[Buddha-l] Buddhism and Psychology research

[Dan Lusthaus]

Whether Buddhism in whole or in part is better understood as a sort of 
therapy ("relax and meet the universe") or something akin to askesis (not to 
be confused with ass-kissus) is an interesting one.

The askesis thesis gains some support from the fact that actual mental 
illness disqualified one from joining the monastic community (where, 
assumedly, the serious therapeutic sessions , if there were any, would take 
place). Buddhism, in its vinaya rules, makes clear that the monastic life is 
strictly for healthy, non-crippled, non-freakish, sane people. Others need 
not apply.

But conflating "psychology" with "therapy" is misleading. The sorts of 
studies I indicated (and there are literally hundreds, if not thousands of 
these published every year, a few of them actually important, and some of 
those are also interesting) are not about therapy, but about how the mind, 
behavior, brain, etc. work and interact. I see that as akin to what the 
Abhidharmikas were trying to analyze (with better tools today, but not 
always clearer conceptual frameworks).

In fact, even in the therapeutic community the Freudians (and subsequently 
most other "therapy" systems) draw a sharp distinction between 
"neurotics" -- i.e., basically healthy people with some "problems" that 
could use fixing -- and "psychotics" -- those with problems so severe 
psychotherapy alone will not be effective. Not unlike the Buddhist 
distinction, when you think of it.

As for philosophical materialism -- only a mind could come up with such a 
ludicrous theory.

Dan