what early western psychologist was influenced by buddhism

In the modern era, a few European thinkers such as Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche engaged with Buddhist thought. Likewise, in Asian nations with Buddhist populations, there were also attempts to bring the insights of Western thought to Buddhist philosophy, as can be seen in the rise of Buddhist modernism.

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How has Buddhism influenced the development of Western psychology?

Therefore, it is perhaps not surprising that Buddhism, and its abundance of psychological content (de Silva, 1990), have in recent history influenced the development of Western psychology with respect to clinical practices and cognitive neuroscience.

Is there a Buddhist perspective on psychology?

Buddhist psychology is increasingly informing psychotherapeutic practice in the western world. This article: (a) provides a general background to Buddhist tradition; (b) outlines the central tenets of Buddhist psychology, with particular emphasis on the practice of meditation; (c) provides an overvi …

Who is the author of the principles of Buddhist psychology?

Kalupahana, David J. (1992), The Principles of Buddhist Psychology, Delhi: Sri Satguru Publications. Kang, C., & Whittingham, K. (2010). Mindfulness: A dialogue between Buddhism and clinical psychology. Mindfulness, 1 (3), 161–173. Kornfield, Jack (1993).

What are the historical roots of Buddhist counseling?

According to McWilliams (2010), the historical roots of Buddhist approaches to counseling are over 2,500 years old. Like clinical psychology in the West, Buddhist approaches to psychotherapy were born out of concern with human suffering and the desire to lessen it (McWilliams, 2010).

Who was influenced by Buddhism?

During the Maurya empire, the Indian culture and way of life were deeply influenced by Buddhism. Buddhism appealed to people of lower castes because it emphasized individuals' path to enlightenment and salvation, which could be attained in this life.

How has Buddhism influenced psychology?

Buddhism has also inspired a number of evidence-based treatments, including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and Dialectic Behavior Therapy. Without further study, you can benefit from the Buddha's teachings with one simple practice: adopt a “beginner's mind.”

Which major modern thinker in the West was heavily influenced by Buddhism?

In the modern era, a few European thinkers such as Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche engaged with Buddhist thought.

How has Buddhism influenced the West?

Some of the major reasons for this spread include globalization, immigration, improved literacy and education (most Westerners are first exposed to Buddhism through reading), and the breakdown of the hegemony of Christianity on Western culture.

What is Buddhist counseling psychology?

Buddhist psychotherapy is based on the Buddhist model of the cause of mental suffering and deals with self-knowledge, thoughts, feelings and actions to minimize the psychological distress. Buddhist Psychotherapy has a positive impact on mental health and it can be used to treat a wide range of mental illnesses.

Which of the following is a Buddhist philosopher?

Buddha as Philosopher. This entry concerns the historical individual, traditionally called Gautama, who is identified by modern scholars as the founder of Buddhism. According to Buddhist teachings, there have been other Buddhas in the past, and there will be yet more in the future.

Which American writers popularized Buddhist concepts in the late 1800s by making the ideas more understandable in a Western context?

In the latter part of the 1800s, the influence of Buddhist thought began showing up in the literary works of Walt Whitman, Henry Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Was Alan Watts a Buddhist?

He chose Buddhism, and sought membership in the London Buddhist Lodge, which had been established by Theosophists, and was then run by the barrister and QC Christmas Humphreys, (who later became a judge at the Old Bailey). Watts became the organization's secretary at 16 (1931).

Who influenced Alan Watts?

Carl JungJiddu KrishnamurtiJoseph CampbellD. T. SuzukiLaoziWilliam JamesAlan Watts/Influenced by

What famous celebrities are Buddhist?

50 Surprising Celebrity BuddhistsJennifer Aniston, American actress, director.Sharon Stone, American actress, producer, and former fashion model.George Takei, American actor, “Sulu” on Star Trek.Sarah Jessica Parker, actress, producer.Brad Pitt, actor.Sting, English singer-songwriter, lead vocalist of The Police.More items...•

When did Buddhism become popular in the West?

