The Eight Sorrows of Life

Xuefeng

April 3, 2022

Ancient wisdom states that there are three great sorrows in life: "losing one’s father in youth, losing one’s wife in middle age, losing one’s child in old age." I do not fully agree with this viewpoint. First, these three sorrows seem to be unrelated to women themselves. Second, these sorrows are not inherent but are created by human cognition and culture. My perspective on the sorrows of life is as follows:

First Sorrow: Lack of maternal love in infancy.

Second Sorrow: Lack of playmates and insufficient opportunities for joyful play during childhood.

Third Sorrow: Lack of guidance on being a human during adolescence.

Fourth Sorrow: Lack of love and the absence of establishing beliefs during youth. Time and energy are expended on the pursuit of marriage, family, and materialistic desires, including food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.

Fifth sorrow: Stumbling in midlife.

Sixth Sorrow: Being abandoned by family in old age.

Seventh Sorrow: Learning the Bible in adolescence, Buddhist scriptures in youth, and the Quran in old age.

Eighth Sorrow: Delving into cultivation methods and techniques, supernatural abilities, and metaphysics.

If one of these sorrows exists, life will be filled with regrets. If two sorrows exist, life will be filled with resentment. If three sorrows exist, life will be filled with pain. If four sorrows exist, life will be filled with defeat. If five sorrows exist, life will be filled with chaos. If six sorrows exist, life will be filled with hatred. If seven sorrows exist, life will be filled with suffering. If eight sorrows exist, life will be a prison.

I have the supreme method that can resolve these eight sorrows. By following this method, the sorrows can be overcome.