SuttaCentral
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to ask you all where do you find comfort in the Buddha’s teachings. The more I dig the more bleak the situation seems to be, and the goal is not easy to understand for beginners.
I know it’s about not clinging but it can’t be avoided completely until the end. Knowing how things are what is it that gives you relief besides meditation? As a thought or idea or sense of goal or perhaps some suttas.
Thank you.
MN95 is a nice story which comforts me much. It’s a story beginning with the eminent Brahmin Canki, who went to the meeting place when once the Buddha came to the village. This is already a nice short story. But the second part is a very nice (pedagogical!) discourse with an eager young brahmin, where the Buddha step by step led the young man to a new understanding.
As someone having been working in the educational sector (university) I found this discourse much inspiring for my own attempts to do “teaching towards understanding” (or so 
)
So perhaps this is an example you were asking for.
Hello ,
Do not despair , you probably just dig,scratch the surface, ( same here 
)
you need to study Dhamma, ( suttacentral is a great resources)
and put in practice what you have learn , Dana,SIla ,Samadhi,Panna.
Without practice , you have no chance of evaluating it ( in the spirit of Kalama-sutta),
after you practice it steps by steps,in gradual manner.
Gradual training - Wikipedia, you probaby want to start with dana sila first, i would recommend practicing aspect of dana ( generosity, and Sila-morality- five precepts ) as starter.
After that advance it further towards samadhi ( meditation) and panna ( wisdom) aspects.
By these steps Dhamma will become your guiding light,beacon of your life.
For removing Clinging, i will recommend do it slowly,gradually…as one need practice towards perfection.
I take comfort that i am one of the lucky one , i have 4 blessing fortune in this life time , this contemplation give me must relief while facing stress of life. ( meditation still in progress)
you could give it a try by reading it and think through the following contemplation :
Contemplation of 4 blesssing
only with the appearance of such wondrous extremely rare teacher, proclaiming ,explaining Dhamma,a sasanam re-appeared – and right now during this time period ,sasanam still present, one has such rare opportunity to learn Dhamma.
Quote :
The arising of Buddhas is hard.
kiccho buddhānamuppādo. (Dhp 182)
2)Rarity and difficulty of obtaining a human birth ( parable of blind turtle)
,SN 56.47,Paṭhamachiggaḷayugasutta,
Dutiyachiggaḷayugasutta SN 56.48,
MN 129 Balapanditasutta,
Right now in this life time, one has obtained a fortunate birth as human in, this itself is an accumulation of Superior good karma.
Quote :
It’s hard to gain a human birth;
Kiccho manussapaṭilābho, (Dhp 182)
Rarity of having faith confidence with Tiratana- now one has it now.
The rarity and difficulty of able to listen to True Dhamma
Quote: it’s hard to hear the true teaching;
Kicchaṁ saddhammassavanaṁ, (Dhp 182)
Evaluating it deeply one will know right now ,:
Some being has only : ( fortune-blessing)
1 fortune, ( eg those that born during appearance of Buddha teaching (but born as non-human)
2 Fortune ; born during this time period + become human
3 fortune ; born during this time period + becomes human+ has faith sadddha confidence toward Tiratana ( not as perfect as sotthapana but as certain degree of faith).
4 Fortune ; born during this time period+ becomes human+ has faith + has chance to encounter meet Dhamma and listen to Dhamma.
So friend which one are you now ?
so do not despair we are one of the few that so fortunate able to gain such wondrous fortune-blessings.
Ask yourself
Will I allow these four fortunes to slip away in this lifetime, or will I strive to seize them? Should I exert myself, put forth effort with imbued energy, maintain the spirit of persistence, perseverance, and vigor, and be diligent in learning and practicing Dhamma? By doing so, I can preserve and enhance my happiness in this lifetime, prepare for the next life, and work towards liberation."
the decision is yours to made, choose wisely lest one regretful in the future. 
Mettacittena
Qzl
Very nice sutta, thank you.
Yes I’m just scratching the surface indeed haha, otherwise I wouldn’t be making this thread I guess.
I do read and practice but I can go from “so wonderful” to not so wonderful. Really fluctuating.
So I would be number 2 or number 3 or number 4 depending on the moment 
I wish I could feel as fortunate as you, but sometimes I’m so doubtful and I only have my blind faith and personal feelings so I’m not as sure as you are but I appreciate the perspective it surely helps, thank you.
Hey @Stefan ,
same here ,sometimes fluctuating too.
But it part of parcel of life, i can understand what you are going through ( heck yeah it happens to me too), just like the rest of us that hasn’t reach Ariyas, we are blind for so long.,
Its hard to break away from “normal-blind habit” which , we been doing it for kalpas…nows it time to set up new wisdom habit learning practicing Noble Eightfold Path.
