And what, avuso, is the noble truth that is suffering?
(1) Birth is suffering,
(2) decay is suffering,
[*] disease is suffering,
(3) death is suffering;
(4) to be associated with the unpleasant is suffering;
(5) to be separated from the pleasant is suffering;
(6) not getting what one wants is suffering,
(7) sorrow, lamentation, physical pain, mental pain, and despair are suffering
(8) - in short, the five aggregates of clinging are suffering.
(1) And what, avuso, is birth?
Being born, becoming, descending [into a womb], [arising,] generating, manifesting of the
aggregates, obtaining the sense-bases of various beings, in various groups of beings, here and there.
—This, avuso, is called birth.
(2) And what, avuso, is decay?
Ageing, decaying, broken teeth, grey hair, wrinkled skin, the dwindling away of one’s years, the
weakness of the sense-faculties, in various beings, in various groups of beings, here and there.
—This, avuso, is called decay.
(3) And what, avuso, is death?
Falling away, passing away, breaking up, disappearance, death, dying, one’s time being up
[completion of one’s time], breaking up of the aggregates, discarding of the body, [uprooting of the
life-faculty,]30 in various beings, in various groups of beings, here and there.
—This, avuso, is called death.
(4a) And what, avuso, is sorrow?
One’s being touched [affected] by one thing or other of a painful nature, by any kind of misfortune,
sorrow, grief, distress, inner grief, inner woe, here and there.
—This, avuso, is called sorrow.
(4b) And what, avuso, is lamentation?
One’s being affected by one thing or other of a painful nature, by any kind of misfortune, crying,
weeping, wailing, lamenting, bewailing, lamentation.
—This, avuso, is called lamentation.
(4c) And what, avuso, is physical pain?
Whatever painful bodily feeling, unpleasant bodily feeling, painful or unpleasant feeling arising
from bodily contact.
—This, avuso, is called physical pain.
(4d) And what, avuso, is mental pain [displeasure]?
Whatever painful mental feeling, unpleasant mental feeling, painful or unpleasant feeling arising
from mental contact.35
—This, avuso, is called mental pain [displeasure].
(4e) And what, avuso, is despair?
One’s being affected by one thing or other of a painful nature, stress, distress, despair, desperation.
—This, avuso, is called despair.
(5) And what, avuso, is association with the unpleasant?
Here, whoever has undesired, disliked, unpleasant sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touch or mindobjects,
or encountering, meeting, associating with, mixing with those who wish one ill, harm, discomfort,
insecurity.
—This, avuso, is called association with the unpleasant.
(6) And what, avuso, is separation from the pleasant?
Here, whoever has desirable, likeable, pleasant sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touch or mindobjects,
or encountering, meeting, associating with, mixing with those who wish one well, good,
comfort, security: mother or father or brother or sister or friends or colleagues or blood-relations, and
is then deprived of such concourse, intercourse, connection, union.
—This, avuso, is called separation from the pleasant.
(7) And what, avuso, is not getting what one wants?
(i) In beings subject to birth, avuso, this wish arises:
‘O that we were not subject to birth, that we might not come to be born!’
But this cannot be won by wishing—that is not getting what one wants.
(ii) In beings subject to decay [ageing], avuso, this wish arises:
‘O that we were not subject to decay, that we might not come to decay!’
But this cannot be won by wishing—that is not getting what one wants.
(iii) In beings subject to disease, avuso, this wish arises:
‘O that we were not subject to disease, that we might not come to fall sick!’
But this cannot be won by wishing—that is not getting what one wants.
(iv) In beings subject to death, avuso, this wish arises:
‘O that we were not subject to death, that we might not come to die!’
But this cannot be won by wishing—that is not getting what one wants.
(v) In beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, anguish and despair, this wish arises:
‘O that we were not subject to sorrow, despair, lamentation, pain, anguish, despair!’
But this cannot be won by wishing—that is not getting what one wants.
(8) And what, avuso, are, the five aggregates of clinging in brief?
They are as follows:
the aggregate of clinging that is form,
the aggregate of clinging that is feeling,
the aggregate of clinging that is perception,
the aggregate of clinging that is formations,
the aggregate of clinging that is consciousness.
These are, in short, the five aggregates of clinging that are suffering.
This, avuso, is called the noble truth that is suffering.
Also the whole sphere of what is cognised, know or felt is suffering since when present changes it is suffering, painful is suffering on its own and neutral feeling is suffering also as ignorance is present and one is in a continual state of existence with opens up to possibility of unpleasant experiences.
On account of any experiance from the 6 sense door it results in metal element of pleasure, pain or neutral feeling or emotion.
NB: Highlighted emotional or mental elements.