Are rebirth, old age etc. 'dukkha'? Or, merely *characterised* by dukkha?

[NgXinZhao]

@Senryu

If we insist that old age = dukkha, then we must insist that the Buddha was not free from dukkha, that he in fact did not achieve the cessation of dukkha when he became enlightened.

Three types of Suffering

Regarding the 3 types of suffering as above, usually the way I explain this to beginners are as follows. Do comment on your understanding and if my understanding is in accordance to the Dhamma. Suffering suffering: the normal unpleasant mental feelings, and all forms of physical sufferings. Including depression, mental illness, death etc. Arahants have no more mental sufferings, but they can have physical sufferings in this category. (I am still unsure if arahants can have unpleasant feelin…

There’s 3 types of Dukkhas. As Buddhas are arahants too, the post I made makes it clear of which types of dukkha is still experienced by arahants, and which is not. In general physical suffering still exist because the body is still here, mental suffering doesn’t.

Dukkha in the broadest term refers to all suffering, mental and physical. Nibbana with remainders (arahants who are still alive) only have no more mental suffering, they still suffer physically.

In terms of Nibbana is the highest happiness, in that sense sukha should be understood with regards to nibbana. Sukha does have a more technical terminology tied with cessation of sukha at attainment of 4th Jhana, that’s not the sukha which is referred to when discussing about Nibbana as the highest happiness. So many words has many meanings. One has to look at the context to see the right meaning which makes sense.