Consider this :
, just like bodhisatta that spent countless aeon perfection of paramis, they also going through this ,just like all the Buddha great disciples they too have work hard ,going through fluctuation ,takes times to perfect their paramitas ( check out Great Chronicle of Buddhas Book3)
how about our current effort compare to them >? 
consider :
Throughout the countless kalpas of samsara, we have been blinded for so long. We continually use the same formula, blinded by avijja, and cycle through samsara again and again. We are born, age, become sick, and die, repeating this cycle endlessly from one existence to another. Isn’t it exhausting? but this life lucky,really fortunate we are born during existance of buddha sasanam,become human,has faith,has opportunity to listen and practice Dhamma…
the key here is consistency , put in effort , perseverance,( do it again and again with determination)keeping vision, strong determination for liberation from Dukkha,freedom from samsara.
regardless what happened fluctuate up and down, do made an efforts now , you starts with 1 steps, 2 steps, 1/2 steps, 1/4 steps,its fine as long you are consistent. ( determination : I want to be liberated free from Lobha,Dosa,Moha).!!!
ok if not that point not working, how abt considering:
learning-practicing Dhamma as goal of life, as future investment for happiness ,by focusing on themain points of buddha teaching. Dhp 183, you are investing towards a better future.
how abt contemplating the danger if you dont learn-practice Dhamma,’
the danger of samsara , perpetually aging,sickness,death,meeting folks-event that you dislike, separation from the loved one, grief,wailing etc
not getting what we wants SN 56.11
,in short being bearer of pancakhandas SN 22.22 …
Blinded by avijja, dragged along by lobha,dosa,moha, ,…every existance going through it again and again,
dont you have enough ??
let me add some parable like in the movie matrix 1999
In the 1999 film The Matrix , Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) is offered a choice between a red pill and a blue pill by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). If Neo takes the blue pill, he would return to his simulated life in the Matrix, unaware of its true nature. The blue pill would essentially be a sedative, causing him to forget his experiences and continue living in the illusion, so Neo here chose red pill
so friend blue pill or red pill ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCZBY7a8kqE
wake up friend 
made real efforts now !!
Your enthusiasm is contagious, yeah let’s practice now that we can!
The triple gem. Sounds cliche, but that is where you’ll be able to go as it is developed into a more and more legitimate dwelling. There will be plenty of times, however, when it provides little to no comfort, and that is when faith plays a role. Where you don’t try to quickly get rid of discomfort. Where you are able to stay the course because you trust that the Dhamma is worth pursuing. Over time, even diligence during these tough times will become inspirational and will be a source of joy.
Discomfort will always be overwhelming when we are habitually be trying to get rid of it as soon as it arises. Even if that means we try to read suttas or meditate to ease the pain. With this pattern established, it will be nearly impossible not to suffer greatly when times get tough.
Hmm, don’t know whether this really fits. But it’s about religion and comfort, and comfort is surely an attribute of the ascetic clothes, and, well, so … nearly looks like it might
Stefan,
A few thoughts.
Personally, faith in the Triple Gem is what I fall back on when I feel lost or in despair. Faith can be cultivated and it needn’t be blind. It’s a constructed thing, a skillful means. Keep learning and investigating the Triple Gem. I recently listened to MN 12 and the passage on the austerities the Bodhisatta tormented himself with really struck me. The incredible pain and sacrifice He underwent to realize enlightenment…I have begun to see why Jesus Christ’s suffering and dying on the cross, sacrificing himself for the sins of humanity is such a powerful teaching for Christians.
I’ve had problems with that.
Still do I guess.
Beyond comfort you might get from sitting meditation, the suttas ( meant for full timers - monastics ) seem to indicate continuous mindfulness helps. I think it does through distraction and helping your brain work better, maybe processing stuff more quickly.
Then there is the dhamma itself. Seeing impermanence and noself over and over again can loosen up attachments, but it is a long term thing.
I know it is tough for a lot of people, but the faith angle helps too. Look at things as each bit of future, each new life as getting better and better as you improve your karma by meditating, studying, keeping sila, helping people. That process is often enjoyable, bringing you better lives, until you are done with life.
@SDC
You are right but what should one do when the teachings are what brings the overwhelming discomfort? I understand the teachings are not really the problem but the perception of them but still.
@Nessie
I wish I was as chill as that monk haha
@LawnMower
100%
@Mkoll
All very good points I will try to take them in account. May I ask you what’s the correct way of seeing things? What I mean is the self doesn’t like Samsara, it’s frightening, but then the goal can be equally frightening if one has not developed the path to a certain degree and understands it properly, it’s a paralyzing situation.
I made the thread because to me it looks like there is nothing to cling to in the path and nothing easy to look forward to and it’s also not easy to understand so I wondered how do people do it? How can the Buddha’s teachings bring relief in difficult times or help someone sleep at night?
For example if one has anxiety the teachings might make it worse even though they are about relieving suffering because both the present and the goal greatly challenge the sense of self so where can one find any kind of stability besides at kind of advanced stages. There is karuna and metta too but I get the feeling the path is kind of cold and scientific, probably because I’ve never interacted with Buddhists and because of my personal biases though.
I apologize if what I’m saying sounds wrong, I’m just trying to understand.
