Big Suffering

I would like to share a teaching with you from my teacher, Zen Master Dae Kwang. The Buddha taught that suffering is the human condition. But if we don’t hold it and cling to it, suffering can help us wake up to our true nature and help us manifest compassion to all other living beings.

Big Suffering Helps This World

Often Zen Master Seung Sahn said, "If the direction of your life is clear, then your whole life is clear. If your direction is not clear, then your life will always be a problem."

The reason we practice Zen is to understand ourselves completely, attain our original nature, and save all beings from suffering. This is our direction - the original job of all human beings. In this, there is no "I, my, me." If we have "I, my, me" then we will get suffering, guaranteed.

One time a monk came to Zen Master Seung Sahn and said that he wanted to stop being a monk because the monk's life for him was a living hell. Zen Master Seung Sahn replied, "If your direction is clear, then even living in hell is not a problem." This means if you want to help this world, then even suffering should not be a hindrance. Most important is direction. If your direction is clear, then the suffering you experience becomes "Big Suffering" and helps this whole world. So, what do you want?