Sorrows In Life(Problem +Solution)Learn From Buddha

what is Sorrow?          

Most of us are sad about something all the time. There are many reasons behind our unhappiness. But have we ever tried to know what sorrow really is? If you ask me that what is sorrow I would say there is no such thing as sorrow in this world, but that would be a stupid answer.

Because if this is not your experience, it will sound bitter and even wrong I want you to experience what I am saying and be able to understand that there is no such thing like sorrow ,It is difficult to believe, but not impossible it is deep but can be felt. A story from the life of Gautam Buddha that will tell you what sadness really is and how it works in our life.

Once Gautam buddha and some of his mendicant (disciple) were passing through a forest. After walking in the forest for a long time, Buddha and all his mendicants sit under a huge tree. There was a great peace under that tree.

Everyone is feeling that peace no one utters a word everyone silently experiencing that peace. After some time, a disciple of Gautam buddha gets up and asks Buddha.

Buddha says, what is your question?  He asks I never saw you sad and I've always seen a different smile on your face that fills us with joy Before I become your disciple, I had a lot of sorrow in my life that's why I also became your disciple but I still don’t know Can you tell me what sorrows is?

what is sorrow in Buddhism?

Buddha smiles and says. Sorrows are nothing more than a thought. All his disciples are surprised to hear that and ask but thoughts just come and go. But once the sorrow comes, it doesn't go it stays for long time.

Buddha says let me tell you a small incident once a wealthy merchant live in a town. He has a very loyal servant that merchant trusts his servant a lot and never doubt his servant for anything because his servant is really very honest.

How does sorrow affect a person?

One day that merchant had to go out of town for some important work. After two-three days he returns with a valuable thing, He put that thing in his room and tells his servant that you have to take special care of this thing. Make sure it doesn't break. This is very precious to me.

The servant says I will take care this don't you worry. The very next day the servant is cleaning the whole house. While cleaning, he reaches that precious thing of merchant in the morning and starts cleaning it too and while cleaning that precious thing it got slips from the hand and falls down and breaks.

When merchant got to know that his precious thing is break, he comes to the servant and scolded the servant a lot. The servant is very loyal and old therefore, he only scolds him.

Merchant keeps getting very sad thinking about that precious thing. Night falls and he lies down in his room and he is unable to sleep.

He is very restless that's why he leaves his room and finds his servant sleeping peacefully. The next morning he thinks that how can I get out of this problem, then he thinks of an idea, he goes to his servant and tells the servant. I feel very sad. Telling that that precious thing you broke yesterday, I was brought it for you.

I wanted to give you a gift but what can I do now? Now it is broken. The servant is shocked to hear merchant words. The servant thinks. Oh that's a big mistake. That was such a precious and beautiful thing for me and it had broken by me. 

Now sorrow arises in the mind of that servant about that thing, and when night falls merchant sleeps peacefully. And the servant is sad all night, he cannot sleep peacefully.

What does deep sorrow feel like?

Why did that servant not sleep because now that servant accepted that precious thing as his own, Earlier there was no thought in the mind of that servant that that precious thing was mine but now he has this thought in his mind that if that precious thing had not broken, it would have been mine.

Sorrow is just a thought and the thought arises from attaching yourself to something, whatever we associate with ourselves, that thing hurts us because the reality is that nothing can connect with us.

A lot of people may ask this, so can we not consider our things as own, I am not saying that.

How can I face sorrow?

I want to say whatever you have. It is there for a while and after some time it may get away from you. So instead of feeling sorrow, accept the reality and move on. 

Thank you.