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Pain comes from events, while suffering comes from the way we handle events—what we do about them and, especially, what we think about them.
Martha Beck • The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self
“If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now.”
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi • Flow: The Psychology of Happiness
The parable of the second arrow is a well-known Buddhist story about dealing with suffering more skilfully. It is said the Buddha once asked a student,
‘If a person is struck by an arrow, is it painful? If the person is struck by a second arrow, is it even more painful?’
He then went on to explain,
‘In life, we can’t always control the first arrow. Ho... See more
‘If a person is struck by an arrow, is it painful? If the person is struck by a second arrow, is it even more painful?’
He then went on to explain,
‘In life, we can’t always control the first arrow. Ho... See more
The second arrow - Mindfulness Meditation
As the saying goes, pain is inevitable but suffering is optional. If you can simply stay present with whatever is arising in awareness—whether it’s a first dart or a second one—without reacting further, then you will break the chain of suffering right there.
Rick Hanson • Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom
Pain is inevitable, suffering is not. Pain and suffering are two different animals. If any of these tragedies strike you in your present state of mind, you will suffer.