Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

Chapter 9
The Role of Religion and Spirituality
in Community Building
Leonard A. Jason and John Moritsugu
The purpose of this chapter is to attempt a synthesis of Buddhist values that
underlie individual change and community psychology theory that provides
a rationale for environmental and ecological influences on individual change. Both
traditions have helped transform the world, one from a more inward spiritual
framework and the other from a more action-oriented, environmental perspective.
Each makes unique contributions and their combination provides the possibilities
for a synergy that provides for even more comprehensive solutions to human suffering.
In this chapter, we will first review briefly major characteristics of these
two fields, and this will be followed with examples of how both traditions might
enrich each other.
Buddhist Perspectives
Often, the lay person thinks of Buddhism as a monastic tradition, one that
focuses on renunciation of the world in the hope of attaining enlightenment. This
type of spiritual orientation might seem far removed from the more actionoriented
approach of community psychologists. However, this school of Buddhism,
which is called Theravada, in principle could have far impacting consequences on
the external world, for if many individuals were to embrace these types of practices,
clearly there would be less violence and conflict, and these are goals of the community
psychology discipline. However, those from a Theravada perspective
197