In response to a question about why there is suffering in life, Acharya Prashant begins by defining suffering. He explains that suffering is the experience of something being unwell, an experience of something being out of place or incongruous. It is the presence of something that should not be there, like an object stuck in one's throat. Suffering is the presence of the unnecessary. He then considers the opposite perspective: is suffering the absence of something that should be there? He notes that an ordinary person would define suffering as the non-fulfillment of desires, meaning the absence of something they want. However, the wise have concluded that suffering is not the absence of something, but the presence of the unnecessary. Whatever one has, sooner or later, openly or secretly, becomes suffering. Acharya Prashant elaborates that the individual (Jiva) has thoughts, ideals, money, wealth, family, and memories. The Jiva, considering itself incomplete, holds onto these things, and this is the root of suffering. He explains that the cause of suffering is the individual's very existence. The ego is its own suffering. He uses the analogy of the moon and clouds: for a self-realized person, both the presence and absence of the moon can be a source of joy. But for someone who has personal expectations from the moon, its disappearance causes pain. This is because we have formed a personal relationship with the moon, expecting it to always be there for us. When it is not, we feel betrayed. He concludes that the root cause of suffering is self-ignorance (Atma-agyan). Because we do not know who we are, we turn the entire creation into a source of suffering for ourselves. The solution is not to change external circumstances but to eliminate the suffering 'you'. The departure of this 'you' is the departure of your unconsciousness. When that unconsciousness goes, you are truly born for the first time. The one who is free from hope (Nirash) is liberated while living (Jivanmukt). Therefore, the cause of suffering is self-ignorance, and liberation from suffering is not found outside but by correcting the false self-identity.