Common Book
← Themes

Suffering

Pain that can't be fixed. How we carry what we can't put down.

“Tell me about a kind of pain you've had to live with rather than fix. How do you carry it?”

Read the chapter: Quiet under the wave →Reflect on sufferingSpeak with the book

Facets

The angles suffering keeps showing up at, across thousands of years.

Suffering woven into existence

Pain, loss, and trouble are not accidents but built into the fabric of mortal life itself.

12 passages · 4 traditions

+ 6 more in this facet →

The unmoved soul

Wisdom shows itself in bearing sorrow and joy without being shattered or swept away by either.

20 passages · 4 traditions

  • Good people walk on whatever befall, the good do not prattle, longing for pleasure; whether touched by happiness or sorrow wise people never appear elated or depressed.

    — Buddhism · Dhammapada, 6.v.83, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

  • Oh, wretched I, to whom this mischance is happened! nay, happy I, to whom this thing being happened, I can continue without grief; neither wounded by that which is present, nor in fear of that which is to come. Now to conclude; upon all occasion of sorrow remember henceforth to make use of this dogma, that whatsoever it is that hath happened unto thee, is in very deed no such thing of itself, as a misfortune; but that to bear it generously, is certainly great happiness.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 4.XLI, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • The art of true living in this world is more like a wrestler's, than a dancer's practice. For in this they both agree, to teach a man whatsoever falls upon him, that he may be ready for it, and that nothing may cast him down.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 7.XXXIII, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Remember that all is but opinion, and all opinion depends of the mind. Take thine opinion away, and then as a ship that hath stricken in within the arms and mouth of the harbour, a present calm; all things safe and steady: a bay, not capable of any storms and tempests.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 12.XVI, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • The superior man may indeed have to endure want, but the mean man, when he is in want, gives way to unbridled license.

    — Confucianism · Analects, 15.1, tr. James Legge, 1893 ↗

  • The soul which is not moved, The soul that with a strong and constant calm Takes sorrow and takes joy indifferently, Lives in the life undying!

    — Hinduism · Bhagavad Gita, 1.Chapter II, early teaching on the soul, tr. Edwin Arnold, 1885 ↗

+ 14 more in this facet →
  • It is high time for thee to understand the true nature both of the world, whereof thou art a part; and of that Lord and Governor of the world, from whom, as a channel from the spring, thou thyself didst flow: and that there is but a certain limit of time appointed unto thee, which if thou shalt not make use of to calm and allay the many distempers of thy soul, it will pass away and thou with it, and never after return.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 2.I, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • This day I did come out of all my trouble. Nay I have cast out all my trouble; it should rather be for that which troubled thee, whatsoever it was, was not without anywhere that thou shouldest come out of it, but within in thine own opinions, from whence it must be cast out, before thou canst truly and constantly be at ease.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 9.XI, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Either thou dost continue in this kind of life and that is it, which so long thou hast been used unto and therefore tolerable: or thou doest retire, or leave the world, and that of thine own accord, and then thou hast thy mind: or thy life is cut off; and then mayst thou rejoice that thou hast ended thy charge. One of these must needs be. Be therefore of good comfort.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 10.XXIII, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • 'They kill me, they cut my flesh; they persecute my person with curses.' What then? May not thy mind for all this continue pure, prudent, temperate, just? As a fountain of sweet and clear water, though she be cursed by some stander by, yet do her springs nevertheless still run as sweet and clear as before; yea though either dirt or dung be thrown in, yet is it no sooner thrown, than dispersed, and she cleared. She cannot be dyed or infected by it.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 8.L, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • From Apollonius, true liberty, and unvariable steadfastness, and not to regard anything at all, though never so little, but right and reason: and always, whether in the sharpest pains, or after the loss of a child, or in long diseases, to be still the same man.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 1.V, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Thou must comfort thyself in the expectation of thy natural dissolution, and in the meantime not grieve at the delay; but rest contented in those two things. First, that nothing shall happen unto thee, which is not according to the nature of the universe. Secondly, that it is in thy power, to do nothing against thine own proper God, and inward spirit.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 5.X, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • The officer may not be without breadth of mind and vigorous endurance. His burden is heavy and his course is long. Perfect virtue is the burden which he considers it is his to sustain;-- is it not heavy? Only with death does his course stop;-- is it not long?

    — Confucianism · Analects, 8.7, tr. James Legge, 1893 ↗

  • It is in my power concerning this thing that is happened, what soever it be, to conceit that which is right and true. If it be, why then am I troubled? Those things that are without my understanding, are nothing to it at all: and that is it only, which doth properly concern me.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 7.II, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Suffer not that excellent part to be brought in subjection, and to become slavish: suffer it not to be drawn up and down with unreasonable and unsociable lusts and motions, as it were with wires and nerves; suffer it not any more, either to repine at anything now present, or to fear and fly anything to come, which the destiny hath appointed thee.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 1.XVI, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • When the year becomes cold, then we know how the pine and the cypress are the last to lose their leaves.