Hello Stefan,
I find comfort in seeing and feeling results from practicing kindness, compassion and respect towards others and myself. I’m not always good at it, my ego is always with me making the practice so much harder… But I see more and more clearly how kindness, compassion and respect are always the right choice.
Lately I have found very helpful and inspiring to read similes by Ajahn Chah in a book “In Simple Terms”
Much metta from Latvia
We are in the same boat then.
Hopefully it gets easier at some point. It actually gets easier sometimes, but then it gets hard again.
And yeah that’s nice and it’s nice at times, hopefully it keeps getting nicer.
I appreciate your response.
@rudite
That’s wonderful, I have to follow your example and cultivate more kindness, compassion and respect.
Thank you for your response. Metta to everyone.
I don’t know the truly correct way of seeing things since I’m not a Noble One (stream-enterer or higher). Even if I was, words communicated can only point the way, but you have to walk your own path in the end. There’s a Zen teaching about a finger pointing to the moon…
What I’d recommend is to learn the suttas and contemplate them. Read and/or listen to them. Do it until you really internalize the teachings and feel like you’ve really grasped them to the extent that thinking, pondering, and views go. This is a cause for resolving a lot of doubts and questions and gives you a baseline to compare other teachings to.
At the same time, I’d recommend reading/listening to the teachings of monks you respect. I find great wisdom in Ajahn Chah’s teachings and some of his living disciples like Ajahn Anan and Ajahn Jayasaro. Ajahn Jayasaro wrote a biography of Ajahn Chah called Stillness Flowing that I highly recommend. They inspire faith that the Noble Path is achievable by modern people.
If you’ve never interacted personally with Buddhists, I suggest working on remedying that, especially in regard to monastics. Seeing monastics in real life can be very inspiring, to see people glowing with happiness despite eating just once or twice a day, abstaining from gross sense pleasures, and following hundreds of rules of conduct. It’s a concrete example that tells you, “Hey, there really might be something to this.” I’d recommend going to a forest monastery where monks follow the Vinaya well and you can stay for a time. I believe many Ajahn Chah branch monasteries fit this requirement. Save up money, set aside time from work/school, make travel plans, stay a week, and I think you’ll find it well worth it.
Nothing you said is wrong and there’s no need to apologize, my good person 
. I’ve been in a similar state with many doubts when I first took refuge. The path gets more enjoyable with earnest practice and a tincture of time. I think of where my mind was at the beginning and where it is now and it brings me joy. And I think of the Noble Ones and the unspeakable happiness they must be experiencing. That excites me for what’s ahead and inspires me to practice.
More and more I see the importance of patience. The Noble Path may take many lifetimes to find, let alone complete. But no matter how long it takes, be determined. The alternative is just more of the same old, same old…
Hi Stefan,
Great question. I’m going to assume you’ve studied and have an ongoing practice. And yet… Sometimes it doesn’t seem to help.
Buddhism has a bleak world view - existence is suffering. And while it offers a way out - we can stop suffering -the way out isn’t framed in terms of a positive state - just the end of the bad one.
I find what helps is to be around people who have progressed on the path. Find a monastic (or monastics) who live joyfully and spend time with them (ideally in person). Listen to their dhamma talks. See how they interact with others at their monastery. See how they deal with problems that inevitably arise trying to keep a monastery running. See how they live so comfortably in their own skin.
I find that living example of what life can be a source of comfort. And it provides a guiding lens when studying and meditating.
There are suttas that describe many struggles that can be had along the way, so such times aren’t by default an indication that you are doing something wrong. This is also where faith comes into play. When there’s not much hope. Not much evidence of progress. Not much comfort or relief. This is when you place your faith in what you have read or heard. Remember, this is why faith cannot be overstated, and why it should be generated and reinforced beforehand and when you aren’t struggling, so it is ready to go when times are tough.
But like I said, if there is the habit of immediately trying to get rid of what is unwanted, it will be difficult to endure what has been deliberately exposed. To say that another way: we venture to practice the Dhamma, and are well-aware that it could be painful, but it is often the case that as soon as it does get difficult we assume we are doing something wrong. Keep in mind the four ways of practice:
There are four ways of practice. What four?
- Painful practice with slow insight,
- painful practice with swift insight,
- pleasant practice with slow insight, and
- pleasant practice with swift insight.
These are the four ways of practice. -AN 10.29
I find comfort each time after I have successfully donated my blood or plasma.
Hello, for those curious,
you can read more here AN 4.162 for explanation of 4 ways of practice
MN25 is interesting to study, because I think the simile in that Sutta can give you a clear idea of the kind of comfort Buddhism offers.
Buddhism does not offer you any comfort in arranging yourself with the deer hunters and making you feel more comfortable around them. The point is to escape them and find satisfaction in this.
The first kind of comfort I believe is even a big part of what the Suttas call “delusion” (in “greed, hatred and delusion”).
If you generally feel fine around the deer hunters and find meaning in playing their game, Buddhism may not be for you.
How about finding a teacher? A practicing Bhikkhu per example. Don’t fall for the neighbourhood “mindfulness” stuff.
