The Dalai Lama teaches that suffering is an unavoidable part of life, but it’s how we respond that matters, viewing it as a chance to develop compassion, wisdom, and inner strength, not a reason for despair, emphasizing that everyone seeks happiness, and this shared desire connects us despite differences. He distinguishes between avoidable suffering (our actions, emotions) and unavoidable suffering (aging, death, natural events), urging us to accept reality, transform negative experiences, and cultivate mental peace, as worrying is pointless if a situation can’t be changed or can be changed.
Suffering is so important for so many reasons.
Suffering is pain * resistance. Learning and growth come from suffering. Therefore, lean into suffering and you will find your meaning.