Human Suffering and the Four Immeasurables
“We all want happiness and do not want suffering.”
(His Holiness the Dalai Lama)
This simple but profound truth lies at the core of our daily life. If we step back for a moment and
consider, it becomes evident that most of our activities are indeed aimed at the avoidance of
suffering and the creation of happiness. While everyone wants happiness, for some reason this is
not how things turn out.
There are basically two kinds of happiness we seek: physical happiness and mental happiness.
Physical happiness is often related to material things, whereas mental happiness stems from inner
or spiritual development. Depending on where we seek, and how we develop those sources of
happiness, either in the physical accomplishment of material possessions or in the inner
development of mental factors, determines how we lead our life.
Though there are many spiritual and non-spiritual traditions in this world, and each tradition has an
answer to the question of what brings happiness, it is evident that a materially-developed
environment and lifestyle cannot be fulfilling: it lacks the dimension of mental accomplishment.
Physical well-being alone does not eradicate the causes of mental suffering. Since mental
happiness mainly derives from inner attitudes, and cannot be limited to providing food, housing,
and clothing alone, it must include replacing the fundamental causes of suffering with the essential
causes of mental flourishing.
Once we understand that the main sources for attaining happiness and relieving suffering are
closely related to our state of mind, we begin to understand where the important change has to
happen.
The Tibetan Buddhist Perspective
Among the many existing concepts, views and theories of mind, it is the Buddhist perspective that
presents us with a deeper examination of how the mind works. Moreover, it offers an answer to the
question of what constitutes the roots of mental happiness and suffering, and provides
transformative practices that lead to the alleviation of suffering and its causes.
The framework of Buddhist practice hinges on three fundamental concepts: View, Meditation and
Action. The View, or outlook, is based on an understanding of the nature of reality; from this
understanding one’s outlook and attitudes will be derived, as well as one’s aspirations and ethical
value system. Meditation can be understood as an intentional formation of habit; it is the
internalization and integration through mental cultivation of insight, compassion and other
beneficial mental qualities. Action is the conduct that engages in activities from a transformed state
of mind, heart and being
What follows is a short essay on how compassion is understood in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition,
on the concepts of suffering and its causes, as well as in what way compassion can be trained
through the outlined concepts of View, Meditation and Action (see
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