Beginning in the mid-19th century, Buddhism was introduced into the United States and other Western countries by large numbers of immigrants, first from China and Japan and later from other countries, especially those of Southeast Asia.

Who was the founder of Buddhism?

Siddhartha GautamaSiddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism who later became known as “the Buddha,” lived during the 5th century B.C. Gautama was born into a wealthy family as a prince in present-day Nepal.

How does Buddhism affect mental health?

In short, the central tenets of Buddhism provide an important framework for behavior modification, stress coping, and reduction of depression. Given that Buddhism offers an important meaning-making system and pathways to happiness, being a Buddhist might help improve an individual's mental health.

How Hinduism contribute to the study of psychology?

Being so, Hindu psychologists held that self is a basic and fundamental reality and that too over, above and beyond the body. According to Hindu psychology the self does not exist in the body, but it is the other way; the body, the mind and even the objective world exists in the self. The self is thus the prime mover.

Do Buddhists go to therapy?

Contemplative Psychotherapy: This therapeutic modality is built on the foundation of Buddhist philosophy. Central to the approach is the belief that all people are inherently good and have the natural ability to heal from pain. The goal of therapy then is to help people uncover this wisdom.

Where can I study Buddhist psychology?

Ph. D. (Buddhist Studies) Colleges in IndiaArunachal University of Studies - AUS. ... Banaras Hindu University - BHU. ... Dr. ... Gautam Buddha University. ... Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya. ... Nalanda University. ... Nava Nalanda Mahavihara - NNM. ... Sanchi University of Buddhist - Indic Studies.More items...

What are the two main divisions of Buddhism?

The principles and rules used in this school are derived from the Buddhist religion. There are two main divisions of Buddhism: Mahayana and Theravada. Each of them also includes a number of schools which differ in their principles. However, all Buddhists use meditation practices to reach their goals.

What is the ultimate goal of Mahayana Buddhism?

In Mahayana Buddhism, the ultimate goal is to achieve complete enlightenment. In Theravada Buddhism, the final aim is to break samsara (the endlessly repeating cycle of suffering, death, and rebirth) and reach the state of Nirvana. The psychological practices such as meditation, controlling one’s thoughts and emotions and modifying one’s behavior are aimed at these goals.

Is Buddhism a Western religion?

Buddhism is an ancient school of thought, much older than Western psychology, and any attempt to speak of “Buddhist psychology” is an attempt to re-formulate certain parts of Buddhism using Western languages and concepts. In Buddhist psychology, usually parts of Buddhist teachings and practices (such as meditation and other mind techniques) are integrated into the Western frameworks, which often proves effective (Tomasino, Chiesa, & Fabbro, 2014).

Who was the first modern psychologist to conceptualize canonical Buddhist writings in terms of psychology?

Caroline A. F. Rhys Davids was one of the first modern Psychologist to conceptualize canonical Buddhist writings in terms of psychology.

What is the relationship between Buddhism and European psychology?

According to Austrian psychologist Gerald Virtbauer, the contact of Buddhism and European Psychology has generally followed three main approaches: The presentation and exploration of parts of Buddhist teachings as a Psychology and psychological method for analyzing and modifying human experience.

What is the modern growth of Buddhism?

The modern growth of Buddhism in the West and particularly the development of Buddhist modernism worldwide has led to the comparing and contrasting of European psychology and psychiatry with Buddhist theory and practice.

What is the overlap between Buddhism and psychology?

Buddhism and the modern discipline of Psychology have multiple parallels and points of overlap. This includes a descriptive phenomenology of mental states, emotions and behaviors as well as theories of perception and unconscious mental factors.

What is Buddhism psychology?

e. Buddhism includes an analysis of human psychology, emotion, cognition, behavior and motivation along with therapeutic practices. Buddhist psychology is embedded within the greater Buddhist ethical and philosophical system, and its psychological terminology is colored by ethical overtones.

Who is the president of the Buddhist Publication Society?

Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, president of the Buddhist Publication Society, has synopsized the Abhidhamma as follows: The system that the Abhidhamma Pitaka articulates is simultaneously a philosophy, a psychology, and an ethics, all integrated into the framework of a program for liberation....

Is there a program for Buddhism in North America?

Researchers interested in studying the intersection of Buddhism and psychology in North America have had to either fit themselves into Eastern Studies programs, psychology programs or engage in a program of private study. North American programs at accredited institutions dedicated to Buddhism and psychology are few. There is a minor (soon to be major) program at the University of Toronto called Buddhism and Mental Health.

What was Buddhism's influence on the 19th century?

During the 19th century, Buddhism (along with other non-European religions and philosophies) came to the attention of Western intellectuals through the work of Christian missionaries, scholars, and imperial civil servants who wrote about the countries in which they worked. Most accounts of Buddhism placed it in a negative light however, as a nihilistic, pessimistic, idolatrous and heathen faith. Jules Barthélemy-Saint-Hilaire for example, described Buddhism as the nihilistic nadir of Indian pessimism.

What contributed to the rise of Buddhism?

The growth of Spiritualism and Theosophy also contributed to the rise of interest in Buddhism. Some Theosophists actually converted to Buddhism, such as Helena Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott who according to Stephen Prothero were “the first European-Americans to publicly and formally become lay Buddhists” in 1880. Olcott became a very influential figure in the Sinhalese Buddhist revival and in promoting the rise of a modernist Buddhism. He founded various branches of the Buddhist Theosophical Society in his first visit to Sri Lanka and wrote Buddhist educational literature. Seeing himself as an educator who was attempting to help the Sinhalese understand “real” Buddhism (based on a rational academic study of the Pali texts, not on “debased, sectarian, and creedal” local forms), he wrote an influential introduction to Buddhism called the Buddhist Catechism (1881), which proved extremely popular and remains in use today. While Olcott’s Buddhism was influenced by liberal Protestantism as well as Theosophical ideas, Sinhalese Buddhists such as the famous Hikkaduve Sumangala supported his efforts and he became very popular in the island.

What is Buddhism in the West?

The Buddhism in the West (or more narrowly Western Buddhism) broadly encompasses the knowledge and practice of Buddhism outside of Asia in the Western world. Occasional intersections between Western civilization and the Buddhist world have been occurring for thousands of years. The first Westerners to become Buddhists were Greeks who settled in Bactria and India during the Hellenistic period. They became influential figures during the reigns of the Indo-Greek kings, whose patronage of Buddhism led to the emergence of Greco-Buddhism and Greco-Buddhist art. There was little contact between the Western and Buddhist cultures during most of the Middle Ages but the early modern rise of global trade and mercantilism, improved navigation technology and the European colonization of Asian Buddhist countries led to increased knowledge of Buddhism among Westerners. This increased contact led to various responses from Buddhists and Westerners throughout the modern era. These include religious proselytism, religious polemics and debates (such as the Sri Lankan Panadura debate), Buddhist modernism, Western convert Buddhists and the rise of Buddhist studies in Western academia. During the 20th century there was a growth in Western Buddhism due to various factors such as immigration, globalization, the decline of Christianity and increased interest among Westerners. The various schools of Buddhism are now established in all major Western countries making up a small minority in the United States (1% in 2017), Europe (0.2% in 2010), Australia (2.4% in 2016) and New Zealand (1.5% in 2013).

Why did Buddhism spread?

Some of the major reasons for this spread include globalization, immigration, improved literacy and education (most Westerners are first exposed to Buddhism through books), and the breakdown of the hegemony of Christianity on Western culture.

How did Buddhism and the Roman Empire interact?

