An Analysis of the Sorrow as Experience by Individuals in the Tripitaka and its Commentaries

Abstract

This research article, An analysis of the sorrow as experience by individuals in the Tripitaka and its commentaries, aims to: (1) study the experience of sorrow among individuals as appeared in the Tripitaka and commentaries, (2) analyze the sorrow of individuals as appeared in these sources. This study employs documentary research methodology, utilizing eight case studies drawn from the Tripitaka and its commentaries literature. The analytical framework integrates the Western psychological model of the five stages of grief together with Buddhist principles. The study shows that sorrow is not simply a momentary reaction, but is related to underlying mental processes and conditions. In many cases, it is connected with feeling (Vedanã), craving (Tanhã) and attachment (Upãdãna). The findings also suggest that sorrow appears in different forms. In some cases, it is intense; in others. It can be reduced or resolved; and in some situations, it does not arise at all. Even when individuals face similar experiences of loss, their responses are not the same, and this seems to depend on their mental state. The study further suggests that the process of dealing with sorrow does not always follow a fixed sequence, as described in some Western models. Instead, it may change over time, depending on the level of attachment in each individual.