• Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
    Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
    Sign up Log in

Define Pain - The Sikh Response

Randip Singh

Writer
Historian
SPNer
May 25, 2005
2,935
2,949
55
United Kingdom
Hi Guys,

On another thread a chap talked a lot about pain and inflicting pain etc. He talked about higher senses and pain, yet what is pain?

I have witnessed people walk on hot coals, smash bricks with heads, people with stab wounds, and none of these people have been in pain.

Yet I have seen people with splinters, or losing a loved one crryin out in terrible pain?

My question is what is pain and what is the Sikh view point on Pain?
 

Astroboy

ਨਾਮ ਤੇਰੇ ਕੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਲਗਾਈ (Previously namjap)
Writer
SPNer
Jul 14, 2007
4,576
1,609
Pain can be defined in many ways but nothing comes near experience.
 

dalsingh

SPNer
Jun 12, 2006
1,064
233
London
Well pain comes in differing forms. There is physical pain i.e being punched in face and there is emotional pain i.e. losing something that you felt close to.

I would say the latter is more subjective than the former. However even physical pain has a subjective element as what may cause severe physical pain to one person may not have the same effect on another due to biological differences perhaps.

But yes, I think we are on safe grounds to go with pain being somewhat subjective.
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
Is there a Sikh point of view on pain? Dukh does not in the context of Gurbani refer to physical pain -- or at least in my reading of the shabads it does not.

Might actually be worthwhile for us to explore the meanings of Dukh in relation to your question, Randip ji. Members of the medical profession, psychotherapists, neuroscientists, who are also Sikhs, might give some interesting answers. Or maybe not so surprising. :)
 
Looking back out Sikh warriors they were able to withstand tremendous pain. Is this linked to discipline? or is there a medical explanation for this (eg trauma).


A little bit of both discipline and trauma.

There are 3 types of pain somatic, visceral and neuropathic

In battle we are talking about somatic pain which can be the result of the activation of pain receptors that are cutaneous (superfiscial on the body) or musculoskeletal (deep tissues).

Pain is perceived via Nocirecetors (which are slow firing neurons that trigger the parasympathetic 'fight or flight response to stress'…adrenaline is then released by the adrenal gland into the bloodstream…this increases heart rate, awareness and has been shown to short-circuit pain sensation temporarily; by overloading and refocusing the brain on completing specific tasks...achieving safety)

this is why some people, when they are in the heat of a thick battle, can mentally block out the tremendous pain and carry out a task, when they are wounded. (you hear war stories of navy pilots who didn't even feel the pain of a missing arm until they are out of the dog-fight)

The other type of pain is neuropathic pain…when nerves in the central or peripheral nervous system are damaged (stroke, disease can cause chronic neuropathy…unrelated to what you are talking about).

pain is very unusual
-there are people who can mentally block out pain more than others
especially if they have the mental capacity to refocus their minds on something else (easier said than done...when you're missing an arm).

-Oddly and rarely, there are actually some people who enjoy pain and get sexually aroused by it. Certain kinds of pain can also become eroticized through their association with sexual pleasure, or in anticipation of it. (dont ask me how i know this :}{}{}:)
 

Astroboy

ਨਾਮ ਤੇਰੇ ਕੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਲਗਾਈ (Previously namjap)
Writer
SPNer
Jul 14, 2007
4,576
1,609
Paulo Coelho: But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you're fighting for.
 
Didn't Nitzche say say "What does not kill us can only make us stronger" ?

yeap that was nietzsche

and it's true...slipping out of extreme stress situation gives us experience, if not a taste of what pain is, also it improves the way we look at life.

which is why older and "seasoned" troops are always more effective in battle.

everyones quoting someone here, I wanna fit in tooo! :D

"Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional"
-Anon
 

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

📌 For all latest updates, follow the Official Sikh Philosophy Network Whatsapp Channel:
Top