Sufferings caused by our own actions
There are two kinds of suffering: either as an unavoidable part of life and necessary for our spiritual development or as a consequence of our own wrong doings.
And while the first one has meaning and wisdom, the second one is unnecessary, harmful and should be avoided.
‘There are two kinds of disasters. (1) Those that are caused by immoral deeds and vice, such as, untruthfulness, hypocrisy, dishonesty, injustice, etc. Undoubtedly, bad deeds have evil results. (2) Those that happen because of the essential requirements of the world of creation; the universal divine law, and the universal relations that are inevitable such as the law of change and transformation, death and life.” (Abdu’l-Baha - SOW - Star of the West, Star of the West - 9)
The sufferings which are caused by our own actions (man-made) are a result of the law of action and reaction. Life is an infinite sequence of actions and consequences. Therefore suffering is often the result of unwise human actions. If we do not live our life with due regard for the physical laws, we will most likely get hurt and physically suffer (ex: if we jump out of a second-story window). Likewise if we ignore or reject a spiritual law, the same must happen. By breaking these spiritual laws, we are inflicting spiritual harm upon ourselves.
“If a man eats too much, he ruins his digestion; if he takes poison he becomes ill or dies. If a person gambles he will lose his money; if he drinks too much he will lose his equilibrium. All these sufferings are caused by the man himself, it is quite clear therefore that certain sorrows are the result of our own deeds.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 49)
“Undoubtedly, bad deeds have evil results..” (Abdu’l-Baha - SOW - Star of the West, Star of the West - 9)
“The war was not an act of God, but rather the results of the accumulation of our own evil deeds.” (Abdu’l-Baha SOW - Star of the West, Star of the West - 5)
Therefore if humans allow their physical nature to dominate their spiritual nature, while the short-term result may seem pleasurable at times, the ultimate consequence is suffering. Physical pleasures never give lasting satisfaction and the effect fades so that each time a greater stimulus is required just to get the same level of pleasure. Thus these desires are unappeasable. Ultimately this leads to such a distortion of human nature that mental, physical and social sufferings are inevitable. Violence, greed, jealousy, abuse, fanaticism, prejudice (racial- gender-religious-class or national), hatred, apathy, injustice, contention, discord, corruption, inequality, violation of rights, are some of the signs of distortion of human nature and causes of pain and sufferings.
“So long as one's nature yieldeth unto evil passions, crime and transgression will prevail.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 70)
“when man does not open his mind and heart to the blessing of the spirit, but turns his soul towards the material side, towards the bodily part of his nature, then is he fallen from his high place and he becomes inferior to the inhabitants of the lower animal kingdom. In this case the man is in a sorry plight! For if the spiritual qualities of the soul, open to the breath of the Divine Spirit, are never used, they become atrophied, enfeebled, and at last incapable; whilst the soul's material qualities alone being exercised, they become terribly powerful -- and the unhappy, misguided man, becomes more savage, more unjust, more vile, more cruel, more malevolent than the lower animals themselves. All his aspirations and desires being strengthened by the lower side of the soul's nature, he becomes more and more brutal, until his whole being is in no way superior to that of the beasts that perish. Men such as this, plan to work evil, to hurt and to destroy; they are entirely without the spirit of Divine compassion, for the celestial quality of the soul has been dominated by that of the material.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 97)
“..The evil spirit, Satan or whatever is interpreted as evil, refers to the lower nature in man… In man there are two expressions, one is the expression of nature, the other the expression of the spiritual realm. The world of nature is defective. Look at it clearly, casting aside all superstition and imagination. If you should leave a man uneducated and barbarous.. would there be any doubt about his remaining ignorant? ..It is an essential condition of the soil of earth that thorns, weeds and fruitless trees may grow from it. Relatively speaking, this is evil; it is simply the lower state and baser product of nature.
It is evident therefore that man is in need of divine education and inspiration; that the spirit and bounties of God are essential to his development.
Briefly; the journey of the soul is necessary. The pathway of life is the road which leads to divine knowledge and attainment. Without training and guidance the soul could never progress beyond the conditions of its lower nature which is ignorant and defective.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 77)
So while suffering for noble purposes is commendable, suffering needlessly is just simply tragic and is not beneficial at all. Effective efforts should be made to remedy such pointless and harmful sorrows, being towards one self or others. For example we should not accept injustices, tyranny, and crime or inflict self-harm simply because good often can come from suffering.
“The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 214)
“For the tongue is a smouldering fire, and excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of the latter endureth a century.” (Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 264)
“Jealousy consumeth the body and anger doth burn the liver: avoid these two as you would a lion.” (Baha’u’llah, The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 460).
“Consider how the cause of the welfare, happiness, joy and comfort of humankind are amity and union, whereas dissension and discord are most conducive to hardship, humiliation, agitation and failure.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 287)
“Prejudices of any kind are the destroyers of human happiness and welfare.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 240)
The human being has a physical and a spiritual aspect. The very purpose of the human body and its physical faculties is to serve as a vehicle for the development of the soul. As the energies of the body are gradually brought under the conscious control of the soul, they become instruments for the expression of spiritual qualities. It is only undisciplined physical passions that become causes of harm, and hinder spiritual progress.
“..Human reality stands between the higher and the lower in man, between the world of the animal and the world of Divinity. When the animal proclivity in man becomes predominant, he sinks even lower than the brute. When the heavenly powers are triumphant in his nature, he becomes the noblest and most superior being in the world of creation. All the imperfections found in the animal are found in man. In him there is antagonism, hatred and selfish struggle for existence; in his nature lurk jealousy, revenge, ferocity, cunning, hypocrisy, greed, injustice and tyranny. So to speak, the reality of man is clad in the outer garment of the animal, the habiliments of the world of nature, the world of darkness, imperfections and unlimited baseness.
On the other hand, we find in him justice, sincerity, faithfulness, knowledge, wisdom, illumination, mercy and pity, coupled with intellect, comprehension, the power to grasp the realities of things and the ability to penetrate the truths of existence. All these great perfections are to be found in man. Therefore, we say that man is a reality which stands between light and darkness. From this standpoint his nature is threefold: animal, human and divine. The animal nature is darkness; the heavenly is light in light.” (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 465)
“If.. the spiritual nature of the soul has been so strengthened that it holds the material side in subjection, then does the man approach the Divine; his humanity becomes so glorified that the virtues of the Celestial Assembly are manifested in him; he radiates the Mercy of God, he stimulates the spiritual progress of mankind, for he becomes a lamp to show light on their path.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 97)
“The holy Manifestations of God come into the world to dispel the darkness of the animal or physical nature of man, to purify him from his imperfections in order that his heavenly and spiritual nature may become quickened, his divine qualities awakened, his perfections visible, his potential powers revealed and all the virtues of the world of humanity latent within him may come to life.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 110)
"The pathway of life is the road which leads to divine knowledge and attainment. Without training and guidance the soul could never progress beyond the conditions of its lower nature which is ignorant and defective."