Dukkha

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/dukkha

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the philosophical domain?Central tenet of Buddhist philosophy and practice
2. What is the etymological origin?Sanskrit word with meanings including suffering, unease, and unsatisfactoriness
3. What does the word "dukkha" mean?It is a big idea in Buddhism that means suffering, but also feelings of unease, dissatisfaction, and stress. It shows that life can feel wobbly or not quite right.
4. Why does the Buddha talk about three kinds of dukkha?He wanted to explain different ways we feel wobbly: the obvious pain of being born, sick, old, or dying; the sadness when good things change or are lost; and the deeper feeling that nothing stays the same and nothing has a fixed self.

Soteriology: The study of salvation or liberation from suffering and its attainment.
Nirvana: The ultimate goal in Buddhism, signifying the cessation of suffering and the cycle of rebirth.
Clinging (Upadana): Attachment or grasping to experiences, desires, or views, which fuels suffering.