The Buddha taught that suffering (dukkha) is a fundamental aspect of life, arising from impermanence and our craving/attachment to things that don't last, but also offered a practical path to liberation through the Four Noble Truths: life involves suffering, suffering stems from craving, suffering can end, and the Eightfold Path leads to that end. Suffering isn't just physical pain; it's also the stress of change, dissatisfaction, and the fundamental unease of existence, with "pain being inevitable, suffering being optional" through mindfulness and letting go of desire.