Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

Religion and Spirituality in Community Building 203
community psychologists. The Buddhists have been clear on what the source
of suffering is, and they have developed specific practices for those engaged in
the effort to change the mind. The key question that a Buddhist might pose for
a community psychologist is if the world were to be more equal in terms of the
distribution of resources, a very real goal of community psychologists, would the
individuals who no longer lived in poverty be any happier or content or satisfied
with their lives. The Buddhist might respond that the real change would need to
be with ways of thinking, whereas the community psychologist would respond
that the world needs to be changed before people have the possibilities of a better
life. In fact, both approaches are not irreconcilable, and true liberation might
need to be accomplished in both the internal and external world.
In the sections below, we will examine ways that psychologists might use
these types of foundational values, both in assessment and therapy. Throughout
our discussion, we will review the possible implications of these ideas to broader
community-level interventions. This will be followed with examples of actual
Buddhist inspired community-level interventions.
Buddhist Influenced Ways to Measure Important
Psychological Constructs
There has been a tendency among psychologists to focus on mental disorder
or pathological traits rather than wellness or health. In contrast, Dockett (1993)
has shown how issues such a stress resistance can be seen from a Buddhist point
of view. Foundational ideas are a central characteristic of this approach. Some
psychologists have focused more on health promoting psychological attitudes
such as wisdom, and this construct stipulates that foundational values are evident.
Jason et al. (2001) recently developed the Foundational Values Scale,
a test designed to measure the construct of wisdom, with ideas borrowed from
eastern religions. The first component, Harmony, consisted of items assessing
balance, self-love, good judgment, appreciation, and purpose in life. These are
internal domains; they tap some concepts of Berry’s (1988) pattern of subjectivity,
Wegela’s (1988) aspect of spaciousness, and Burkhardt’s (1989) characteristic
of finding a purpose in life. It is interesting to note that, to the extent to which
one is balanced, has an appreciation of life, and can cope with uncertainty, one
has a higher likelihood of being less burdened by stress. The second component
of the Foundational Values Scale, Warmth, includes kindness, compassion, and
animation. This domain seems to be related to Berry’s (1988) pattern of communion,
Wegela’s (1988) aspect of warmth, and Burkhardt’s (1989) characteristic
of harmonious interconnectedness. The qualities of kindness and compassion
seem to be related to being in the present and having a sense of humor. This
dimension includes the extension of hope and happiness to others through