People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.
Thich Nhat Hanh The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching (1998)
Source checked by an editor
When and why it was written
- When
- Published in 1998, drawing on decades of teaching at Plum Village.
- Why
- Thich Nhat Hanh worked with people carrying war trauma and was interested in why relief is often refused.
What it means
The observation is clinical. Suffering that has been carried a long time becomes legible, predictable, and part of how a person explains themselves.
What is offered instead is unknown, and unknown is worse than bad. He is not describing weakness; he is describing a reasonable preference that happens to keep people where they are.
Read the source
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, 1998
Book links go to Amazon. Affiliate disclosure.
Your turn
What does this bring up for you?
Saved to this device only. Nothing is sent to a server.