Public Dharma glossary
Dukkha
Pronunciation: DOOK-kha
Canonical definition: A central term in the Four Noble Truths, covering obvious pain, instability, and the unsatisfactoriness of clinging.
Morphological structure
duḥ / dus- (difficult, unsatisfactory) + kha (space or condition); traditional etymologies vary.
Canonical usage
A central term in the Four Noble Truths, covering obvious pain, instability, and the unsatisfactoriness of clinging.
Common misunderstanding
It does not claim that every moment is misery; it identifies why conditioned experience cannot provide permanent security.
Practical significance
Naming dukkha precisely makes a compassionate response possible.
Source anchor
SN 56.11
Continue with established sources
Further reading
Open complete translations and specialist reference material for deeper study.
- SN 56.11 · Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma
SuttaCentral · Bhikkhu BodhiRead the complete discourse alongside its canonical collection context.