This episode is about finding your WHY. How do you feel about your life? Is it motivated by a big story, something bigger than yourself and your own little ego-driven, perceived wants and needs? The Buddha offered his followers an opportunity to become part of a big story. Being part of a big story is the answer to your WHY. It's a story of how our afflictions are met with a noble response.
Do you complain about everything? Your aches and pains, your busyness, the weather? In our culture it seems complaining is the natural way of communication. A constant drone of whining. We wear our complaints like badges of honor.
The Buddha offered another way in his big story. The story of how our thoughts and feelings—which sometimes can feel and be so destructive—can actually be transformed into happiness, by following a path that teaches us to see life as it is, not as we would like it to be.
Instead of having a whiny response to life, the Buddha taught us to see life exactly as it is: A noble response.