The End of Suffering

Discover how the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths and mindful practice can help us end suffering by letting go of attachments and negative thoughts.

Issue #30:

Good day and welcome back to The Zen Journal. Today, we turn our attention to the Third Noble Truth, the end of suffering. If you have yet to read the posts about the first & second Noble Truths, I’d advise you to do so.

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Buddhism is a very practical path. If attachment is the root of our suffering, then non-attachment is the path to freedom.

The Third Noble Truth teaches us this simple but powerful lesson: when we let go of craving, clinging, and our endless chasing after things, our suffering comes to an end.

The Buddha didn’t just leave us with the idea, he gave us real tools to work with: meditation and the Eightfold Path.

We meditate to calm our restless minds and open our hearts. We walk the Eightfold Path to grow in wisdom, act with kindness, and train our minds to be steady and clear.

Malunkyaputta was one of the Buddha’s disciples, but he struggled with doubts. He felt there were important questions that needed answering before he could fully commit to the spiritual path.

One day, frustrated, he approached the Buddha and asked why he had not explained things like:

• Whether the universe is eternal or not.

• Whether the soul and the body are the same or different.

• What happens after death.

• Whether an afterlife exists.

Malunkyaputta insisted that without answers to these deep, philosophical questions, he could not properly follow the Buddha’s teachings.

In response, the Buddha offered a powerful lesson. He compared Malunkyaputta’s attitude to a man who had been struck by a poisoned arrow.

Instead of insisting the doctor to remove the arrow, the man insists on first finding out who shot it, what kind of bow was used, what type of poison was on the tip, and so on.

Meanwhile, as he wastes time demanding these answers, the poison spreads, and he dies.

The Buddha’s point was clear: focusing on abstract speculation only delays true healing. What matters is treating the real wound, addressing suffering and learning the way out of it.

Metaphysical debates, however interesting, do not help us free ourselves from suffering.

The Buddha emphasized that the important thing is to stay focused on what can be seen, known, and practiced: understanding suffering (dukkha), its cause, its end, and the path that leads to its end. These are the teachings that actually lead to liberation.

Malunkyaputta understood this lesson, and instead of getting lost in endless questions, he rededicated himself to the practice, with a deeper understanding of what truly mattered.

This story reminds us that real spiritual growth comes not from speculation, but from practical wisdom and real effort. It’s about facing our own experience of suffering directly and learning to let it go, not getting tangled up in philosophical arguments that don’t help us live more peacefully.

In everyday life, we must also gently work with our own minds. When negative thoughts arise, instead of fighting them aggressively or pretending they aren’t there, we can treat them like passing clouds in the sky.

Notice them, but don’t hold onto them. We simply let them drift by without grabbing onto them or making them bigger.

It’s not the fifth harsh word that ruins our peace, it’s the very first unkind thought. If we notice it early and let it go, it won’t have a chance to grow

While I’m not a psychologist by any means, I’ve found that insights from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) resonate with this too. CBT reminds us that we always have the power to change how we interpret things.

If we only look for the problems, we will surely find them. But if we open our eyes to the good, the wholesome, the kind, we’ll discover those too.

Today’s encouragement is simple but powerful: Practice letting go. Notice negativity without clinging to it. Choose kindness in how you see the world.

I look forward to continuing this journey with you. Please feel free to share your thoughts, reflections, or questions as I dive deeper into these teachings.

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Try This

You don’t have to fix everything today.
Just notice the rock. Feel its weight.
And imagine what freedom might feel like if you set it down.

Sit quietly for five minutes today.
Notice one thought, belief, or desire you've been clinging to.
Ask yourself:
What would it feel like if I set this down?
What if I didn’t need to fix, solve, or carry this right now?

Just entertain the idea of lightness.