort and secure well-being. And yet, the more we try to eliminate pain, the more complex and subtle our suffering becomes. This raises the question: Why does suffering exist at all?
What is its reason? Its root?
Part II — The Question of Cause
When we ask why there is suffering, different explanations arise. Some say that God gives us suffering as a test or punishment. Others claim that it is the result of our past deeds or karma. These ideas are ancient and comforting to many, but they also create confusion. If God is beyond human understanding, how can we assign Him motives or blame? If suffering is punishment, why are innocent children born into pain?
The truth is that such answers do not resolve the mystery, they only transfer it elsewhere. They make human beings feel powerless and dependent on invisible forces. They turn suffering into something sacred but unexplained. In doing so, they stop us from looking inward, from facing the human causes of pain.
In reality, suffering does not come from God or destiny. It comes from our own mind, from the way we relate to life. Human beings desire comfort and certainty. We want to hold onto pleasure and avoid pain. But life is a flow of opposites: joy and sorrow, rise and fall, gain and loss. When we cling to only one side, we become attached. And it is attachment that turns natural pain into unbearable suffering.
Attachment makes us believe that what we love must remain forever. When it changes or disappears, we feel betrayed. But in truth, change is the law of existence. Nothing is meant to stay the same. Thus, suffering begins when we resist this truth.
To understand this more clearly, let us enter the story of one ordinary man, a mirror to the human condition.
Part III — The Story of the Lost Money
There was once a man returning home from work after many tiring hours. In his pocket, he carried the money he had earned, his week’s reward, his family’s hope. On his way back, he thought joyfully about buying gifts for his wife and children. He imagined their laughter, their happiness, their love. In his mind, that money was not paper, it was joy itself, the symbol of his devotion.
He boarded a crowded train. Amid the noise and rush, he did not notice when someone stole his wallet. When he finally discovered the loss, a sharp pain pierced his chest. His body trembled; his mind went blank. The money was gone, but what truly vanished were his dreams, the gifts, the smiles, the sense of being a provider. Everything he imagined collapsed into emptiness. His heart was heavy with grief.
Meanwhile, his family waited eagerly at the station, unaware of what had happened. They were not waiting for the money, they were waiting for him. But when he arrived, his face was pale and his eyes full of despair. His wife immediately sensed that something was wrong. “What happened?” she asked softly. He forced a smile and replied, “Nothing, just a tiring day.” But within him, a storm raged.
Unable to accept the loss, he reached to the railway officials, begging for help. “It’s everything I had,” he said. “Please, find it.” But they told him it was too late. “We can file a report,” they said, “but there’s little chance of getting your money back.” His heart sank again.
He went to his friend for help, but even there he faced refusal. At last, desperate and ashamed, he took a small loan from the bank to keep his family financially stable. Outwardly, he appeared calm, but inwardly he was wounded. The loss haunted him; his sleep was broken, his mind restless.
This story is not just about one man losing his money. It is about what happens inside every human being when life breaks our expectations. His suffering was not caused only by the theft but by the attachment he had built around that money, the meaning he had given to it. For him, it was not merely cash but the promise of love and happiness. When that symbol was destroyed, he felt as though his entire life had collapsed.
Part IV — The Mirror of Society
The man’s pain also reveals something deeper about the society in which he lives. His suffering was personal, but the indifference of the world around him made it heavier. The officials’ coldness, the friend’s refusal, the absence of support, all of it added layers to his grief. His struggle shows not only the weakness of one man but the failure of a moral system that lacks compassion.
In such moments, we see how suffering multiplies through neglect. Pain is not just an individual matter; it is also collective. When people stop caring for one another, when law becomes mechanical and compassion disappears, the world becomes a breeding ground for despair. Humanity collapses not because of suffering itself, but because of our failure to respond to it with kindness and understanding.
There is nothing more moral than humanity. Every institution, law, and belief exists for human welfare. When they stop serving that purpose, they lose meaning. Suffering, therefore, must awaken us, not only personally but socially. It should make us aware of our shared vulnerability.
And yet, even with all these external conditions, one truth remains unshaken: suffering is still an inner experience. No matter what help we receive, no one can suffer on our behalf. The man’s pain, after all, was his alone. No words, no logic could truly comfort him until he himself understood its meaning.
