It is a commonplace among Buddhists that the suffering which the dharma may help us avoid is self-generated psychological suffering, the kind of ruminative thinking that can get us in so much trouble. But the Buddha himself was well aware of physical pain; he listed sickness, old age, and death as major causes of suffering, and himself suffered from severe back pain for much of his life. This Sunday, Mike B, with a very empathetic talk by Bhikkhu Bodhi, guided our reflections on questions of physical pain – and how to meet it. Sooner or later this is likely to become a central focus for each of us, and so not a bad topic on which to have some clarity.
You can listen to the talk itself here: https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/2168
Burlington Buddhist Sangha 