This is a documentary research. It aims at comparative studying of concept of suffering in Theravãda Buddhist philosophy and Schopenhauer’s pessimism, to compare the similarities and difference.  The result of studying is found as following;

Sufferings in Theravãda Buddhist Philosophy mean to becoming stressful,and conflict to happiness arising to everything, and clinging to five aggregates. However, it would be divided into 2 kinds of suffering; 1) Physical suffering, and 2) Mental suffering. It could perform 3 types, such as unpreventable, irritable, uncontrollable, and conditioning oneself and another as well. By these causes Buddhist philosophy should be realism, it’s not pessimism. The based cause is ignorance creating sensual craving, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence. Buddhist philosophy had been informed the end of suffering, both mundane, and super-mundane, by practice through the way leading to end of suffering by threefold training, which would bring happiness to one’s life and live together peacefully. The attainment highest blessing can cut across the circle of lives. They never come back to face suffering again.             

Schopenhauer said that sufferings mean becoming, and living in this world with difficulty and lack of property or ones need anything, but nothing fulfill with his needs. For one who can meet his needs, then he want again and again. This causes two types of suffering arisen. That is physical suffering and mental suffering which can separate 3 characters; instability, unsatisfied, sorrow, worry, and boring. The cause of sufferings begins willing, selfishness, and attitude of thinking. When suffering is unwanted by anyone else, one can find the way out of suffering and  create happiness instead.  In Schopenhauer’s point of views, there are 2 ways to stop sufferings as follows; 1) the way to the end of physical suffering is to attain beauty of art, and 2)  the way to the end of mental suffering is to sacrifice  mundane needs. When well practiced, one can achieve happiness, which is really highest goal of life.

After comparing both points of view, the researcher can see similarities that live as Buddhist philosophy and Schopenhauer suffering are the essence of life both the physical and mental suffering. It is depended on attachment, especially; desire of existence. The end of suffering can be acted by getting rid of desire. In Buddhist philosophy, one  must  abandon the ignorance, origin of desire. The exactly difference is practice according to the way out of suffering,  because  buddhist  philosophy  emphasys  on  both  mundane  and  super  mundane happiness.