I want to highlight an important oversight that often appears when people comment on Buddha’s teachings about suffering. Many interpretations of the first noble truth—that suffering (dukkha) is an inherent part of life—tend to be myopic. The Buddha listed several examples of suffering: birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, pain, grief, despair, unwanted association, separation from loved ones, and unfulfilled desires. Some occurrences, like birth and death, are rare, while others, such as sickness or unwanted associations, happen frequently, even daily.
Interestingly, when discussing “birth is suffering,” many commentators focus only on the act of being born. Historically, this interpretation goes back to figures like Buddhaghosa, who in his text “The Path of Purification,” enumerates the pains of birth from the perspective of the newborn. However, this focus disregards the pain experienced by the mother, such as the physical and emotional strain of childbirth, which for her can be significantly more intense. Even other close individuals, like the father, might experience anxiety and concern.
At the Buddha’s time, childbirth was much riskier than it is today. The Buddha himself lost his mother shortly after birth, and such maternal deaths continue to be common in many parts of the world. My adopted children’s birth-mothers died during childbirth. Given these realities, the suffering associated with birth extends far beyond just the infant.
Buddhaghosa’s narrow interpretation has had a lasting influence on Buddhist teaching. It reflects a historical male-centric viewpoint that marginalized women’s experiences. This oversight is perpetuated by teachers who learned these teachings in their original, incomplete form, failing to critically reflect on or question them.
The Buddha taught us to reflect on our lived experiences and to understand the suffering of others with compassion and empathy. Ignoring the pain that mothers endure during childbirth is a significant omission. These overlooked forms of suffering are particularly troubling because they diminish the richness and completeness of Buddhist teachings.
Similar narrow interpretations extend to other teachings, like “death is suffering,” which often focus solely on the act of dying rather than on the multifaceted suffering death causes, such as the grief of losing a loved one or the fear of losing oneself.
Misconceptions passed down without critical examination weaken Buddhist teachings. When teachers and practitioners fail to connect Dharma teachings to real-life experiences, they reduce these teachings to abstract concepts disconnected from their intended purpose. Buddhist teachings are meant to guide us in responding wisely and compassionately to the suffering we encounter.
Next time you hear a teacher speaking of “birth is suffering” in the context of the newborn only, bring up the broader context, especially the suffering of the mother. This kind of reflection can help enrich and change contemporary Buddhist culture.
Ignoring the experiences and suffering of a significant portion of humanity—women in this case—should bother us all. Considering the Buddha’s teachings in a more inclusive light aligns them more closely with their original intention: to alleviate suffering in all its forms. Empathy and compassion are meant to be central to the Buddhist path, and by viewing teachings through a broader, more inclusive lens, we can better honor these values.