Several instances of interaction between Buddhism and the Roman Empire are documented by Classical and early Christian writers. Roman historical accounts describe an embassy sent by the Indian king Pandion (Pandya?), also named Porus, to Augustus around 13 CE. The embassy was travelling with a diplomatic letter in Greek, and one of its members—called Zarmanochegas—was an Indian religious man (sramana) who burned himself alive in Athens to demonstrate his faith. The event created a sensation and was described by Nicolaus of Damascus, who met the embassy at Antioch, and related by Strabo (XV,1,73) and Dio Cassius. These accounts at least indicate that Indian religious men (Sramanas, to which the Buddhists belonged, as opposed to Hindu Brahmanas) were visiting Mediterranean countries. However, the term sramana is a general term for Indian religious man in Jainism, Buddhism, and Ājīvika. It is not clear which religious tradition the man belonged to in this case.

What is the significance of Greco-Buddhism?

Greco-Buddhism was an important religion among the Greco-Bactrians and the Indo-Greeks. The Indo-Greek kings such as Menander I (165/155 –130 BCE) and Menander II (90–85 BCE) used Buddhist symbolism in their coins. Menander I is a main character of the Indian Buddhist scripture known as Milinda Panha (“The Questions of King Milinda”), which states that he adopted the Buddhist religion. The Buddhist tradition considers Menander as a great benefactor of the Dharma, along with Ashoka.

Where did Buddhism originate?

The first Buddhists to arrive in the North America were Chinese immigrants to the West Coast in the 1848 Gold Rush. By 1875 there were 8 temples in San Francisco and many more smaller ones along the West Coast. They practiced a mixture of “Confucian ancestor veneration, popular Taoism, and Pure Land Buddhism.” At about the same time, immigrants from Japan began to arrive as laborers on Hawaiian plantations and central-California farms. In 1893 the first Jōdo Shinshū priests arrived in San Francisco, and they formally established the Buddhist Missions of North America, later renamed the Buddhist Churches of America in 1899. The BCA is the oldest major institutional form of Buddhism in the United States. This organization acted as way for immigrants to preserve their Japanese culture and language as well as their religion.

How does psychology influence Buddhism?

The influence of psychology on Western Buddhism manifests not just by way of helpful additions—such as defining nuances of self-view as manifested in various neuroses—but also in how it shakes up the priorities of Buddhist practice.

When Trungpa Rinpoche was introducing Buddhism in America, he stated that he was using psychological?

Judy Lief: When Trungpa Rinpoche was introducing Buddhism in America, he stated that he was using psychological language to avoid the trap of religiosity, which he felt really stifled the freshness of Buddhist teachings. I can see where the confusion crept in, though he didn’t totally represent ego as a boogeyman; he also talked about it as just another translation of atman, the self.

What cultural frame does Buddhism fall into?

Judy Lief: Certainly, one cultural frame that Buddhism falls into in the West is that of self-improvement. We tend not to think of the dharma as a way of life, as something that completely infuses everything. Westerners also have a bias toward rationality; we tend to be quick to dismiss what we perceive as magical thinking. I think we lose something in the Western emphasis on fixing our sorrows and becoming more at ease, rather than being willing to step into what is unfathomable.

What did Chogyam Trungpa teach?

But Trungpa also taught a huge breadth of dharma that included engagement and devotion. I think we’re now seeing the hunger for a broader dharma than meditation, something that can empower us in these difficult times. People want a dharma that encompasses social engagement, environment, and ritual, not just the individual meditation path that so many were first drawn to.

What is the essence of dharma?

Jack Kornfield: The essence of dharma is the teachings of emptiness and selflessness. Of course Buddhism offers lots of medicine, ways to reduce personal suffering and live in a wise, skillful, and nonharming way. But without the perspective of emptiness and selflessness, the dharma wouldn’t be the great gift that the Buddha gave to us. I think in every culture, people start where they are, and then the invitation is offered to move into the greater dimension of mystery and liberation that brings the truest human happiness and freedom.

Does Buddhism have a cultural idiom?

Bodhin Kjolhede: Yes, I think it does, in the way that any cultural idiom limits anything. Take, for example, the Buddhist teaching of the six realms. I suspect that most Westerners tend to see them in a psychological sense, as states of mind—hellish, craving, heavenly, and so on. We find these realms more meaningful when interpreted this way. Similarly, it can be extremely helpful for Westerners to see the bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism not as separate beings outside of ourselves but as aspects or archetypes of our own nature. These are natural ways in which Buddhist teaching has adapted to our own culture.

