There are two types of problems,

Inner and outer,

Lasting and temporary,

Esoteric and exoteric,

Real and unreal,

 

There are inner problems, which are the fundamental problems of human condition.

There are the outer problems, which are based on a particular, unique, outside situation.

There are inner problems, which pertain to this whole miracle of being human.

And there are outer problems, which pertain to this curious game of the world, game of surviving, game of thriving, game of adapting.

 

We bother too much with the outer.

We are rarely even conscious of the inner.

It is a fundamental mistake which breeds nothing but suffering.

We ought not bother much with the outer.

But we MUST solve our inner problems.

 

Our inner nature is far more subtle then the outside reality.

It’s problems are far less tangible.

Inner transformation yields the most subtle fruits.

Perhaps there have never been so many (outside) distractions to divert our attention from the inside to the outside.

Then again – perhaps the wordly treasures have never been as disappointing.

Either way – self inquiry, examination of one’s inner nature, solving the inner problems – is an art which quite different from the crude game of the outside world.

What I say is that – until the inner problem have been solved – one will never know peace.

 

We bother too much with the outer.

We are rarely even conscious of the inner.

We try to solve all our outer problems.

We rarely even look at our inner troubles.

We go about improving and changing and fixing our outer condition, and it never ends, and it is all in vain,

but we fail to ever peer inside ourselves,

which is the ultimate irony – for this profound sense of lack, this dysphoria – it can never be solved on the outside.

It is purely an inside problem.

Sense of lack can not be solved by acquisition.

It can only be relieved through cessation of desire.

 

…which leads us to outer-problems, inner-problems dichotomy.

Outer-inner differentiation is quite an obvious one.

However, what I encourage is – bringing the consciousness to the difference between outer-problems and inner problems.

At first it would be expressed in bringing more attention to the real, perennial problems of human psyche (inner problems) – desire, greed, hate, ambition, etc.

But secondly – there would follow detachment from the outside problems.

Do not confuse outside with the inner.

Your temporary problems are irrelevant.

Recognise the moment when you give far too much attention to the passing, insubstantial outside quibbles.

Life’s too vast to concern oneself with the petty.

 

As a matter of fact — if you let the outside problems inside – they themselves become inside. If you let the hate and struggle of the outside world harbour inside – you are now yourself part of that hate and struggle. You have just perpetuated the temporary problem of struggling outside within. Your model of reality is now based on the struggle, your approach to life is based on struggle, and you are now struggling, and you are not free from it.

Don’t let the outside problems last. Don’t take them in. Let them fade into the nothingness from which they arise.

…but you MUST solve the inside problems. You must solve them – for they will not go away by themselves. Inside problems are part of you. Unless you solve them – they will linger for as long as you yourself exist.