This point is essential. Those superficial ones are quick to conclude that it is a pessimistic set of teachings, always harping on unpleasant things like suffering, always urging us to confront the uncomfortable realities of pain, death, and illness. They consider this to be pessimism.
The fact is quite the opposite. Pain exists in the universe; some measure of it is unavoidable. Learning to deal with it is not pessimism, but a very pragmatic form of optimism. How would you face the death of your spouse? If you lose your mother, sister, or closest friend tomorrow, how would you feel? How would ordinary people deal with these situations? They would quickly cremate him or her, then take you on a trip, trying to make you forget about it. This is the way of ordinary people, isn’t it? Quickly deal with the matter, go on a trip, or change the environment—don’t stay in the old place, and maybe you won’t feel sad anymore. This is how ordinary people deal with these situations—escape, and forget as time goes by. They let new afflictions arise to replace the old ones. This is the way of ordinary people. Unlike them, we should confront it. Suppose you lost your job, savings, and legs on the same day—could you face the prospect of spending the rest of your life in a wheelchair? Many people would definitely feel despair upon thinking of such a situation. How are you going to cope with the pain of terminal cancer if you contract it, and how will you deal with your own death, when that approaches? You may escape most of these misfortunes, but you won’t escape all of them. Most of us lose friends and relatives at some time during our lives. All of us get sick now and then. At the very least, you are going to die someday. You can suffer through things like that or you can face them openly—the choice is yours. In the face of birth, aging, illness, and death, how should we practice? We should transcend life and death. So, how can we transcend life and death?