--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Suffering is wishing things were other…" description: "\"Suffering is wishing things were other than they are.\" — Gautama Buddha" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c6/gautama-buddha-163_inspirational_suffering-is-wishing-things-were-other-t_2909085.jpg" --- # Suffering is wishing things were other than they are. ![“Suffering is wishing things were other than they are.” quote by Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c6/gautama-buddha-163_inspirational_suffering-is-wishing-things-were-other-t_2909085.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c6/gautama-buddha-163_inspirational_suffering-is-wishing-things-were-other-t_2909085.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c6/gautama-buddha-163_inspirational_suffering-is-wishing-things-were-other-t_2909085.jpg) > “Suffering is wishing things were other than they are.” [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suffering arises from wishing reality were different; acceptance eases pain. **In simple terms:** Desire for change causes suffering. Key Takeaway Accept reality to reduce suffering. Themes suffering acceptance desire mindfulness contentment Mood calm reflective Type spiritual practical When to use this quote - meditation - counseling - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts Buddhist philosophy psychology of desire Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of life do you resist? - How can acceptance coexist with improvement? A Different Perspective Denial of legitimate change can stagnate progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Wishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-wishing-4180157/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Wishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishing/) [Wishing Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishing-things-902530/) ## Related quotes > [Stop wishing for things you complain you have not, and start making the best of all that you've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-steiner-rice/stop-wishing-for-things-you-complain-you-have-not-and-start-making/) [Helen Steiner Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-steiner-rice/) > [i suppose that's the secret, if you're ever wishing for things to back the way they were. You just have to look up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-suppose-that-s-the-secret-if-you-re-ever-wishing-for-things-to-back/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I fear looking back and wishing I had done things I hadn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/i-fear-looking-back-and-wishing-i-had-done-things-i-hadn-t/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [Many of us spend half our time wishing for things we could have if we didn't spend half our time wishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-woollcott/many-of-us-spend-half-our-time-wishing-for-things-we-could-have-if-we/) [Alexander Woollcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-woollcott/) > [Wishing things where different is a great way ofg torturing urself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-garrison-me/wishing-things-where-different-is-a-great-way-ofg-torturing-urself/) [Maeve Garrison (ME](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-garrison-me/) > [“Maybe that’s just the nature of us, ever wishing for things that were and could be rather than things that are and will be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/maybe-that-s-just-the-nature-of-us-ever-wishing-for-things-that-were/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [I must stop wishing for things to happen. Because something will happen eventually, and when it does, I'll be bound to wish it hadn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/i-must-stop-wishing-for-things-to-happen-because-something-will/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [I think I'm scared of what the future holds. I was wishing for some things and now I'm use to those.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-think-i-m-scared-of-what-the-future-holds-i-was-wishing-for-some/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Wishing to re-do your life without mistakes is like wishing for things you never had to take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhiess-krieg/wishing-to-re-do-your-life-without-mistakes-is-like-wishing-for/) [Jhiess Krieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhiess-krieg/) > [My experience with record labels throughout my career has generally fallen into wishing I could do things that they're not built to do, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/my-experience-with-record-labels-throughout-my-career-has-generally/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [“If you're ever wishing for things to go back to the way they were. 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Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-h-porter/) > [“Learn to appreciate even the little things, because someone may be wishing for such things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/learn-to-appreciate-even-the-little-things-because-someone-may-be/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [When you stop searching, wanting and wishing things - only then they start appearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaideep-ahlawat/when-you-stop-searching-wanting-and-wishing-things-only-then-they/) [Jaideep Ahlawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaideep-ahlawat/) > [“Be careful that you do not wait too long. Unspent wishes can be dangerous things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-m-aldridge/be-careful-that-you-do-not-wait-too-long-unspent-wishes-can-be/) [Ethan M. Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-m-aldridge/) ## More by Gautama Buddha > [Before you've seen it, and when you first see it, it is the greatest thing; afterwards, it is ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/before-you-ve-seen-it-and-when-you-first-see-it-it-is-the-greatest/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiah?" "No," answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No," Buddha replied. "Then are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-of-his-students-asked-buddha-are-you-the-messiah-no-answered/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Give thanks for what had been given to you, However little. 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And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [If one is the master of oneself, one is the resort one can depend on; therefore, one should control oneself of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/if-one-is-the-master-of-oneself-one-is-the-resort-one-can-depend-on/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Watch the thought and its ways with care, and let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/watch-the-thought-and-its-ways-with-care-and-let-it-spring-from-love/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [One is not low because of birth nor does birth make one holy. Deeds alone make one low, deeds alone make one holy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-is-not-low-because-of-birth-nor-does-birth-make-one-holy-deeds/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [He who causes suffering shall suffer. There is no escape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/he-who-causes-suffering-shall-suffer-there-is-no-escape/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [If a person does not harm any living being...and does not kill or cause others to kill - that person is a true spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/if-a-person-does-not-harm-any-living-being-and-does-not-kill-or-cause/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [The fool says, "These are my sons, this is my land, this is my money." In reality, the fool does not own himself, much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-fool-says-these-are-my-sons-this-is-my-land-this-is-my-money-in/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) [Explore all 1,043 Gautama Buddha quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. 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