The Second Reality :
The cause of suffering, which is to be eliminated
Struggle for existence
It is the blind struggle for existence (bhava-tanhā) that is the cause of suffering. Only a struggle continues but there is no real existence. What exists is only an emotional delusion of existence.
Blind Emotions (tanhā) are of three types:
(1) Desire for pleasant sensations (lobha) – (kāma- tanhā)
(2) Hatred of unpleasant sensations (dosa) – (vibhava- tanhā)
(3) The notion of existence of neutral sensations (moha) – (bhava-tanhā).
The emotional reaction dichotomizes the experience into two distinct parts: the subjective and the objective. The subjective is personalized as “mine,” the objective is alienated and regarded as part of an external world. The subjective is personalized as “This is mine, this is me, this is I, and this is myself” (etam mama, eso'hamasmi, eso me attāti). This brings about the concept “I,” that becomes the “self.” But this “self” has to be an existing entity. Then the question arises, “what entity do we refer to as the “I” or “self?” Then it is the body that occupies space and time that is identified as the “self.” It is also the body that perceives an object, and reacts emotionally to it. The body then becomes the “self” (sakkāya–diṭṭhi). It is the body that other people can see as “me,” and call my name, and even take the photograph as the image of “me”.
To personalize the body is to personalize the cognitive and affective processes, which begins quite unconsciously and this begins the suffering and insecurity of life. In short, the personalization of the process of perception is suffering (sankhittena pañcupādānakkhandhādukkha).
When the body has become the “self,” the “self” (atta) occupies space and time and exists. If it occupies time it has a past, present, and future.
Then the past of the body is the birth (jāti) of the body, the future of the body is the death (maraṇa) of the body, and the present of the body is ageing (jarā) of the body. This means “I” am born, age, and die. In other words, when I come into existence, I suffer. I suffer because I come into existence. In other words, to exist is to suffer.
When I realize, however, that I do not really exist all suffering comes to an end.