Getting to Know Suffering

In this short teaching, Mingyur Rinpoche discusses the experience of suffering. Knowing the nature of suffering, he explains, is precisely what allows us to free ourselves from suffering. You can discuss this teaching in the Monthly Teachings Forum under the topic Getting to Know Suffering.

Download a transcript of Getting to Know Suffering [pdf]

Reflection Questions
Why is it important to understand the nature of suffering?

Can you think of any experiences in your own life where understanding enabled you to free yourself from a painful pattern or situation?

Join the discussion.

Welcome
May 2022 Meditating with Emotions
April 2022 The Difference between Awareness and Mindfulness
March 2022 How to Do Meditation while Working
February 2022 Can Meditation Be Dangerous?
January 2022 How Meditation Helps You Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions
December 2021 Bringing Awareness into the Holiday Season
November 2021 How Meditation Changes the Brain
October 2021 How to do Walking Meditation
September 2021 Can Meditation Make You Feel Worse?
August 2021 The Story of Shantideva
July 2021 Compassionate Wisdom
June 2021 Find Your Inner Strength
May 2021 Meditating with Pain
April 2021 Pizza Meditation
March 2021 Understanding the Monkey Mind
February 2021 Befriending Panic
January 2021 The Sense of Self
December 2020 Meditate by Letting Your Mind Be As It Is
November 2020 Meditating in Everyday Life
October 2020 Basic Goodness and Joy: View
September 2020 The Three Wisdoms
August 2020 Basic Goodness and Compassion: View
July 2020 What is Dzogchen?
June 2020 Love for Oneself
May 2020 Love for All Beings
April 2020 Preparing for Death
March 2020 The Four Liberations
February 2020 Meditating with Sleep and Sleepiness
January 2020 Vajra Recitation
December 2019 Meditation Habit
November 2019 Bardo and Nature of Mind
October 2019 Be Natural
September 2019 Recognizing Awareness
August 2019 Pointing Out Your True Nature
July 2019 Development Stage
June 2019 Fruition as Path
May 2019 The View of the Foundational Vehicle
April 2019 The Four Lineages of Tibetan Buddhism
March 2019 Anything as Support
February 2019 Meditation is Easier than You Think
January 2019 Living in a Dream
December 2018 Mind Creates Reality
November 2018 Melting Fixations
October 2018 Healthy Sense of Self
September 2018 Analytical Meditation
August 2018 The Essence of Meditation
July 2018 The Essence of Patience
June 2018 The Essence of Generosity
May 2018 The Causes of Happiness
April 2018 Three Ways of Relating to Emotions: Seeing Their Nature
March 2018 Three Ways of Relating to Emotions: Transforming
February 2018 Three Ways of Relating to Emotions: Abandoning
January 2018 Key Points of Meditation: Everywhere, Anytime
December 2017 Key Points of Meditation: Letting Go of Expectations Part 2
November 2017 Key Points of Meditation: Letting Go of Expectations Part 1
October 2017 Key Points of Meditation: Being vs Doing
September 2017 Key Points of Meditation: Intention and Motivation Part 2
August 2017 Key Points of Meditation: Intention and Motivation Part 1
July 2017 Non-Meditation and Non-Distraction: Application
June 2017 Non-Meditation and Non-Distraction: Meditation
May 2017 Non-Meditation and Non-Distraction: View
April 2017 Going to Sleep
March 2017 Waking Up
February 2017 Discovering Wisdom
January 2017 Basic Goodness and Awareness Part 4
December 2016 Basic Goodness and Awareness Part 3
November 2016 Basic Goodness and Awareness Part 2
October 2016 Basic Goodness and Awareness Part 1
September 2016 Mind and Body Part II
August 2016 Mind and Body Part I
July 2016 Building a Stable Meditation Practice
June 2016 Keeping Meditation Fresh
May 2016 Building New Habits
April 2016 Transforming the Mind
March 2016 The Essence of Meditation
February 2016 World Peace through Inner Peace - Part 2
January 2016 World Peace through Inner Peace - Part 1
December 2015 Awareness
November 2015 Expectations and Appreciation
June 2015 The Four Thoughts - Karma
April 2015 The Four Thoughts - Impermanence
March 2015 The Four Thoughts - Precious Human Birth
February 2015 Meditation without Religion
January 2015 Meditation and an Unpleasant Work Situation
December 2014 Mediation and a Busy Lifestyle
August 2014 The Causes of Anxiety and Suffering
July 2014 The Differences between the Four Tibetan Buddhist Schools
June 2014 Mingyur Rinpoche talks about Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche
May 2014 The Relationship between Study and Practice
April 2014 Mingyur Ripoche's connection with Tai Situ Rinpoche
March 2014 The Life and Teachings of Saljey Rinpoche
February 2014 The Three Practices of Morality, Meditation and Wisdom
January 2014 The Life and Teachings of Tulku Urgyen
December 2013 The Three Kinds of Knowledge
November 2013 What Are the Two Truths?
October 2013 Money from a Spiritual Perspective
September 2013 How to Use Meditation to Deal with Old Trauma
August 2013 What Is Happiness and How to Find It
July 2013 How to Share Your Meditation Experiences
June 2013 Meditation and Dealing with Difficult People
May 2013 The Importance of Formal Meditation
April 2013 Inner and Outer Environments
March 2013 Meditation and Creativity
February 2013 Breaking Mirrors
January 2013 Counting Stones
December 2012 What is a Buddha?
November 2012 Milarepa's Best Friend
October 2012 Moving with Impermanence
September 2012 Homesick for Our True Nature
August 2012 Discovering Buddha Nature
July 2012 The Cause of Happiness
June 2012 Self-Created Suffering
May 2012 Two Kinds of Suffering
April 2012 Getting to Know Suffering
March 2012 Two Kinds of Awareness
February 2012 The Importance of Retreat
January 2012 Retreat in Daily Life
December 2011 Introducing Sherab Ling
November 2011 The Importance of Community