Suffering is critical to grow spiritually. Why do we then want to remove suffering from others?

This is a deep and important question, and it seems like an apparent contradiction.  

The Paradox: Suffering as a Path vs. Wishing for Happiness

In many traditions like Buddhism and Hinduism, suffering is seen not only as good, but as inevitable and transformative. 

However, these same traditions are filled with compassion: "May all beings be happy; may all beings be free from suffering." So how do these two ideas coexist?

Here are some points to reflect upon regarding this apparent contradiction.

1. Suffering as a Teacher, Not a Goal

Suffering isn't glorified in these traditions—it’s acknowledged as a powerful catalyst for insight. For example:

• The Buddha left his palace because he encountered old age, sickness, and death—forms of suffering.

• Vedantic inquiry often begins with a sense of dissatisfaction with worldly life (vairagya—dispassion born of suffering).

So suffering triggers the quest, but it’s not the goal. 

2. Wishing for Happiness Is Wishing for Liberation

When we say, "May all beings be happy," in these traditions, we aren’t usually wishing for temporary pleasures. We're wishing for:

• Freedom from ignorance

• Peace beyond ego

• Liberation (moksha, nirvana)

This ultimate happiness includes the transcendence of suffering, not just the absence of pain. 

Happiness is not about comfort, but about clarity, freedom, and realization.

3. Compassion and Wisdom Work Together

Compassion (karuṇā) leads us to want others to be free from suffering, while wisdom (prajñā) helps us understand that:

• Suffering can serve a purpose, but

• No one should be forced to suffer just to awaken.

It’s like seeing someone in a burning house. You don’t say, "Ah well, this fire will make them wise." You help them out, and if they awaken to deeper truths because of that experience, it’s a bonus, not the plan. 

The realized person sees no difference between pain and pleasure—they are no longer caught by either.

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Summary

So the apparent contradiction dissolves when we understand:

• Suffering is a tool, not a virtue.

• Wishing happiness means wishing awakening and peace.

• Compassion doesn't conflict with deep spiritual truths—it deepens them.