On Suffering

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The Master Course of Himalayan Academy by Satguru Sivaya

Subramuniyaswami ~~~~~~~~~Sloka 51

from Dancing with Siva

Why Is There Suffering in the World?The nature of the world is

duality. It contains each thing and itsopposite: joy and sorrow,

goodness and evil, love and hate. Throughexperience of these, we

learn and evolve, finally seeking Truth beyondall opposites.

Aum.BhashyaThere is a divine purpose even in the existence of

suffering in theworld. Suffering cannot be totally avoided. It is a

natural part of humanlife and the impetus for much spiritual growth

for the soul. Knowing this,the wise accept suffering from any source,

be it hurricanes, earthquakes,floods, famine, wars, disease or

inexplicable tragedies. Just as theintense fire of the furnace

purifies gold, so does suffering purifythe soul to resplendence. So

also does suffering offer us the importantrealization that true

happiness and freedom cannot be found in the world,for earthly joy is

inextricably bound to sorrow, and worldly freedom tobondage. Having

learned this, devotees seek a satguru who teaches them tounderstand

suffering, and brings them into the intentional hardships ofsadhana

and tapas leading to liberation from the cycles of experiencein the

realm of duality. The Agamas explain, "That which appears ascold or

as hot, fresh or spoiled, good fortune and bad, love and hate,effort

and laziness, the exalted and the depraved, the rich and thepoor, the

well-founded and the ill-founded, all this is God Himself;none other

than Him can we know." Aum Namah Sivaya.