Healing Sorrow
療癒悲傷 · 2023
Key Themes
dukkhathe-second-arrowequanimityacceptanceimpermanence
Summary 摘要
In this talk, Ajahn Mettiko explores the nature of sorrow and how the mind compounds suffering through resistance and judgment — the 'second arrow' (the suffering we add to unavoidable pain). Drawing on the Sallatha Sutta (SN 36.6), he distinguishes between the first arrow of physical or emotional pain and the second arrow of mental reactivity. The path out of sorrow is not suppression but wise acceptance — cultivating equanimity (upekkhā) while remaining fully present with feeling-tones (vedanā). The talk includes guided reflections on how to hold grief without being overwhelmed by it.
Chapter Vocabulary 章節詞彙
| Pāli | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| vedanā | veh-dah-NAH | Feeling-tone: pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral quality of experience |
| upekkhā | oo-pek-KAH | Equanimity: balanced, non-reactive awareness |
| sallā | SAL-lah | Arrow/dart — metaphor for unavoidable pain (first arrow) |
| dukkha | DOOK-kha | Suffering, unsatisfactoriness, stress |
| anicca | ah-NIT-cha | Impermanence — all conditioned phenomena are transient |
Study Questions 研習問題
- What is the difference between the first and second arrow in your own experience?
- How does resistance to painful vedanā prolong suffering?
- What is the difference between equanimity (upekkhā) and indifference or suppression?
- Can you recall a moment when accepting a painful feeling — rather than fighting it — brought relief?
Key Pāli Terms · Look up in Vocabulary