Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

184 Kathleen H. Dockett
cognitive therapies assist clients in restructuring the irrational beliefs that cause
them to emote and behave in maladaptive ways. According to Pargament’s (1997)
review of 40 studies, positive religious reframing has been found to be a helpful
type of coping activity.
Buddhist doctrine requires the individual to cognitively reconstruct traumatic
experiences in ways that accord with the true reality of life and therefore
foster psychologically healthy adaptations. A key to performing these reconstructions
seems to lie, in part, in internalizing the teachings of (a) the oneness of
life and its environment (eshofuni), (b) karma, (c) changing poison into medicine
(hendoku iyaku), and (d) viewing crisis as an opportunity for growth. This process
is the equivalent of training in Finkel’s trauma strengthening conversion
process – a reframing of the problem that focuses on the potential for gain and
promotes an orientation toward internal control and challenge. Through chanting
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, studying Buddhist philosophy, and receiving guidance
from seniors in faith, SGI members develop the ability to cognitively reconstruct
negative events in ways that reduce or eliminate stress and create a sense of
psychological empowerment.
Imamura (1998) illustrates the Buddhist call for positive reframing well in
the following passage.
Life is duhkha [suffering] (like riding on a cart with badly made wheels). Life’s
imperfections and pain are not eradicated but are instead embraced as familiar
friends and transformed into valuable lessons that show us again and again our blind
self-centeredness, the result of clinging to a very limited and impoverished view
of life. Suffering or unhappiness is the outcome of a failure to see that life is in
constant flux and that nothing is permanent in this world, a failure to see the interconnectedness
and interpenetration of things in the world, and a failure to see the
illusory nature of the conceptual self or ego. Happiness requires a complete transformation
of the individual’s paradigms or worldviews, that is, a cessation of
erroneous worldviews. (p. 231)
Implications for Research and Action
We have seen how the philosophy and practice of Nichiren Buddhism may
foster psychological empowerment and develop internal psychological resources
for stress resistance. Through providing a philosophy of life based upon the belief
that all human beings possess a Buddha nature, Nichiren Buddhism empowers
people to believe in their inherent capacity for growth and for positive impact on
their environment. It fosters deep commitments to develop one’s potentialities
and to advance the potentialities of humanity to live in harmony. It encourages
total responsibility for one’s life, and a belief in personal control of one’s destiny.
It promotes cognitive restructuring of negative experiences as challenging