--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To have a body is to suffer. Does anyone…" description: "\"To have a body is to suffer. Does anyone with a body know peace? Those who understand this detach themselves from all that exists and stop imagining or..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/bodhidharma-4333_bliss_to-have-a-body-is-to-suffer-does-anyone_1605835.jpg" --- # To have a body is to suffer. Does anyone with a body know… ![“To have a body is to suffer. Does anyone with a body know peace? Those who understand this detach themselves from all that exists and stop imagining or seeking anything. The sutras say, "To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss." When you seek nothing, you're on the Path.” quote by Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/bodhidharma-4333_bliss_to-have-a-body-is-to-suffer-does-anyone_1605835.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/bodhidharma-4333_bliss_to-have-a-body-is-to-suffer-does-anyone_1605835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/bodhidharma-4333_bliss_to-have-a-body-is-to-suffer-does-anyone_1605835.jpg) > “To have a body is to suffer. Does anyone with a body know peace? Those who understand this detach themselves from all that exists and stop imagining or seeking anything. The sutras say, "To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss." When you seek nothing, you're on the Path.” [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is inherently painful; peace comes from letting go of desire and attachment. **In simple terms:** Suffering comes from wanting; peace comes from non‑attachment. Key Takeaway Release cravings, find stillness. Themes suffering peace detachment Mood contemplative serene Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - Meditation practice - grief counseling - stress reduction - spiritual retreat Key Concepts Buddhist philosophy non‑attachment mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What desires keep you bound? - How can you practice letting go today? A Different Perspective Non‑attachment can be hard to sustain amid daily responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bliss/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Body Suffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-suffer-2759473/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Seek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seek/) [Seek Suffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seek-suffer-1634187/) [Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeking/) [Suffer Seek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffer-seek-359185/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/to-seek-is-to-suffer-to-seek-nothing-is-bliss/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [To have a body is to suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/to-have-a-body-is-to-suffer/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [“Suffer none who would seek to stand on the ground you have chosen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/suffer-none-who-would-seek-to-stand-on-the-ground-you-have-chosen/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [If Satan can get us to focus on ourselves instead of serving others, then the entire body will suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-satan-can-get-us-to-focus-on-ourselves-instead-of-serving-others/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have but a short time to live in this world. As you age, you will experience the pains of aging. If your hopes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-have-but-a-short-time-to-live-in-this-world-as-you-age-you-will/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [To sue to live, I find I seek to die; And, seeking death, find life: let it come on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-sue-to-live-i-find-i-seek-to-die-and-seeking-death-find-life-let/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Despite all of our incessant tinkering, we can’t manufacture the things we most desperately need. And if perchance we do, they will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/despite-all-of-our-incessant-tinkering-we-can-t-manufacture-the/) [Craig D. 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That's why I'm going. So I don't have to wait until I die to start seeking a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-go-to-seek-a-great-perhaps-that-s-why-i-m-going-so-i-don-t-have-to/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“A spark of every fire we seek is already within us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/a-spark-of-every-fire-we-seek-is-already-within-us/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) ## More by Bodhidharma > [Unless you see your nature, all this talk about cause & effect is nonsense. Buddhas don't practice nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/unless-you-see-your-nature-all-this-talk-about-cause-effect-is/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [“Those who worship don't know, and those who know don't worship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/those-who-worship-don-t-know-and-those-who-know-don-t-worship/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [If you see your nature, you don't need to read sutras or invoke buddhas. Erudition and knowledge are not only useless but also cloud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/if-you-see-your-nature-you-don-t-need-to-read-sutras-or-invoke/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [People who don't see their own nature and imagine they can practice thoughtlessness all the time are liars and fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/people-who-don-t-see-their-own-nature-and-imagine-they-can-practice/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [The mind is the Buddha, and the Buddha is the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/the-mind-is-the-buddha-and-the-buddha-is-the-mind/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [Whoever realizes that the six senses aren't real, that the five aggregates are fictions, that no such things can be located anywhere in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/whoever-realizes-that-the-six-senses-aren-t-real-that-the-five/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [If you use your mind to study reality, you won't understand either your mind or reality. If you study reality without using your mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/if-you-use-your-mind-to-study-reality-you-won-t-understand-either/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [Many roads lead to the Path, but basically there are only two: reason and practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/many-roads-lead-to-the-path-but-basically-there-are-only-two-reason/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [All Buddhas preach emptiness. Why? Because they wish to crush the concrete ideas of the students. If a student even clings to an idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/all-buddhas-preach-emptiness-why-because-they-wish-to-crush-the/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [Buddhas don't practice nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/buddhas-don-t-practice-nonsense/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [Not thinking about anything is Zen. Once you know this, walking, sitting, or lying down, everything you do is Zen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/not-thinking-about-anything-is-zen-once-you-know-this-walking-sitting/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [When you don't understand, you depend on reality. When you do understand, reality depends on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/when-you-don-t-understand-you-depend-on-reality-when-you-do/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [And the Buddha is the person who's free: free of plans, free of cares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/and-the-buddha-is-the-person-who-s-free-free-of-plans-free-of-cares/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [The Way is basically perfect. It doesn't require perfecting. The Way has no form or sound. It's subtle and hard to perceive. It's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/the-way-is-basically-perfect-it-doesn-t-require-perfecting-the-way/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [The Dharma is the truth that all natures are pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/the-dharma-is-the-truth-that-all-natures-are-pure/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) [Explore all 112 Bodhidharma quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) ## More Bliss quotes > [Ignorance is not bliss — it is oblivion. 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And he wanted it to last as long as possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ringle/being-around-her-now-was-nine-parts-bliss-and-one-part-torment-and-he/) [Molly Ringle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ringle/) > [“He was still a mystery to me. And God, did I want to play Nancy Drew.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/he-was-still-a-mystery-to-me-and-god-did-i-want-to-play-nancy-drew/) [Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/) > [Eating, drinking, sleeping a little laughter ! much weeping! Is that all ? Do not die here like a worm. Wake up! Attain immortal bliss!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/eating-drinking-sleeping-a-little-laughter-much-weeping-is-that-all/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [How do you find the divine power in yourself? The word enthusiasm means 'filled with a god,' so what makes you enthusiastic? Follow it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/how-do-you-find-the-divine-power-in-yourself-the-word-enthusiasm/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [When you follow your bliss a kind of track opens up, that's always been there, waiting for you. And the life that you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/when-you-follow-your-bliss-a-kind-of-track-opens-up-that-s-always/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [When you drop your unnecessary things, you finally can swoop and fly in vast space. It is so blue, so bright, and so nice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/when-you-drop-your-unnecessary-things-you-finally-can-swoop-and-fly/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [“The smell of her hair lingered just out of reach of his memory and left him with a nervous hum resonating throughout his body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-tomblin/the-smell-of-her-hair-lingered-just-out-of-reach-of-his-memory-and/) [Erik Tomblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-tomblin/) > [“They happen only when you are distant,aloof. They happen, they cannot be brought. They happen you cannot force them to happen. 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