Does Buddhism cater to personal preferences?

Buddhadharma: Buddhism doesn’t cater to personal preferences; on the contrary, it insists on a certain degree of surrender and relinquishment. But culturally, it seems that the tendency is to pick and choose the parts of Buddhism that we like or that we think will serve our mental health. Do you see a tension between what Buddhism asks of us and what we’re asking of it?

What brought Buddhism to the West?

Ironically, for a religion that values the cultivation of inner and outer peace, war and military conflict have played a role in bringing a number of streams of Buddhism to the West. In the wake of World War II and the Korean War, U.S. servicemen who had been stationed in Asia brought back with them an interest in Asian culture and Buddhism. Robert Aitken Roshi, founder of the Diamond Sangha, was a prisoner of war on Guam when he first learned Buddhist teachings. After communist China’s takeover of Tibet in 1959, His Holiness the Dalai Lama re-settled in Dharamsala, India, and Tibetan refugees began arriving in America, bringing with them Vajrayana Buddhism. The government of Vietnam refused to allow Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh to return to that country after he spoke out against the Vietnam War in 1973. He later established Plum Village, a monastic training and retreat center, in the south of France. He continues to live there in exile, though he travels frequently to the U.S. and Europe to lead mindfulness retreats.

Who are some famous people who practice Buddhism?

Buddhism gained a higher profile in the West in the last part of the 20th century as celebrities and artists like Leonard Cohen, Richard Gere, Herbie Hancock, Phil Jackson, Tina Turner, and Alice Walker openly shared the influence that Buddhism has had on their lives and work.

What was the purpose of the World Parliament of Religions?

The World Parliament of Religions, held in 1893 in conjunction with the Chicago World’s Fair, was a key event in the transmission of Buddhism to the West. Japanese Zen master Shaku Soen was one of the participants; he returned to the U.S. several years later to travel around the country and give lectures on Buddhism.

How many Buddhists are there in the world?

Yet the influence of his life and his teachings continues today in multitudes of ways. There are an estimated 1.2 billion Buddh ists worldwide, and perhaps 6 million in the U.S. alone. Over the past two decades, interest in Buddhism and meditation has grown tremendously in ...

What religions were popular in the 1960s?

The spirit of experimentation of the 1960s and 70s, exemplified by Ram Dass, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, and others from the “Beat Generation” fueled an interest in Eastern religions including Buddhism. During these decades, a wave of young people traveled to Asia in search of teachers and gurus, and to learn meditation. Some of them included Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, and Sharon Salzberg, who started the Insight Meditation Society; Mirabai Bush, who helped found the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society; and Jon Kabat-Zinn, who went on to pioneer innovative applications for meditation such as its use in health care and stress reduction.

When did Buddhism come to America?

Buddhism first came to North America through Chinese immigrants who settled in the western parts of the United States beginning in the 1840s, as well as by North Americans and Europeans who visited Asia and brought back with them Buddhist texts. In the latter part of the 1800s, the influence of Buddhist thought began showing up in ...

Where did the Dalai Lama settle?

After communist China’s takeover of Tibet in 1959, His Holiness the Dalai Lama re-settled in Dharamsala, India, and Tibetan refugees began arriving in America, bringing with them Vajrayana Buddhism.

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Influence Between Buddhist and Western Psychologies

• Buddhism is an ancient school of thought, much older than Western psychology, and any attempt to speak of “Buddhist psychology” is an attempt to re-formulate certain parts of Buddhism using Western languages and concepts. In Buddhist psychology, usually parts of Buddhist teachings and practices (such as meditation and other mind techniques) are int...

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References

Overview

Buddhism and psychology

Interaction

Psychology in the Tripitaka

Buddhist techniques in clinical settings

Reaction from Buddhist traditionalists

Popular psychology and spirituality

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