A boy’s face turns black with soot at the train window while his sister cries as the engine starts rolling. Their father says that to reach the destination we must learn to embrace the noise and the soot. We too wait for a day when suffering ends and joy begins, and the waiting only deepens the hurt. But joy lies in the courageous embrace of suffering, not beyond it. Can we look at what we are protecting when we run from pain?
This summary is AI-generated. Please read the full article for complete understanding.
[From a session at IISc Bangalore, 2025]
Questioner: So I want to ask that can suffering ever end, actually, and absolute freedom can be achieved? Suppose that you have all the knowledge and you read everything, and you are also inquiring all throughout for ages. Like years and years you’ve inquired, and you’re also doing some work which you’re passionate about. Can we still get rid of suffering ever?
Acharya Prashant: One should not ask for that. You know? Probably the inner position is that joy lies at the end of suffering. Therefore, you are asking for suffering to end. Right? When suffering will end, there would be freedom, there would be joy, there would be all these things. No, no, no.
Joy lies in the fearless depth of suffering. Joy lies in the courageous embrace of suffering.
