---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we see suffering then we don't have…"
description: "\"If we see suffering then we don't have suffering.\" — Ajahn Chah"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/ajahn-chah-4829_funny_if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-s_2768855.png"
---

#  If we see suffering then we don't have suffering.

![“If we see suffering then we don't have suffering.” quote by Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/ajahn-chah-4829_funny_if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-s_2768855.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/ajahn-chah-4829_funny_if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-s_2768855.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/ajahn-chah-4829_funny_if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-s_2768855.png)

> “If we see suffering then we don't have suffering.”

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Seeing suffering as an observer can reduce personal suffering.

**In simple terms:** Observing suffering lessens personal pain.

Key Takeaway

Practice mindful observation.

Themes

suffering mindfulness detachment compassion

Mood

calm reflective

Type

spiritual philosophical

When to use this quote

- meditation
- counseling
- stress reduction

Key Concepts

Buddhist teachings psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How does observation change feeling?
- Can detachment be harmful?

A Different Perspective

May not eliminate all pain.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/)

## Related quotes

> [I hope suffering don't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hope-suffering-don-t-exist/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [I think with all the odd jobs I ever had, there was some kind of enlightenment but, yes, a lot of pain and suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-boreanaz/i-think-with-all-the-odd-jobs-i-ever-had-there-was-some-kind-of/)

[David Boreanaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-boreanaz/)

> [Suffering is everywhere. Don't ever think it isn't. So are miracles. Don't ever think they aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel/suffering-is-everywhere-don-t-ever-think-it-isn-t-so-are-miracles-don/)

[Jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel/)

> [We don't meditate to see heaven, but to end suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/we-don-t-meditate-to-see-heaven-but-to-end-suffering/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [Mindfulness is life. Whenever we don’t have mindfulness, when we are heedless, it’s as if we are dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/mindfulness-is-life-whenever-we-don-t-have-mindfulness-when-we-are/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [When you begin your work, nothing exists. When it is finished it looks as if it just happened, spontaneously, effortlessly, convincingly. It looks as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-zeisel/when-you-begin-your-work-nothing-exists-when-it-is-finished-it-looks/)

[Eva Zeisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-zeisel/)

> [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/)

[Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/)

> [If I were in this business only for the business, I wouldn't be in this business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/if-i-were-in-this-business-only-for-the-business-i-wouldn-t-be-in/)

[Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/)

> [If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/if-we-do-not-transform-our-pain-we-will-most-assuredly-transmit-it/)

[Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/)

> [Those who have suffered make the best comforters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/those-who-have-suffered-make-the-best-comforters/)

[Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/)

> [So, I'm not the only one who believes that there is such a thing as "the law of gravity," and if it's a law,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/so-i-m-not-the-only-one-who-believes-that-there-is-such-a-thing-as/)

[Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/)

> [I shall pray God to send charity into this hideous world, and sympathy for the weak, and love for the unhappy and unfortunate. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/i-shall-pray-god-to-send-charity-into-this-hideous-world-and-sympathy/)

[John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/)

> [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/)

[Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/)

> [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/)

[L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/)

> [“It's hard to know, isn't it, whether the things we face are just because the world is full of sin and sinful people, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricia-goyer/it-s-hard-to-know-isn-t-it-whether-the-things-we-face-are-just/)

[Tricia Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricia-goyer/)

## More by Ajahn Chah

> [If you have time to be mindful, you have time to meditate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/if-you-have-time-to-be-mindful-you-have-time-to-meditate/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [Letting go a little brings a little peace. Letting go a lot brings a lot of peace. Letting go completely brings complete peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/letting-go-a-little-brings-a-little-peace-letting-go-a-lot-brings-a/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [Mindfulness is life. Whenever we don’t have mindfulness, when we are heedless, it’s as if we are dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/mindfulness-is-life-whenever-we-don-t-have-mindfulness-when-we-are/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [We don't meditate to see heaven, but to end suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/we-don-t-meditate-to-see-heaven-but-to-end-suffering/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [Some people are afraid of generosity. They feel they will be taken advantage of or oppressed. In cultivating generosity, we are only oppressing our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/some-people-are-afraid-of-generosity-they-feel-they-will-be-taken/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [Anything which is troubling you, anything which is irritating you, THAT is your teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/anything-which-is-troubling-you-anything-which-is-irritating-you-that/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [Know and watch your heart. It's pure but emotions come to colour it. So let your mind be like a tightly woven net to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/know-and-watch-your-heart-it-s-pure-but-emotions-come-to-colour-it-so/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [A woman wanted to know how to deal with anger. I asked when anger arose whose anger it was. She said it was hers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/a-woman-wanted-to-know-how-to-deal-with-anger-i-asked-when-anger/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [Sati is life. Whenever we don't have sati, when we are heedless, it's as if we are dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/sati-is-life-whenever-we-don-t-have-sati-when-we-are-heedless-it-s-as/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [In practice, some come to see easily, some with difficulty. But whatever the case, never mind. Difficult or easy, the Buddha said not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/in-practice-some-come-to-see-easily-some-with-difficulty-but-whatever/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [When sitting in meditation, say, "That's not my business!" with every thought that comes by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/when-sitting-in-meditation-say-that-s-not-my-business-with-every/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [Proper effort is not the effort to make something particular happen. It is the effort to be aware and awake each moment, the effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/proper-effort-is-not-the-effort-to-make-something-particular-happen/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [Regarding this Dhamma, it is not something that we can simply talk about or take another's word for it. We need to develop meditation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/regarding-this-dhamma-it-is-not-something-that-we-can-simply-talk/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [These days people don't search for the Truth. People study simply in order to find knowledge necessary to make a living, raise families and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/these-days-people-don-t-search-for-the-truth-people-study-simply-in/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

> [Things are simply the way they are. They don't give us suffering. Like a thorn: Does a sharp thorn give us suffering? No. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/things-are-simply-the-way-they-are-they-don-t-give-us-suffering-like/)

[Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

[Explore all 105 Ajahn Chah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/)

## More Funny quotes

> [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/)

[Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/)

[Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/)

> [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers &amp; think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/)

[Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/)

> [Congratulations to Facebook on going public with all my private information...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-to-facebook-on-going-public-with-all-my-private/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/)

[Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/)

> [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/)

[Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/)

> [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/)

[Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/)

> [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/)

Pancho Barnes

> [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/)

[Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/)

> [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/)

Michael Fishman

[Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If we see suffering then we don't have suffering.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ajahn Chah"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-suffering/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Funny"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-suffering/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/ajahn-chah-4829_funny_if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-s_2768855.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/ajahn-chah-4829_funny_if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-s_2768855.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/ajahn-chah-4829_funny_if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-s_2768855.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If we see suffering then we don't have suffering.” — Ajahn Chah",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ajahn Chah",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If we see suffering then we...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-suffering/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/if-we-see-suffering-then-we-don-t-have-suffering/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