So, what did he do wrong? Did he deserve to suffer? Perhaps not. Yet, there was something in his reaction that deepened his pain. He clung to what had already gone, refusing to accept the movement of life. To see this more clearly, let us look at another moment from his life, a moment of contrast.
Once, this same man had a tree in his garden. Every season, it gave him fruits and shade. He loved that tree. But one day, a powerful storm struck, and the tree was uprooted. He was sad, but he accepted it as nature’s will. He cleared the space and planted a new tree. Life moved on.
But now, when life’s storm had broken a “branch” of his personal world, his money, his dreams, he could not accept it. The same man who once understood nature’s way now resisted life’s way. The reason? Attachment. His emotional attachment blinded his wisdom. He forgot that the same truth that applies to nature applies also to human life: everything changes, everything passes.
Part V — The Reality of Pain and the Freedom of Acceptance
Suffering, then, is not an enemy. It is a mirror that reflects our attachments, our illusions, and our unexamined desires. Pain itself is real, but the suffering born from it often arises from our resistance. When we do not want to face pain, when we fight against what has already happened, we deepen our wounds.
To live wisely is not to avoid pain, but to face it with awareness. Awareness transforms pain into understanding. It teaches us that no situation in life is greater than the strength within us. What hurts us most is not the event but our interpretation of it, our insistence that life must always follow our plans.
When we see pain as part of the larger movement of life, it loses its power to destroy us. It becomes a teacher, a guide, a silent reminder that joy and sorrow are two sides of the same truth. Without sorrow, joy would have no meaning; without loss, possession would have no value.
The man in the story could not change the past, but he could learn from it. He could see that his love for his family was independent of money, that their happiness was not bound to gifts but to his presence. Once this realization dawns, suffering begins to dissolve. The same energy that once fueled pain becomes strength and compassion.
This understanding is the beginning of liberation. Liberation does not mean escaping life, but living it fully, with acceptance of both its beauty and its pain. A wise person knows that life is uncertain, but this uncertainty is not a curse; it is the very pulse of existence.
In the end, we must remember: Pain is real, but we are more real than pain.
It arises, stays for a while, and fades. But the consciousness that witnesses it, that is eternal. When we identify only with the pain, we suffer. When we identify with the awareness that observes it, we find peace.
Therefore, suffering is not here to destroy us but to awaken us. It teaches us humility, compassion, and truth. It reminds us that clinging to pleasure and fleeing from pain are both forms of ignorance. To embrace both with equal openness is to discover freedom.
So, the next time life takes something away, remember: it is not a punishment, but an invitation, to grow beyond attachment, to trust the flow of existence, and to realize that the essence of life is not in avoiding pain but in transforming it into wisdom.
By Harsh Yadav
What is the true meaning of suffering in life?
Suffering is not a punishment or mistake but a natural part of human existence. It arises when our desires and attachments clash with life’s changing nature. By understanding suffering, we learn to grow beyond pain and discover inner strength.
Why do we experience suffering if God is merciful?
Many believe God causes suffering, but it’s not divine punishment. Suffering reflects human attachment, fear, and resistance to change. God, or the higher reality, remains beyond human understanding, and our task is to understand life, not blame divinity.
How does attachment lead to suffering?
Attachment makes us dependent on things, people, or outcomes for happiness. When those attachments break, pain turns into suffering. Freedom begins when we love and live without clingingy,accepting that everything in life changes.
Can suffering ever have a positive purpose?
Yes. Suffering can awaken awareness, compassion, and resilience. It shows us what truly matters and frees us from illusions of control. When faced with mindfulness, suffering transforms into wisdom.
What can we learn from the story of the man who lost his money?
The story reflects how our attachment to possessions creates pain. The man’s suffering was not caused by the theft alone but by the emotional meaning he attached to it. His journey reveals that acceptance and awareness can heal even deep sorrow.
How can we overcome or reduce suffering in daily life?
We can reduce suffering through awareness, self-reflection, and compassion. Instead of running from pain, face it calmly. Understand that loss and change are part of existence, and by accepting them, we reclaim our inner peace.
What role does society play in human suffering?
Suffering also reflects social and moral failure. When society lacks empathy and justice, pain multiplies. A compassionate, humane system can help people endure hardship with dignity and hope. True morality begins with humanity.