    — Confucianism · Analects, 9.27, tr. James Legge, 1893 ↗

  • A man's soul doth wrong and disrespect itself first and especially, when as much as in itself lies it becomes an aposteme, and as it were an excrescency of the world, for to be grieved and displeased with anything that happens in the world, is direct apostacy from the nature of the universe; part of which, all particular natures of the world, are.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 2.XIV, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Many of those things that trouble and straiten thee, it is in thy power to cut off, as wholly depending from mere conceit and opinion; and then thou shalt have room enough.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 9.XXX, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Whatsoever doth happen unto thee, thou art naturally by thy natural constitution either able, or not able to bear. If thou beest able, be not offended, but bear it according to thy natural constitution, or as nature hath enabled thee. If thou beest not able, be not offended. For it will soon make an end of thee, and itself, (whatsoever it be) at the same time end with thee.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 10.III, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Thou must be like a promontory of the sea, against which though the waves beat continually, yet it both itself stands, and about it are those swelling waves stilled and quieted.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 4.XL, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

Grief given its full due

Authentic mourning and sorrow deserve honest expression, not suppression or rushed consolation.

10 passages · 4 traditions

+ 4 more in this facet →

Endurance as its own discipline

Bearing what cannot be changed — abuse, illness, loss, or reproof — is itself a form of practice and strength.

11 passages · 5 traditions

  • Restraint in the eye is good, good is restraint in the ear, in the nose restraint is good, good is restraint in the tongue. In the body restraint is good, good is restraint in speech, in thought restraint is good, good is restraint in all things. A Bhikshu, restrained in all things, is freed from all pain.

    — Buddhism · Dhammapada, 25.v.360–361, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

  • As we say commonly, The physician hath prescribed unto this man, riding; unto another, cold baths; unto a third, to go barefoot: so it is alike to say, The nature of the universe hath prescribed unto this man sickness, or blindness, or some loss, or damage or some such thing... These therefore let us accept of in like manner, as we do those that are prescribed unto us our physicians. For them also in themselves shall we find to contain many harsh things, but we nevertheless, in hope of health, and recovery, accept of them.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 5.VIII, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Doth any man offend? It is against himself that he doth offend: why should it trouble thee? Hath anything happened unto thee? It is well, whatsoever it be, it is that which of all the common chances of the world from the very beginning in the series of all other things that have, or shall happen, was destinated and appointed unto thee. To comprehend all in a few words, our life is short; we must endeavour to gain the present time with best discretion and justice.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 4.XXI, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Silently shall I endure abuse as the elephant in battle endures the arrow sent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured.

    — Buddhism · Dhammapada, 23.v.320, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

  • Whatsoever it be that happens unto thee, it is that which from all time was appointed unto thee. For by the same coherence of causes, by which thy substance from all eternity was appointed to be, was also whatsoever should happen unto it, destinated and appointed.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 10.V, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Like a well-trained horse when touched by the whip, be ye active and lively, and by faith, by virtue, by energy, by meditation, by discernment of the law you will overcome this great pain (of reproof), perfect in knowledge and in behaviour, and never forgetful.

    — Buddhism · Dhammapada, 10.v.144, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

+ 5 more in this facet →
  • Patiently then await the judgment of thy Lord, and be not like him who was in the fish, when in deep distress he cried to God. Had not favour from his Lord reached him, cast forth would he have been on the naked shore, overwhelmed with shame: But his Lord chose him and made him of the just.

    — Qur’an · Qur'an, 68.68:48-50, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

  • Such is the way [of a life] of Torah: you shall eat bread with salt, and rationed water shall you drink; you shall sleep on the ground, your life will be one of privation, and in Torah shall you labor. If you do this, "Happy shall you be and it shall be good for you": "Happy shall you be" in this world, "and it shall be good for you" in the world to come.

    — Rabbinic Judaism · Pirkei Avot, 6.6:4, tr. Sefaria (CC-BY), 2024 ↗

  • Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, though he has committed no offence, endures reproach, bonds, and stripes, who has endurance for his force, and strength for his army.

    — Buddhism · Dhammapada, 26.v.399, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

  • What is wickedness? It is that which many time and often thou hast already seen and known in the world. So oft as anything doth happen that might otherwise trouble thee, let this memento presently come to thy mind, that it is that which thou hast already often seen and known. Generally, above and below, thou shalt find but the same things. There is nothing that is new. All things that are, are both usual and of little continuance.

    — Stoicism · Meditations, 7.I, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

  • Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

    — Hebrew & Christian Bible · Bible, James.James 1:12, tr. King James Version (1611/1769), 1611 ↗

Suffering as passage toward release

Pain and hardship, rightly met, carry the sufferer toward liberation, divine favor, or lasting peace.

11 passages · 4 traditions

+ 5 more in this facet →

The long shadow of pleasures

What appears pleasant plants the seed of future grief; sense-joys are quick wombs for lasting sorrow.

7 passages · 3 traditions

+ 1 more in this facet →