Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

Mahayana Principles of Integration
self, Kawada states:
It is this sense of one’s self as separate and isolated from others that gives rise to
discrimination against others, to destructive arrogance and acquisitiveness. The
lesser self is deeply insecure, and vacillates between feelings of superiority and
inferiority with regard to others; in the pursuit of its own fulfillment, the lesser self
will unthinkingly harm or wound others ... the mono [ego] consciousness functions
to create a strong sense of disjunction between self and others and to generate
discriminatory attitudes toward those we experience as “other.” (p. 20)
It is this ego or the lesser self that attaches great importance to difference resulting
in ignorance and delusion and eventually conflict with others. It is the lesser
self that most psychological theories address, “One’s grief arises from positing an
enduring self where no self endures, from seeking to protect it from change, when
one’s very law is change” (Macy, 1991, p 124).
In Mahayana Buddhism, the principle of true self or Buddha nature offers
the individual an opportunity to become aware of his or her true identity, or
potential for Buddhahood. As an integrating principle for creating peaceful societies,
true self teaches that gaining awareness of our true identity will help the
individual not only to accept him- or herself as a person of immeasurable value,
but would open the individual to realizing that this potential for Buddhahood is
shared by every other person on the planet. At the core of that awareness is the
realization that if I, the individual, have a true self or Buddha nature, then perhaps
so does everyone else. If I possess a Buddha nature this means that I have the possibility
of becoming a Buddha; if I possess this nature, then so do my child, my
neighbor, and even my enemy. Therefore one must bow to a potential Buddha, not
slay him. Since I would want the respect due to a Buddha, I must give that respect
to all others, because they possess the same nature as I do.
In Chapter Twenty of The Lotus Sutra, there is the story of Bodhisattva
Never Disparaging who honors every human being, even to the point of being
physically and mentally abused for his respectful behavior.
For what reason was he named Never Disparaging. This monk, whatever persons he
happened to meet, whether monks, nuns, laymen, or laywomen, would bow in
obeisance to all of them and speak words of praise, saying, “I have profound
reverence for you, I would never dare treat you with disparagement or arrogance.
Why? Because you are all practicing the bodhisattva way and are certain to attain
Buddhahood”... . Many years passed in this way, during which this monk was constantly
subjected to curses and abuse. He did not give way to anger, however, but
each time spoke the same words, “You are certain to attain Buddhahood.” When he
spoke in this manner, some of the group would take sticks of wood or tiles and
stones and beat and pelt him. But even as he ran away and took up his stance
at a distance, he continued to call out in a loud voice, “I would never dare disparage
you, for you are all certain to attain Buddhahood.” (The Lotus Sutra, 1993,
pp. 226–227)
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