Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

Introduction 9
(i.e., stopping, calming, and seeing) can be extended to the nexus of our social
dialogues. Growing out of a lucid engaging description of the teachings and
behavior of the Buddha, Chappell derives a set of Buddhist social principles that
today guide the peace work of Buddhist social activists. He cautions us, however,
that neither dialogue nor Buddhist morality are enough to resolve special problems,
such as structural violence, social oppression, and environmental degradation.
In these instances, he calls for the “middle path” of social responsibility
backed by legal safeguards to ensure the stability of social change.
A key point made in this chapter is that while dhyana and pragna (meditation
and wisdom) or samatha and vipassana (calming and insight) are two legs of
the Buddhist chair, social action is the third leg without which the chair cannot
stand. It is important to understand that the Buddha did not remain in isolated
meditation but was socially active. Most of his career was spent on the road,
actively engaging others, of all walks of life, in dialogue and reform. Not only
was the Buddha a social activist, pacifying a vicious mass murderer Angulimala
who wore a necklace of fingers taken from his nearly 1,000 victims; repeatedly
intervening to dissuade rulers from waging war on neighboring kingdoms; and
teaching kings, untouchables, bandits, and Brahmins alike; but he also sent the
Buddhist community into society to help others. The Buddha’s sense of responsibility
represents a foundational value and model for our interventions.
Part IV: Future Directions: Global Impact
Finally, in “On the Path to Peace and Wholesomeness: Conclusion to
Psychology and Buddhism,” the editors state their belief that the ultimate benefit
of the enrichment of Western psychology by Buddhism will be in the empowerment
of human beings to work together to build sustainable communities that can
pursue the never-ending work of creating a more peaceful world. As much as
anything this transformation of psychology will come about by helping the profession
engage the real, the deep, and the universal needs of the inhabitants of the
planet. The vehicle for this transformation will not be in further glorification of
the scientific canon or the “final victory” of the members of any specific psychological
enclave. It will come through the transformation of our understanding as
psychologists of the interdependence of all life and of the immense power of
human consciousness to transform the human condition.
This book is intended to inform, stimulate, and broaden the thinking of psychologists
and others interested in the interface between psychology and
Buddhism. As the interest in Buddhism grows within the psychological community,
the need for more information on theoretical as well as practical levels
becomes apparent. In this book we move from considerations of the individual,
through the community to global conceptions for world peace. We attempt to further
the dialogue between psychology and Buddhism at many points along the