“Why Me Alone…?” The Thread of Compassion That Saves from the Darkness of Comparison｜Teachings of Buddhism
Amid the vast plains, a gentle breeze swayed the grass as a young man sat by a small stream. His name was Adit, an ordinary young man from a nearby village. However, his life had drastically changed a few months ago. One day, his father, the family’s breadwinner, was involved in an accident and could no longer work, leaving the burden of supporting the family solely on Adit’s shoulders.
Adit continued his farming work, but his heart was weighed down with a constant question:
“Why do I alone have to face such suffering?”
The daily grind, financial hardship, and the reality that even his friends were beginning to distance themselves from him compounded his sense of loneliness. Every time he saw other families in the village living peacefully, his isolation grew deeper. He felt that his suffering was uniquely his, and over time, he shut his heart to the world.
Meeting the Village Elder
One evening, as Adit rested his tired body, an elder from the village approached him. This elder was highly respected by the villagers.
“Adit, you look unwell. What’s troubling you?”
With a deep sigh, Adit replied, “My father’s accident has left him unable to work, and I’m struggling to support my family. Why is it that others can live in peace while I have to endure such hardship?”
The elder smiled gently and said, “Suffering comes to everyone. But its weight depends on how one chooses to hold it in their heart.”
Adit could not accept this response. “That’s not true. My suffering is unlike anyone else’s. Everyone else lives in peace while I am alone in my pain.”
The elder’s expression remained calm. “The Buddha is staying in a nearby forest. Go and listen to his teachings. You might find peace for your heart.”
Encountering the Buddha
The next morning, Adit set out for the forest. Deep within its serene depths, he found the Buddha sitting with his disciples. Summoning his courage, Adit approached and spoke.
“Respected Buddha, I am in deep distress. My father’s accident has left me to support my family alone, and my friends have abandoned me. Why must I alone bear such a fate?”
The Buddha looked at Adit with kind eyes and began to speak softly.
“Adit, the suffering you feel is universal. But when your heart is closed, focusing only on your pain, it feels as though it belongs solely to you.”
Adit was taken aback. It was as if the Buddha could see directly into his heart.
“But, Buddha, other people seem to live in peace. Why is it that I alone must endure this fate?”
The Buddha smiled and replied, “When your heart is closed, you fail to see the suffering of others. However, everyone carries their own burdens in various forms. When you understand their struggles and share in their pain, your heart will open, and your suffering will begin to ease.”
A Journey of Noticing Others’ Pain
Carrying the Buddha’s words in his heart, Adit returned to the village. While it did not instantly lighten his burdens, he began to notice the people around him.
One day, he saw a neighboring woman grieving deeply. She had lost her husband and was raising her children alone. On another occasion, he learned of a young couple struggling with crop failures and financial worries.
For the first time, Adit realized he was not alone in his suffering. The villagers, too, were living with their own hardships.
The Power of Sharing Suffering
Adit began to engage with the villagers and listen to their troubles. He discovered that by understanding and sharing others’ pain, his own burdens felt lighter.
One day, the neighboring woman confided in him, tears streaming down her face. “Losing my husband and caring for my children has been unbearably difficult.” Adit sat beside her and simply listened. As she spoke, her tension seemed to ease, and she expressed her gratitude to him.
The Teaching of Impermanence and Compassion
Despite this, Adit’s life was not free from hardship. When his father passed away, he again fell into deep sorrow, feeling, “Why me?” However, he remembered the Buddha’s teachings:
“Impermanence means that everything is in a state of change. Suffering, too, is not eternal.”
With this teaching in mind, Adit found the strength to rise once more. He came to understand that all beings carry suffering, and sharing it with others allows the heart to expand and bring about peace.
Living Together with Others
Adit threw himself into helping rebuild the village. He repaired homes destroyed by storms and helped restore fields alongside other villagers. When he heard that the roof of an elder’s house had collapsed, he offered to help repair it himself.
In turn, the villagers appreciated his efforts, and a spirit of mutual aid spread throughout the community.
Liberation Through Shared Suffering
Reflecting on his journey, Adit said, “Suffering comes to everyone. However, sharing it with others frees us from loneliness. By practicing compassion rather than comparison, we can achieve true peace.”
May this story bring a moment of tranquility to you all. Thank you for watching.