The root cause of suffering is ignorance. Lack of a clear understanding of what you are doing; where you are going; and who you are, is the single biggest reason for suffering. Knowledge is the light that illuminates everything. The more wider and deeper is your knowledge and understanding of life, the less pain and suffering you experience.
Ignorance brings such deep suffering with it, that it penetrates every single aspect of your life. Not knowing your job, brings suffering at work; not knowing your friends, brings suffering in relationships; not knowing your family, brings suffering at home; not knowing your purpose, brings suffering to action; not knowing who you are; brings suffering to life.
Everybody is suffering just one thing; it is ‘Not Knowing’. An ignorant man has never been able to find joy and happiness. Ignorance is the dark shadow of life; it plunges the soul into deep unknown dungeons of suffering. Suffering is an absolutely natural state for an ignorant mind. The only respite for an ignorant mind is the momentary joy that comes, when one ignorance triumphs another.
The only resting place for an ignorant mind is that single moment when it is suspended in midair while jumping from one ignorance to another. The moment you say, Ah! I am happy now; you land yourself in another misery of ignorance. You go on hopping and skipping from one ignorance to another, momentarily laughing and living.
The way out of misery is acquiring knowledge. A seeker of knowledge discards a little bit of his ignorance every day. He grows in understanding and wisdom. He learns his way out of misery. He conquers his dark demons of ignorance using his light of understanding. The seeker of knowledge brings understanding to life, work, relationships, self and the world. He moves beyond ignorance and basks in the glow of knowing.
Acquire enough knowledge about how to do something; you will eventually become good at it. Acquire enough knowledge about running your business; you will become a successful businessman. Acquire enough knowledge about your friends and family; you will become successful in handling relationships. Acquire enough knowledge about the world; you will become successful in living. And acquire enough knowledge about yourself; you will become happy and peaceful.
The most important thing to remember is, acquiring knowledge is not just gathering words. For most, acquiring knowledge simply means reading books. Reading is just one type of knowledge; it illuminates the intellectual dimension of life. There are other streams of knowledge one has to pursue to understand life fully. Acquiring knowledge through observing, travelling, failing, dreaming, meditating, playing, laughing, crying, all contribute to the reservoir of your knowledge. Keep learning and one day you will go beyond all suffering.