Embracing Suffering: Philosophical and Spiritual Reflections on Human Pain

In the world of ideas and perspectives on life, numerous traditions conclude that suffering is an integral part of human existence rather than a problem that can be promptly eliminated in early childhood. When delving into religious treatises as well as atheist and Buddhist reflections, it becomes clear that the issue of suffering serves as a starting point in the search for a deeper meaning that transcends simple practical measures.

At the foundation of these teachings lies the philosophy that suffering must be seen as an inevitable trial requiring reinterpretation in the context of eternity or universal laws. The first step on this path is the realization that childhood experiences, although painful, are part of a larger plan where questions of fate and divine design are revealed gradually, only through the lens of eternity. A similar understanding can be traced in the Buddhist tradition, where personal awareness of poverty and pain leads to the conclusion that liberation comes through overcoming base desires.

Conversely, a critical outlook on a world filled with suffering is reflected in atheist approaches, wherein an imperfect, pain-ridden world is seen as a challenge to the authorities who created it. Here, the rejection of a traditional worldview is grounded in a philosophical basis—the refusal to accept a world in which suffering is inherent, and the acknowledgment that the issue cannot be simply resolved through measures applied from an early age.

In conclusion, despite the diversity of these approaches, religious, Buddhist, and atheistic texts converge on the view of suffering as a phenomenon deeply rooted in human nature. Instead of offering specific measures to eliminate pain in children, these teachings direct us toward the search for inner meaning and the recognition of the inevitability of life’s trials, urging spiritual awakening and philosophical reevaluation of every moment of our lives.

Why do religious scriptures, as well as atheism and Buddhism, lack specific instructions for avoiding suffering from childhood?
Religious texts, along with atheistic and some Buddhist teachings, essentially view suffering as an inherent part of human existence rather than a problem that can be completely eradicated at an early age. In these systems, the focus is on understanding the profound meaning of life and explaining the nature of suffering within the framework of eternal or universal laws, rather than on providing specific practical guidelines for preventing suffering in children.

For example, an excerpt from "The Brothers Karamazov" reads:
"People sometimes ask: why do children suffer? … The answer is given only from the perspective of eternity, in the destinies of God..." (source: link ). This shows that the issue of children's suffering is not treated as a problem that can be solved through specific measures during childhood but as a mystery that must be contemplated within the context of eternity and divine providence.

In a Buddhist narrative, there is an account of how the founder of the teaching encountered the reality of poverty and suffering outside the palace walls:
"… when, in adulthood, he was able to leave the palace for the first time and see how others live, he was shocked by the scenes of extreme poverty and suffering. … If one extinguishes all desire within oneself, then suffering will cease..." (source: link ). Here, the focus is on the causes of suffering—namely, the thirst for life and desires—rather than on devising specific instructions for preventing suffering in childhood.

Similarly, Russian atheism and critiques of a suffering-filled world emphasize the idea that it is unacceptable for a Creator to form an imperfect, pain-ridden world:
"… Russians, out of pity, compassion, and the inability to endure suffering, became atheists. … They become atheists because they cannot accept a Creator who made an evil, imperfect, pain-filled world..." (source: link ). In this case, the emphasis is on a philosophical protest against a world perceived as a source of pain, without outlining specific measures to eliminate suffering from childhood.

Additionally, one of the Buddhist treatises describes a path that involves accepting suffering as an inevitable trial—a "cross" that each person must bear:
"… the path of enlightenment and the rebirth of life, the acceptance of suffering as a cross that each must bear..." (source: link ). This approach emphasizes the necessity of spiritual rethinking and acceptance of suffering, rather than its explicit elimination through clearly defined guidelines for young children.

Finally, in the Old Testament through the story of Job, it is shown that suffering is perceived as an inherent part of existence over which one is powerless, leaving no room for overly specific measures to prevent it:
"Job, confronting this transience and suffering, curses the day of his birth..." (source: link ).

Thus, the absence of specific instructions for avoiding suffering from childhood in these sources is due to an approach that regards suffering as a deeply ingrained aspect of existence, one that requires philosophical or spiritual reevaluation rather than being a problem that can be solved with prompt measures from an early age.

Supporting citation(s):
"People sometimes ask: why do children suffer? … The answer is given only from the perspective of eternity, in the destinies of God." (source: link )
"… when, in adulthood, he was able to leave the palace for the first time and see how others live, he was shocked by the scenes of extreme poverty and suffering. … If one extinguishes all desire within oneself, then suffering will cease." (source: link )
"… Russians, out of pity, compassion, and the inability to endure suffering, became atheists. … They become atheists because they cannot accept a Creator who made an evil, imperfect, pain-filled world." (source: link )
"… the path of enlightenment and the rebirth of life, the acceptance of suffering as a cross that each must bear..." (source: link )
"Job, confronting this transience and suffering, curses the day of his birth: 'What is man, that you should show him, or the son of man, that you should care for him?...'" (source: link )