What is the Difference Between Pain and Suffering?

The main difference between pain and suffering lies in their definitions and the factors that contribute to each experience.

• Pain is a physical sensation or signal indicating an event within the body. It is a natural and inevitable part of life, arising from various biological, psychological, and sociological aspects. Pain can be experienced in various forms, such as sadness, disappointment, anger, grief, boredom, or anxiety.
• Suffering, on the other hand, is the interpretation of the painful event and involves thoughts, beliefs, or judgments. It is often described with emotionally laden terms such as distress, misery, agony, or anguish. Suffering is commonly associated with pain, but they represent separate concepts. Suffering arises when we resist or push away pain, expending energy in resisting things we can't control. It can make us feel worse, often out of proportion to what has happened, as a result of the stories we tell ourselves and the thoughts we put on top of the pain.

In summary, pain is a physical sensation, while suffering is the mental and emotional experience resulting from the interpretation of that pain. Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

Comparative Table: Pain vs Suffering

Pain and suffering are two distinct concepts, although they are often related. Here is a table summarizing the differences between the two:

Pain is a physical sensation located in the body, experienced in the present, and is a part of life. Suffering, on the other hand, is the mental pain or attitude towards the pain, involving judgments and meanings created about the painful event. It often involves emotional trauma separate from physical damage. Suffering is optional and can be reduced or eliminated through mindfulness and acceptance.