Ep. 24 Sutra 2.16 On the Suffering that Can Be Avoided

Sutra Squad · Jul 27, 2026 · 1h 12m · transcript

This week we examine a short, simple, profound statement that the suffering that can be avoided should be avoided. It is a fundamental tenet that we all face obstacles, the root of our obstacles (as we learned in Sūtra 2.3) is the same as the root of our suffering - avidya - misunderstanding ignorance, or lack of spiritual understanding. Pain, difficulty, challenges, and obstacles are all real - yet when we bring ourselves fully into the present moment, we can examine our experience in a way that can hopefully help us to avoid the optional suffering of our misunderstanding and attachment.