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Suffering will never end
This is a very strong statement, let’s try to understand Akong Rinpoche.
Akong Rinpoche was an important Tibetan Buddhist teacher who founded the Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland and worked tirelessly to spread Buddhism throughout the world. Regarding the question of how to alleviate the suffering of others, Akong Rinpoche had a very clear and realistic perspective.
According to Akong Rinpoche, suffering is a natural part of existence and will never end completely. Instead of trying to eliminate suffering completely, we must learn to live with it in a compassionate and wise way. This means developing the ability to feel empathy for others and working to alleviate their suffering whenever possible.
However, Akong Rinpoche also emphasized the importance of not falling into despair or apathy in the face of the enormity of suffering in the world. Instead, we must be strong and maintain a sense of purpose and determination in our practice of alleviating the suffering of others, even if we cannot do so for all beings in the universe.
In summary, Akong Rinpoche’s perspective on how to alleviate the suffering of others focuses on cultivating compassion and wisdom to live with suffering, working to alleviate it when possible, and maintaining a positive and determined attitude in our practice.
‘…suffering will never end’
Yes, that was one of Akong Rinpoche’s key teachings regarding suffering. He held that suffering is a natural part of existence and will never be completely eliminated. Therefore, we must learn to live with it and work to alleviate the suffering of others whenever possible, instead of expecting it to disappear completely. The main idea behind his teaching is that despite the inevitability of suffering, we can still find a way to live in harmony with it and cultivate compassion and wisdom to help others do the same.
Unfortunately, Akong Rinpoche passed away in 2013, so it is difficult to find a direct source describing this specific teaching. However, you can find many of his writings and teachings in books and videos, as well as on the websites of the monasteries he founded, such as the Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland. There are also many disciples and followers of Akong Rinpoche who continue to share and teach his wisdom and teachings through their own writings and teachings. If you are interested in learning more about his approach to suffering and compassion, I suggest exploring some of these resources.