Topic #3 Suffering?

[Ben]

I have laid off of this discussion board for a while because, its
primary function is to provide a discussion forum for the members of
the meditation group who are participating in the book study group.
This being said, anyone and everyone is more than welcome to
participate... Encouraged in fact! We will be picking back up here now
that the book study is moving along!

The first noble truth in Buddhism is the truth of suffering... It
serves as a sort of foundation for the whole movement of Buddhist
spirituality... Below are a couple of points about discontentment that
I think are important, and would like for you to share your thoughts
on them:

1) Dissatisfaction serves as the catalyst or fuel for the path... Why
else would I seek something different? Isn't it dissatisfaction that
invites me onto the path?

2) Keeping in touch with my dissatisfaction enables the search to
remain genuine... It is hard for me to get tied up in lofty
philosophical constructs when I have to address the reality of
anxiety, fear, anger, jealousy, etc. How can I stay in touch with
dissatisfaction without becoming morbidly obsessed with my own pain?
Masochistic? Is there a healthy balance, and how is it reached?

3) The persistence of dissatisfaction provides me with insight into
the essential nature of my suffering... When I begin to see the same
dynamic ( 3 stages of suffering/ see blog below) manifest in
increasingly subtle ways I begin to hear the intelligent message
suffering has... I begin to recognize the pervasive aspect of
suffering, and realize that the search for external solutions and
subsequent frustration with their inability to provide me with the
content I crave is strictly symptomatic. Does such an insight help me
to better understand the causes that give rise to my suffering? Are
the causes and conditions what the pain has been pointing at all
along?

Please share your thoughts on these or any other points related to the
first noble truth. the truth of dissatisfaction by hitting reply below
then typing your response. I have included a link to an article I
wrote about suffering if you would more context for this discussion.
Happy Halloween!
http://refugegroupbr.blogspot.com/2008/04/april-17th-talk-eight-three-aspects-of.html