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Ending Dukkha
Dukkha is the First Noble Truth. Yet, it is something that is not well-understood among Buddhists. In Buddhism, there is a myth that people who are enlightened will no longer suffer. A related myth is that the enlightened ones live in a state of perpetual bliss. Both are misconceptions that smack of magical thinking.
One reason for misconceptions has to do with the poor translation of the Pali word “dukkha.” The translation of “dukkha” into the English word “suffering” is very misleading — it would suggest that the Arahants would no longer suffer. If true, this would mean that the enlightened ones would turn into “stone buddhas,” devoid of human emotions. Buddha’s own disciples certainly wept and cried when Buddha died. The proper understanding of the First Noble Truth depends critically on a proper and careful translation of the word “dukkha.” Thanissaro Bhikkhu translated “dukkha” into “stressfulness.” Contemporary researcher, Francis Story, used the words irritation, dejection, worry, despair, fear, dread, anguish, and anxiety to describe dukkha. I would translate “dukkha” into “anxiety.” It is conceivable that enlightenment and wisdom will lead to the ending of anxiety.
In order to understand how enlightenment would end anxiety, it helps to revisit the Buddhist parable of the Second Arrow, which is found in the Sallatha Sutta:
The Blessed One said, “When touched…
