the definition of suffering

and other reasons why I feel so connected with Buddhism.

the definition of suffering, provided by mathieu ricard, a buddhist scholar and monk.

"We incur pain and suffering, but we create unhappiness. Suffering can be triggered by numerous causes over which we sometimes have power, and sometimes none. Being born with a handicap, falling ill, losing a loved one, or being caught up in a war or in a natural disaster are all beyond our control. Unhappiness is altogether different, being the way in which we experience our suffering. Unhappiness may indeed be associated with physical or moral pain inflicted by exterior conditions, but it is not essentially linked to it. Just as the mind that translates suffering into unhappiness, it is the mind's responsibility to master its perception thereof. The sanskrit word, dukha, usually translated as affliction, misery, or suffering does not define simply an unpleasant sensation, but rather reflects a fundamental vulnerability to suffering and pain. It can also be a profound state of dissatisfaction that endures even in favorable external conditions. In its deepest sense, dukha is intimately linked to a misapprehension of the nature of reality."