“Where there is dependence, there is suffering” serves as a fundamental truth in understanding how attachment leads to suffering. When we rely on external things for happiness or stability, such as a daily cup of coffee, we create a sense of need. Over time, this need becomes an expectation, and when unmet, suffering arises. This dependence traps us in a cycle of craving and dissatisfaction.
Our senses also play a role in this attachment. We often believe that the sensations we experience, such as taste or color, exist within the objects themselves. However, these sensations are simply our mind’s conditioned interpretations. The flavor of food, for example, isn’t in the food itself but a result of vibrations at different frequencies that our senses perceive as taste or color.
To end suffering, we must break free from this dependence. By recognizing our reliance as a conditioned response, we can begin to cultivate wisdom and detachment. True peace and happiness come from within, not from external sources or fleeting pleasures. Only by letting go of attachment can we find liberation from suffering.