Steve,
There's a difference between the pain in one's stomach and the worries about getting food when one is hungry. The worries are thoughts, and often don't contribute to a solution to the problem. In fact, worrying about something can sometimes cause much more suffering than the original problem.
I don't think Asia, Africa or the third world has any sort of monopoly on suffering. There is massive suffering in the US - look at the prisons, 12 step groups, valium prescriptions, drug problems, crime, overconsumption, fear of dying, and other problems.
Perhaps I am not explaining it very well, but I am trying to distinguish between physical suffering and the suffering we add through our mental processes. I brought this up in relation to my understanding of karma. I am trying to point out that there are cases in which people are responsible for their own suffering, but that does not apply to all cases. I do not know about how suffering is experienced by others, but at least for me physical suffering is usually accompanied by mental suffering of my own creation.
Craig |
